Grammar help please?

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Hi there,Could you tell me which ones of these are correct? perhaps they all correct? PleaseIt may just have been my problem.It may just been my problem.It may just being my problem.Cheers

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

John Aki
Hi there,
Could you tell me which ones of these are correct? perhaps they all correct? Please
It may just have been my problem.
~~It may just been my problem.~~
~~It may just being my problem.~~

Cheers

'just' is not a verb, so ignore that.

'may', 'have', 'been', and 'being' are verbs.

So your verb phrases are these:

1) may have been
2) may been
3) may being

In verb phrases, all verbs except the last verb are auxiliary verbs (helping verbs). These are the verbs that are underlined above.

There are rules for all auxiliary verbs that tell us which verb form must be used after that auxiliary verb.

'may' can be followed only by an infinitive without 'to'.
'have' can be followed only by a past participle.

The only example in which 'may' is followed by an infinitive without 'to' is 1). In that example 'have' is followed by the past participle 'been', so that part is also correct.

CJ

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