1. Find the main verb:
* Start by looking for the word that describes the action or state of being in the sentence. This is the main verb.
2. Look for helping verbs:
* Helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs) work with the main verb to form a complete verb phrase.
* Common helping verbs include:
* Forms of "be": am, is, are, was, were, been, being
* Forms of "have": have, has, had
* Forms of "do": do, does, did
* Other helping verbs: will, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could, must
3. Combine the main verb and helping verbs:
* The main verb and any helping verbs together form the verb phrase.
Example:
Sentence: The dog had been running through the park all morning.
* Main verb: running
* Helping verbs: had, been
* Verb phrase: had been running
Here are some more examples:
* Sentence: I will be going to the store later.
* Verb phrase: will be going
* Sentence: She has been working on that project for weeks.
* Verb phrase: has been working
* Sentence: The children are playing in the backyard.
* Verb phrase: are playing
Tips:
* Focus on the action or state of being: What is the subject doing or being?
* Pay attention to word order: Helping verbs usually come before the main verb.
* Practice! The more you practice identifying verb phrases, the easier it will become.