Finding the Verb Phrase A Step-by-Step Process

Because verb phrases are more complicated to identify than prepositional phrases, you must follow a process for verb phrases.

Step 1: Don’t forget to find the prepositional phrases first!! THEN...

FIRST: Look for a word that shows action in the sentence.

SECOND: Double-check to be sure the word is the action in the sentence.

Tips for Double-checking: 1. “Can you do that?” 2. “Is someone or something doing that in the sentence?” 3. “Can you add –ing?”

THIRD: When you are sure the word is an action verb, double- underline the action verb and label it "A" for action verb.

Now skip to the sixth part of the process.

THIRD (continued) : When you are sure the sentence has no action verb, you MUST find a linking verb from the list on your SAM sheet.

FOURTH: If the verb is on the Linking Verb list, but is not a form of "to be", it has a dot next to it on the SAM sheet.

Perform the Substitution Test to decide if it is an action verb or linking verb.

FIFTH: When you are sure the word is a linking verb, double- underline the linking verb and label it "L" for linking verb.

Now you should have your MAIN VERB double-underlined and labeled as either "A" for action verb or "L" for linking verb. Now you should have your MAIN VERB double-underlined and labeled as either "A" for action verb or "L" for linking verb.

SIXTH: Look at the words that appear BEFORE the main verb in the sentence. Are any of them on the list of helping verbs on your SAM sheet?

If so, double- underline each helping verb and label each helping verb "H" for helping verb.

Don’t forget! Label adverb interrupters as “ADV” and conjunctions joining compound verbs as “C.”

Now, we will walk through this process for each of three sample sentences.

Sample Sentences: 1. The man in the elevator was not pushing the buttons. (Was=helping; pushing=action) 2. What was the point of the story? (was=linking 8. He felt sad after the movie. (felt=linking)

REMEMBER:

Rules for Verbs: 1. Every sentence must have an ACTION or LINKING verb as the main verb.

Rules for Verbs: 2. If you do not know whether the main verb is action or linking, perform the Substitution Test.

Rules for Verbs: 3. A verb phrase is the main verb (action or linking) PLUS the helping verbs.

Rules for Verbs: 4. Helping Verbs ALWAYS are BEFORE the main verb, never AFTER.

If you follow the PROCESS, you should make no mistakes labeling the verb phrase!