The verbal group system and structure in Brazilian Portuguese

• This paper describes the systems and function structures of the verbal group in B P within the S F L framework. • The paper describes “from above”, the verbal group functions as clause elements. • “From below” the verbal group pre-selects word classes through systems of verbal mood and aspectuality. • The main reason why the verbal group in BP is complex is because its main systems TENSE, MODALITY and ASPECTUALITY allow for recursion. • Typologically, this description may contribute to very complex grammar units in other languages. This paper describes the verbal group in Brazilian Portuguese within the Systemic Functional Linguistics framework. The verbal group is an intricate grammatical unit found in many languages. To adequately describe it, comprehensive approaches that consider its structural complexity are needed. While focusing on a relatively small grammatical unit, higher levels of language, such as clauses and discourse semantics, must be taken into account. Following Systemic Functional Linguistics descriptive methodology, this paper adopts a text-based, axially reasoned, trinocular approach. “From above”, the verbal group functions as part of clause structure, construing processes and negotiating meanings through pre-selections of functions such as Predicator, Finite, and Modality. “From below”, the verbal group pre-selects word classes through systems of verbal mood and aspectuality. “From roundabout”, the structure of the verbal group can be observed through its logical, interpersonal, and experiential relations. Logically, the verbal group establishes relations between the time when an event takes place and the “here and now” of the speech event through the system of tense. Interpersonally, modality meanings are also realised in the verbal group by the system of modal type. Experientially, resources of the system of event type realise meanings related to how experience is represented in the verbal group. In addition, Brazilian Portuguese form verb complexes, realising several meanings including aspect, modality, evidentiality, and voice.