Worksheet on identifying verb phrases in sentences.

Let me work through each sentence to identify the verb phrases.

A verb phrase contains a main verb and helping verb(s), or a verb with its complements and objects. Let me analyze each sentence:

1) Jeff has been waiting for you since morning.
- "has been waiting" - helping verbs "has been" + main verb "waiting"
- Verb phrase: has been waiting

2) Nancy is trying to improve her French.
- "is trying" - helping verb "is" + main verb "trying"
- Verb phrase: is trying

3) Gary would have been very happy with the results.
- "would have been" - helping verbs "would have" + main verb "been"


- Verb phrase: would have been

4) You might enjoy some of this music too.
- "might enjoy" - helping verb "might" + main verb "enjoy"
- Verb phrase: might enjoy

5) Jean was surprised to know the news.
- "was surprised" - helping verb "was" + main verb "surprised"
- Verb phrase: was surprised

6) These artifacts must be worth millions.
- "must be" - helping verb "must" + main verb "be"
- Verb phrase: must be

7) You must attend this workshop on positive thinking.
- "must attend" - helping verb "must" + main verb "attend"
- Verb phrase: must attend

8) Will you be joining us for the picnic?
- "will be joining" - helping verbs "will be" + main verb "joining"
- Verb phrase: will be joining

9) Having worked abroad for many years, Andrew speaks many languages.
- "Having worked" - participle phrase functioning as an adverb
- "speaks" - main verb
- Verb phrase: Having worked (or speaks)

10) Kevin didn't have money enough to buy a house.
- "didn't have" - helping verb "did" (negative) + main verb "have"
- Verb phrase: didn't have

Now I'm reconsidering what counts as a verb phrase more carefully. The definition includes both helping verbs with main verbs, and verbs with their complements and objects. For sentence 9, "Having worked" functions as an adverbial phrase while "speaks" is the main verb of the independent clause. For sentence 10, "didn't have" is clearly the verb phrase with the negative auxiliary. Looking at sentence 9 again, "Having worked" is a participial phrase that functions as an adverb modifying the main clause, so it qualifies as a verb phrase under the broader definition. For sentence 10, "didn't have" is the verb phrase in the main clause, though "to buy" could also be considered a verb phrase functioning as an adverb describing purpose. I'll stick with the primary verb phrases for each sentence.