In linguistics, a verb phrase or VP is a syntactic structure composed of the predicative elements of a sentence and functions in providing information about the subject of the sentence. Linguistics is the scientific study of language, which can be theoretical or applied. ... For other uses, see Syntax (disambiguation). ... In linguistics and logic, a predicate is an expression that can be true of something. ... Sentence elements are the groups of words that combine together to comprise the ‘building units’ of a well-formed sentence. ... In linguistics, a sentence is a unit of language, characterized in most languages by the presence of a finite verb. ...

VPs in the generative grammar framework

In the generative grammar framework, the verb phrase is a phrase headed by a verb. A verb phrase may be constructed from a single verb; often, however, the verb phrase will consist of various combinations of the main verb and any auxiliary verbs, plus optional specifiers, complements, and adjuncts. For example, consider the following sentences: It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Generative linguistics. ... Look up phrase in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In linguistics, the head is the morpheme that determines the category of a compound or the word that determines the syntactic type of the phrase of which it is a member. ... It has been suggested that Verbal agreement be merged into this article or section. ... In linguistics, an auxiliary (also called helping verb, auxiliary verb, or verbal auxiliary) is a verb functioning to give further semantic or syntactic information about the main or full verb following it. ... In X-bar theory in linguistics, specifiers, head words, and complements together form phrases. ... A complement is a phrase that fits a particular slot in the syntax requirements of a parent phrase. ... The following is about the linguistics term; adjunct is also a conjunct disjunct adverbial Categories: Linguistics stubs ...

(1)

a. Yankee batters hit the ball to win their first World Series since 2000.
b. Mary saw the man through the window.
c. John gave Mary a book.

Example (1a) contains the verb phrase made up only of the verb to win. Example (1b) contains the main verb see, the noun phrase (NP) complement the man, and the prepositional phrase (PP) adjunct through the window. Additionally, example (1c) contains the main verb gave and two complements, the noun phrases Mary and a book, both selected by the verb in this case. Look up noun phrase in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A prepositional phrase (PP) is a linguistic term for a phrase whose head is a preposition. ...

Note that according to this definition, the verb phrase corresponds to what is commonly called the predicate. In linguistics and logic, a predicate is an expression that can be true of something. ...

Up to the mid/late 1980s, it was thought that some languages lacked a verb phrase. These included languages with extremely free word order (so-called non-configurational languages, such as Japanese, Hungarian, or Australian aboriginal languages), and languages with a default VSO order (several Celtic and Oceanic languages). The current view in generative grammar is that all languages have a verb phrase, including the ones just mentioned. The apparent lack of a verb phrase is a consequence of constituents having moved from their positions.

VPs narrowly defined

Verb phrases are sometimes defined more narrowly in scope to allow for only those sentence elements that are strictly considered verbal elements to form verb phrases. According to such a definition, verb phrases consist only of main verbs, auxiliary verbs, and other infinitive or participle constructions. For example, in the following sentences only the bolded words would be considered to form the verb phrase for each sentence: In linguistics, an auxiliary verb is a verb whose function it is to give further semantic information about the main verb which follows it. ... In grammar, infinitive is the name for certain verb forms that exist in many languages. ... In linguistics, a participle is a non-finite verb form that can be used in compound tenses or voices, or it can be used as a modifier. ...

(2)

a. John gave Mary a book.
b. They were being eaten alive.
c. She kept screaming like a maniac.
d. Thou shall not kill.

This more narrow definition is often applied in functionalist frameworks and traditional European reference grammars. It is incompatible with the generative theory of the verb phrase, since the bolded strings are not constituents under standard generative analyses. Functional grammar is the name given to any of a range of functionally-based approaches to the scientific study of language. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Linguistics
• Non-finite verb
• Noun phrase
• Syntax
• X-bar theory

This syntax-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.