Answer:
1. The verb phrase is: had read
2. The linking verb is: was
Step-by-step explanation:
- A "verb phrase" is a combination of a "helping verb" plus a "main verb."
Helping verbs or auxiliary verbs that help the verb (main) to express its mood, tense and voice. There are three types of helping verbs and these are: To Be, To Have and To Do.
"Had" is an example of a "To Have" helping verb. It is combined with read, which is the main verb in the sentence. Therefore, the verb phrase in the first sentence is "had read."
- Linking verbs are verbs that connect a subject to a predicate noun/predicate adjective. Examples of linking verbs are: am, is, are , was, were, being and been.
This clearly shows that the linking verb for the second sentence above is "was." It describes Andy as being busy.