This document discusses the structure of verb phrases in English grammar. It defines a verb phrase as consisting of one or more verb words and being the essential element of a clause. A verb phrase can be finite, consisting of a single verb inflected for tense, or nonfinite, consisting of a verb in its base form. Finite verb phrases show tense, person, number, mood and other properties, while nonfinite verb phrases do not vary for tense. Complex verb phrases contain multiple verbs in a specified order, such as modal + infinitive. The document also covers distinctions between active and passive voice and common uses of the passive form.

1. English Grammar Topics
No 5
The Structure of Verb Phrases
General facts on the English verbal
phrase.
Copyright 2013
Jesús Lorenzo Vieites

2. Verb phrases
Adverb phrases
Noun phrases
Adjective phrases
Prepositional phrases
(*)
A grammatical unit which may consist of one or more than one
word and which is one of the classes of constituents into which simple
sentences can be divided

3. A Verb phrase…
…is a phrase consisting of one or more verb words. It is
the essential element of a clause.
The verb phrase can also be interpreted as being a
bigger unit, including not only verb constructions, but
also the elements of a clause which follow the main
verb such as its object. (Verb phrase in this sense is
equivalent to predication).

4. In this type of verb phrase the first or
only word is a finite verb (-s form and
–ed form (the past form)…
…and the rest of the verb phrase
(if any) is made of nonfinite verbs.

5. 1. They occur as
the verb phrase
of independent
clauses
2. There is a
distinction between
present and past
tenses
4. Finite verb phrases
have mood, which
indicates the factual or
nonfactual status of the
predication
3. There is person and
number concord
between the subject of
a clause and the finite
verb phrase You read the paper every day

6. 1
A verb form which is
nonfinite does not
involve variation for
past
tense
and
2
present tense.
Thence, any phrase in which one of
the forms [infinitive, the –ing
3
Such phrases do not
participle, and the –ed participle] is
normally occur as
the first or only word is a nonfinite
the verb phrase of
verb phrase.
an independent
clause…

7. He smokes
Sue is having a smoke
He must smoke 40 a day
You have been smoking all day
To smoke like that must be
dangerous
I regret having started to
smoke
The cigars smoked here tend
to be very expensive
That was the last cigarette
to have been smoked by me

8. The finite verb
phrase is simple
when it just consists
of one word
(without ellipsis!)
Complex, on the
other hand,
when it is formed
by two or more
words
In COMPLEX verb phrases…
The
auxiliaries
follow a
strict order
Modal + infinitive
Perfect + -ed participle
Progressive + -ing participle
Passive + -ed participle

9. Tense
Aspect
Mood
Finiteness
Voice
Questions
Negation
Emphasis
1
Tense = requires a
choice between present
and past in the first or
only verb in a finite verb
phrase
He works hard
He worked hard
2
Aspect = choice
between the nonperfect
and the perfect, and
between the
nonprogressive and the
progressive
She writes essays
She has written essays
She is writing essays
She has been writing essays

10. Tense
Aspect
Mood
Finiteness
Voice
Questions
Negation
Emphasis
3
Mood = requires a
choice between the
indicative, imperative,
and subjunctive
He listens
He is listening to me
Listen to me
I demand that he listen to me
4
Finiteness =
choice between the
finite and nonfinite
She plays tennis
Playing tennis is good for your health

11. Tense
Aspect
Mood
Finiteness
Voice
Questions
Negation
Emphasis
5
Voice = it just
involves a contrast
between the active
and passive
The judge will examine the
evidence
The evidence will be examined by
the judge
6
Questions =
generally require
subject-operator
inversion
I should pay for you – Should I pay for
you?
The teacher objected – Did the teacher
object?

12. Tense
Aspect
Mood
Finiteness
Voice
Questions
Negation
Emphasis
7
Negation = it
just makes use of
operators
I should pay for you
I shouldn’t pay for you
The teacher objected
The teacher didn’t object
8
Emphasis =
which is frequently
carried by an
operator
I should pay.
The teacher did object.

13. Active & passive
The distinction applies to sentences where the verb is
transitive, ie, it has a direct object (DO)
Differences involve both the verb phrase and the clause:
The Passive in the verb phrase + be +-ed participle of the main verb
At clause level there are the following changes:
Active clause
Subject
>
<
Object
>
<
passive agent
passive subject
“by” is inserted before the agent
Passive clause

14. A few uses of the passive (1)
It is worth remembering that the prepositional phrase (agent byphrase) of passive sentences is an optional element and is
commonly omitted
The constable murdered the butler
The butler was murdered (by the constable)
Get is frequently used with the passive in informal English
get dressed - get caught - get run over
The change to passive is highly restricted if the active object is a
clause. It becomes acceptable when the clause is extrapolated
and replaced by anticipatory it:
They all thought that she was gorgeous
It was thought that she was gorgeous

15. A few uses of the passive (2)
In sentences where there is a choice between active and passive,
the active is the norm.
Use of the passive in the following cases:
When speakers/writers they
do not know the identity of
the agent of the action
They feel there is no reason
for mentioning the agent
(identification
is
fairly
obvious and/or unimportant)
They
want
to
avoid
identifying the agent because
they don’t want to assign or
accept responsibility
In scientific writing to avoid
the constant repetition of the
subject I or we and to put the
emphasis on processes and
experimental procedures

16. English Grammar Topics
No 5
Copyright 2013
Jesús Lorenzo Vieites