Using compound verbs in English

“We sunbathe a lot on vacation.”

Compound verbs in English are verbs that consist of more than one word working together to express a single action or state. They combine a main verb with another word—often a preposition, an adverb, or another verb—to create a new meaning that’s distinct from the individual parts. These constructions are common in English and add nuance or specificity to the action being described. 

General concept

• Essentially, a compound verb is a verb form that consists of more than one word. This creates a single verb unit.  

Types of compound verb and how they are formed

Compound verbs are formed by combining a base verb with another word (particle, preposition, or verb). The process isn’t random—it’s guided by English usage and convention.

• Compound single-word verbs
  • These are verbs formed by combining two words into one.  
  • Some can be hyphenated.  
  • Examples: “babysit,” “proofread,” “stir-fry.”  
• Phrasal verbs
  • These are very common in English. They consist of a main verb combined with an adverb or a preposition (or both).  
  • Often, the meaning of a phrasal verb is idiomatic, meaning it’s different from the individual words.  
  • Examples: “turn on,” “look up,” “take off.”  
• Prepositional verbs
  • These consist of a verb followed by a preposition.  
  • Examples: “rely on,” “believe in,” “listen to.”  
• Verbs with auxiliary (helping) verbs
  • These involve a main verb combined with one or more auxiliary verbs.
  • Add auxiliary verbs (like “be,” “have,” “will,” “can”) before the main verb.    
  • These express tense, mood, or voice.  
  • Examples: “is running,” “has been seen,” “will go.”  

It’s important to note that the terminology can sometimes vary, and the lines between these categories can be a bit blurry.

Things to remember

• Idiomatic nature: Many compound verbs are idiomatic, so their meanings aren’t always predictable from the parts (e.g., “look after” = to care for).
• Meaning shift: The compound often means something different from the base verb alone (e.g., “break” vs. “break down”).
• Separability: Some phrasal verbs allow the particle to move (e.g., “call off the meeting” or “call the meeting off”).

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