3.183 Talking about closely linked actions: using two verbs together in phase
This section describes the ways in which you use two verbs in a clause in order to talk about two actions or states which are closely linked. This structure is called phase.
These two actions may be performed by the same person. See paragraphs 3.190 to 3.202.
She stopped speaking.
Davis likes to talk about horses.
Alternatively, the actions may be performed by different people. If they are, the performer of the second action is put as the object of the first verb. See paragraphs 3.203 to 3.213.
I don't want the Jews to feel I've slighted them.
One of the group began pumping her chest to help her breathe.
3.184 Note that the first verb needs the second verb after it because it does not give enough information on its own. For example, `I want' does not give enough information to be a useful statement, but `I want to talk to you' does.
Some of the verbs dealt with below, for example `want' and `like', can also be used as ordinary transitive verbs, with a noun group after them. Transitive verbs are explained in paragraphs 3.15 to 3.26.
3.185 If you want to talk about two actions that are less closely linked, you refer to each action in a separate clause.