Verb Phrase Examples

A verb phrase is a verb and all of its modifiers and helpers. Because verbs have different tense (past, present, future, etc.), a verb phrase may have many helping verbs.

Let's look at some examples of verbs and verb phrases that vary based on tense:

Present Tense Verb: walk

Present Progressive Verb: am walking

Present Perfect Verb: have walked

Present Perfect Progressive Verb: have been walking

Past Tense Verb: walked

Past Progressive Verb: was walking

Past Perfect Verb: had walked

Past Perfect Progressive Verb: had been walking

Future Tense Verb: will walk; shall wall

Future Progressive Verb: will be walking

Future Perfect Verb: will have walked

Future Perfect Progressive Verb: will have been walking

Verb phrases can also include modal auxiliary verbs, which are verbs that indicate likelihood, permission, ability, or obligation. Let's look at some examples of verb phrases with modal auxiliary verbs:

did walk; does walk

should walk, would walk

can walk; could walk

may walk, might walk, must walk