Language has often been characterized as a systematic correlation between certain types of gestures and meaning

Part III. Discourse Analysis of Verb Phrases in John Galsworthy’s
FORSYTE SAGA. Part I. THE MAN OF PROPERTY (pp.1-10)

In his novel “FORSYTE SAGA” John Galsworthy preferably uses perfective and lexical verb phrases.

The following table shows the prevailing quantity of lexical verb phrases, that mainly denote human feelings, emotions, thoughts, decisions. And the other major group of verb phrases the author uses is the perfective verb phrases. Galsworthy uses them in order to show, how his personages’ intentions are put into life, what means do they use, and what kind of results they bring out. Rarely he uses modal verbs, passive voice, and progressive verbs.

Summary of verb phrase structures

Type of VP	Example	Sum	%
Modal	She ought to be very happy. This it was that she would have to lay down when it came to her turn to die. How impossible and wrong would it have been for any family, with the regard for appearances which should ever characterize, the great upper middle-class, to feel otherwise than uneasy!	11	16
Perfective	A very sweet look had come into the old lady's face, she kissed the girl's check with trembling fervour. It was her world, this family, and she knew no other, had never perhaps known any other. Still, he had forfeited his right to be there, had cheated her of the complete fulfilment of her family pride, deprived her of the rightful pleasure of seeing and kissing him.	20	22