Verb Phrases

​Verb Phrases

​Verb Phrases

​A group of words that does the work of a single verb. The phrase includes one principal verb and one or more helping verbs.

The teacher was trying to control the class.​

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

Charles Darwin was born in 1809.

• was

• was born

• Charles Darwin

• in 1809

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

He was raised in Shrewsbury, England.

• Shrewsbury, England

• He

• was raised

• in

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

The theory of evolution was introduced by Charles Darwin in the 1850s.

• theory of evolution

• was introduced

• by Charles Darwin

• in the 1850s

Multiple Choice

Identify the helping verb in the following sentence.

Many people are attracted by the logic of the theory.

• many

• are

• attracted

• the

Multiple Choice

Identify the helping verb in the following sentence.

The theory has been refined over the years.

• theory

• has been

• has

• refined

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

Darwin was exploring on the HMS Beagle in 1831.

• Darwin was

• was exploring

• on the HMS Beagle

• in 1851

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

He had studied plant and animal life on his travels.

• studied

• on his travels

• plant and animal life

• had studied

Multiple Choice

Identify the helping verb in the following sentence.

He was forming an explanation for the phenomena he observed.

• explanation

• observed

• was

• forming

Multiple Choice

Identify the helping verb in the following sentence.

His theory was supported by Alfred Russell Wallace, a noted British scientist.

• was

• supported

• by

• theory

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

Darwin was convinced that modern species evolved from earlier ones.

• was

• from earlier ones

• evolved

• was convinced

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

He was fascinated by the process of natural selection.

• He was

• fascinated by

• was fascinated

• by the process

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

His place in history was strengthened by his book, The Origin of Species.

• The Origin of Species

• His place

• by his book

• was strengthened

Multiple Choice

Identify the verb phrase in the following sentence.

Darwin's work has had influence on religious thought.

• has had

• has had influence

• on religious thought

• Darwin's work

Multiple Choice

Identify the helping verb in the following sentence.

Many people have opposed his theories.

• Many

• people

• have

• opposed

Multiple Choice

Identify the helping verb in the following sentence.

Other writers and scientists have referred to Darwin's ideas in their own work.

• Other

• have

• referred

• ideas