Verbalfrasers

Verbalfrasers, also called verbal phrases or verb phrases, are syntactic units centered on a verb that function as the predicate of a clause. A verbalfraser comprises the main verb and, when present, auxiliary verbs along with any required complements, objects, negation, and modifiers. They are the primary locus for marking tense, aspect, mood, voice, and modality in many languages.

Structure: In English, finite verbalfrasers often begin with one or more auxiliary verbs followed by the main verb (for example, has been reading, will eat). Non-finite forms include infinitives, present participles, and past participles embedded in a verbalfraser (to eat, eating, eaten). Negation is typically placed after the first auxiliary (has not been), and particles can attach to the verb (give up). Objects and prepositional phrases can follow the verb, forming a more complex verbalfraser.

Cross-linguistic variation: Some languages rely heavily on periphrastic constructions, using multiple auxiliary-like elements to express tense, aspect, and mood, while others encode these meanings within a single inflected verb. The exact order and permissible constituents of a verbalfraser differ across languages; coordination and complementation within the verbalfraser form a core part of predicate structure.

See also: Verb phrase, Predicate, Clause, English grammar.