Defininition of Verb Phrase

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Defininition of Verb Phrase

Douglas 2002:42 says that, verb phrase is a phrase with a verb as its head. Verb phrase has a lexical verb or primary verb as their head i.e. their main verb. It is also called a predicate. The main verb can stand alone or be preceded by one or more auxiliary verbs. The auxiliaries further define the action, state, or process denoted by the main verbs. Verb phrases are the essential part of clause, referring to a type of state or action. Verb phrase or VP is a syntax structure composed of predicative element of a sentence and has function in providing information about the subject of the sentence. All verbs that function as a predicate is verb phrase. The head of phrase is a verb and constructed from a single verb, however, the verb phrase will consist of various combinations of the main verb and any auxiliary verb, plus optionally specifier, complement, and adjunct. A main verb can stand by itself as the simple predicate of a sentence. For example : Many different people lived in the American colonies. Word `lived` is the main verb action. In the sentence “The colonists were hardworking”, `were` has function as main verb linking. According to Douglas 2002:42, verbs can be grouped in to three major classes according to their ability to function as main verbs or auxiliary verbs. Universitas Sumatera Utara • Lexical verbs e.g. run, eat, think have function as main verbs full verbs ex: - Children and dog ran from side to side. - He barely ate or slept that night • Primary verbs Primary verbs be, have, and do have function as both auxiliary and main verbs Primary verbs as main verbs function: Ex : - He does my washing. - His dad was an art professor. - Every atom has a dense nucleus Primary verbs as auxiliary function with main verb underlined Ex : - He doesn’t look at the numbers. - He was wearing a dark ski mask. - A particular combination of result has occurred • Modal verbs can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must have function only as auxiliary verbs Ex : - He should be angry for all that. - He would probably like it softer. Verb phrases are the essential part of a clause, referring to a type of state or action. The main verb determines the other clause elements that can occur in the clause. Verb phrases are often split into two parts. This happens in questions, where the subject is placed after the first auxiliary verb : What`s he doing? verb phrase = is doing. Universitas Sumatera Utara In addition, the parts of a verb phrase can be interrupted by adverbs or other adverbial. For example : - You know the English will always have gardens whereever they find themselves. verb phrase = will have - The current year has definitely started well. verb phrase = has started

2.2 Forms of Verb Phrase