Dalam bahasa Inggris, verb phrase atau phrasal verb memiliki dua pengertian. Pengertian pertama berdasarkan traditional grammar, verb phrase merupakan suatu kelompok kata kerja utama (main verb) atau auxiliary verb (kata kerja bantu) berupa linking verb.
Kata kerja utama atau main verb di sini yakni verb apapun dan bukan auxiliary verb. Sedangkan untuk auxiliary verb dapat berupa primary auxiliary verb (be, do, have) ataupun modal auxiliary (can, could, will, would, may, might, shall, should, must, dan ought to).
Pengertian kedua verb phrase berdasarkan pada generative grammar, yakni predikat dalam suatu kalimat, yang mencakup main verb, auxiliary verb, dan juga complement atau modifier jika ada, akan tetapi tidak termasuk subjek kalimat.
Complement sendiri dibutuhkan apabila kata kerja utama berupa transitive verb, sedangkan untuk modifier yakni kata, frasa, atau klausa yang berfungsi sebagai adjective atau adverb (kata keterangan) dan menerangkan kelompok atau kata lain.
Untuk mempermudah membedakan antara traditional grammer dengan generative grammer, lihat pada tabel di bawah ini!
Traditional Grammar | +/- Auxiliary verb + main verb |
Generative Grammar | +/- Auxiliary verb + main verb +/- complement +/- modifier |
Keterangan:
Perhatikan contoh di bawah ini!
She eats fruit salad everyday. (Dia makan salad buah setiap hari). Traditional grammar: eat Generative grammar: eats fruit salad everyday |
We will go to school at 6 am. (Kami akan pergi ke sekolah pada pukul 6 pagi). Traditional grammar: will go Generative grammar: will go to school at 6 am |
She is sad. (Dia sedih) Traditional grammar: is Generative grammar: is sad |
I do understand your explanation. (Aku mengerti penjelasanmu) Traditional grammar: do understand Generative grammar: do understand your explanation |
We would have stayed for them if we had known they leave that night. (Kami akan tinggal untuk mereka jika kami tahu mereka pergi malam itu). Traditional grammar: would have stayed Generative grammar: would have stayed for them if we had known they leave that night |
Berdasarkan contoh di atas, diketahui jika verb phrase sendiri tersusun atas enam macam, antara lain:
Verb | ||
I | Am | Sleepy |
He | Was | Happy |
Lina | Gives | an apple |
They | Made | BBQ |
Be | Verb-ing | |
I | am | Reading |
We | were | Eating |
It | Was | Raining |
Have | Verb 3 | ||
I | had | Eaten | Cookies |
We | have | worked | since 2 months |
She | has | Gone | Home |
Have been | Verb – ing | ||
You | have been | playing | computer |
He | has been | picking | Mangoes |
I | had been | cooking | Soup |
modal | Verb 1 | ||
I | Will | Read | Later |
We | could | Save | It |
He | shall | come |
Contoh:
modal | auxiliary | Verb | |
She | will | Be | Crying |
They | should | Have | Sharing |
I | must | have been | Cutting |