A verb phrase is a group of words that includes a main verb and any auxiliary (helping) verbs. It expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. For example, in the sentence "She is running," the verb phrase is "is running," where "is" is the auxiliary verb and "running" is the main verb. Verb phrases can also include modifiers or complements that provide more information. For instance, in "They have been studying hard," the verb phrase "have been studying" shows the action and the intensity of the effort. Understanding verb phrases is essential for grasping sentence structure and meaning.