Counting verbs in a verb chain

[nicgday]

I am a little confused as to how to count the number of verbs in a verb chain. Do they become one verb or do they still count as individual verbs?

Examples.

I should have given it to you.
I wish I could find it.

I am doing an online TEFL course and have been asked to count the verbs in the sentences.

Many thanks

[hotmetal]

Hi Nic, I'm not a teacher, but I would say that what they're asking is "how many verbs are there?" in order to see that you can correctly discriminate which words are verbs. I don't think it's a trick question where modal verbs and normal verbs combine to be one. (Then again, I've never done TEFL so I could be wrong).

I should have given it to you. 3
I wish I could find it. 3

[Soup]

Should and could are modal verbs, but they are not main verbs. Given is not a verb. It's a past participle:

1. I should have given it to you.
should = modal verb
have given = verb

2. I wish I could find it.
wish = verb

could = modal verb
find = verb

[Kraken]

Given is not a verb. It's a past participle

Beg your pardon?

[hotmetal]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a part participle a verb that has been conjugated?
The verb is "to give". Past it may be, but it's still a verb.

[Soup]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a part participle a verb that has been conjugated?
The verb is "to give". Past it may be, but it's still a verb.

The verb is have given, present perfect. It's comprised of the verb have + a past participle. Note the tense carrying verb here, have given, had given.