What Is a Compound Verb? How to Use Compound Verbs in Writing

A compound verb is a verb made up of multiple words. In the English language, compound verbs create a new word greater than the meanings of the original words. Compound verbs can be hyphenated (like “stir-fry”), a single word that combines multiple words (like “babysit”), or two separate words that describe an action (like “turn on”).

There are different types of compound verbs, including:

1. 1. Serial verbs: Compound verbs are also called serial verbs when two verbs follow each other and are tied to the same subject. This is the case in the example sentence, “She’ll go get groceries.” There, “go get” is a compound verb phrase.
2. 2. Compound single-word verbs: Just as compound nouns combine two words to create a new noun (such as “bedroom” or “motorcycle”), compound verbs combine multiple words to create a new one (such as “proofread” or “overstay”). Sometimes, these compound verbs contain a hyphen, as in “time-travel” or “water-proof.”
3. 3. Helping verb: Also called auxiliary verbs, a helping verb establishes verb tense. Common examples of helping verbs include “has,” “had,” “have,” “am,” “been,” “be,” “was,” “is,” “are,” and “were,” as in the sentence “She was touring the campus.” In that sentence, “was touring” is a compound verb. “Touring” is the main verb, and “was” is its auxiliary. Other kinds of verbs with auxiliaries include modal verbs, which utilize “can,” “should,” “might,” and “will” to establish conditionality, as in the example sentence, “She might go to the movies if her other plans fall through.” Here, “might go” is a compound verb.
4. 4. Phrasal verb: In English grammar, phrasal verbs combine a verb with an adverb. This creates a compound verb that is unique from the meaning of each of the individual words. Words like “up,” “down,” “in,” and “out” are often employed alongside ordinary verbs to create a phrasal verb, as in the sentence, “He won’t put up with that behavior.” In that example, “put up” is a phrasal verb.
5. 5. Prepositional verb: Prepositional verbs combine a verb with a preposition; some examples include “flip through,” “believe in,” and “count on.” Together, these two words create a new word phrase.

There are several specific cases when it’s appropriate to use compound verbs:

• Sharing a subject: When two separate verbs are tied to the same subject, the verbs create a compound verb. A conjunction will combine the verbs, and often “and,” as in the sentence, “They hiked and biked through the forest.”
• Combining separate words: Compounding two singular words creates a new verb, as with the words “carpool” or “oversimplify.”
  
• Describing tense: When placed before another verb, words like “is,” “was,” and “will” articulate verb tense. For example, “He will run tomorrow.” makes use of the future tense, while “He is running today.” places readers in the present tense.

Examples of compound verbs in everyday sentences include:

1. 1. “He was completing his worksheet when the bell rang.” This sentence utilizes a helping verb with auxiliary in the compound verb “was completing.”
2. 2. “In tenth grade he proofread for the school newspaper.” “Proofread” here acts as a compound verb because it combines two other words, “proof” and “read,” to form a new single word.
3. 3. “She approves of her son’s occupation.” This sentence uses a prepositional verb in the phrase “approves of.”

Become a better writer with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including James Patterson, Neil Gaiman, Walter Mosley, Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, Dan Brown, and more.