[Grammar] verb groups and verb phrases

[albeit_dumbly]

Hello,

I would like to ask a question about grammar. I am preparing myself for the grammar exam and it is important for me to correctly understand issues regarding to verb groups and verb phrases.

In this sentence: "Mark should buy a new car" should buy is a verb group and "a new car" is an object. Together they create a verb phrase.

My problem is when the sentence is longer, e.g.:

We speak English very well.

I bought a new car last week.

In these sentences I have underlined the verb groups and the verb phrases are colored. Do words like now, later, very well, this week, yesterday etc. are also part of the verb phrase or should it only include the verb group and the object?Thank you in advance for your answers.

 

[jutfrank]

No, don't count those adverbial phrases as part of the verb phrase. Think of them separately, since you can remove them and still keep a grammatical sentence. They are adjuncts, not complements. That means that they are not grammatically essential for the verb phrase to make sense.

Does it actually make any difference to the way you understand the sentences, though?

 

[albeit_dumbly]

Thank you very much for your answer. Indeed, these parts are only additional and do not affect the general sense.
I asked this question because I was a bit fooled by the information found here:
https://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/verb-phrase.html
[h=2]Definition:[/h] The verb phrase is the main verb plus the complement, object, and/or adverbial:

She sent me a lovely birthday card. (everything except the subject, 'she', is the verb phrase) -

That's why I thought that words like "last week, now, yesterday, etc." should also be included in the verb phrase.

 

[Tdol]

If you want the check that out, plough through this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verb_phrase

There are differences in terminology, but you will see that you have not been misled. I would agree with Jutfrank about wondering whether it leads to a greater understanding.

 

[jutfrank]

The verb phrase is the main verb plus the complement, object, and/or adverbial:

She sent me a lovely birthday card. (everything except the subject, 'she', is the verb phrase) -

That's why I thought that words like "last week, now, yesterday, etc." should also be included in the verb phrase.

Yes, I can see how that definition confused you. Sometimes adverbial phrases are dependent and sometimes not.