ENGLISH GRAMMAR lesson 5

Lesson 5

Sometimes a verb can be more than one word. When a verb is more 
than one word, it is called a verb phrase.
Verb phrases can be two, 
three, or four words. Using auxiliary or helping verbs makes verb 
phrases.  There are twenty-three (23) helping verbs that should be 
memorized since they are used so often. If you memorize them, it 
will make knowing and understanding verbs much easier. They are 
usually grouped in the following five groups:  

Group 1: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been 
Group 2: has, have, had 
Group 3: do, does, did 
Group 4: shall, will, should, would 
Group 5: may, might, must, can, could 

Instructions: Pick out the verb phrases in these sentences. 
  
1. You are going to Seattle. 
2. You have been resting too much. 
3. We must be early. 
4. I will be finished shortly. 


Answers:
1. are going 
2. have been resting 
3. must be 
4. will be finished 
These sentences all have what are called auxiliary or helping verbs. I 
will refer to them as helping verbs.