more essential parts of speech

There are verbs or verb phrases in the sentences below.

Can you tell whether they are action verbs or state of being verbs. 

1. Jim plays basketball. [plays - action]

2. They will return on the airplane. [will return - action]

3. Badger is a funny dog. [is - linking or state of being]

4. I have been here a long time. [have been - state of being]

5. I should have been playing the drum. [should have been playing - action]

6. Go home. [go - action]

The helping verbs are will, have, should, have, and been. 

 

The been in sentence 4 is not a helping verb because it is the main verb. 

 

The last verb in a verb phrase is always the main verb.

 

A helping verb may be connected with another word in a contracted form. 

 

The following sentences have verb phrases using contractions.

1. I've done it again. [ 've (have) done - Have is in contracted form.]

2. You aren't going with us. [are going - Are is connected to the contracted form of not.]

3. She's staying to tend the kids. ['s (is) staying - Is is in contracted form.]

All three verb phrases are action verbs.

 

In sentences that are questions, the verb phrase is often separated by another word.

Look for another word separating the helping verb from the main verb in the following-

 

1. Have you been driving long? [have been driving]

2. Where was the car parked? [was parked]

3. Can I be of assistance? [can be]

 

The first two verbs are action verbs, and the last verb is a state of being verb.

 

The words separating the verb phrases are nouns and pronouns, more commonly in questions sentences.

 

Eureka !