FINITE AND NON-FINITE VERBS
FINITE VERBS:
A finite verb is controlled by the
number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is singular. If the
subject is plural, the verb is plural.
Eg: The girl runs slowly. (Subject is
singular)
The girls run slowly. (Subject is plural)
A finite verb is controlled by the
person.
Eg: I visit my grandparents at least
once a month. (I – First Person)
She visits her grandparents at least once a month. (She – Third Person)
A finite verb is controlled by the
tense. It can be in the past, present or future tense.
Eg: Madhan studiesFrench. (Present
Tense)
Mani will study Spanish. (Future Tense)
NON-FINITE VERBS:
A non-finite verb is not controlled
by the number, person and tense of the subject In other words, it is a verb
form, which does not function as a verb.
Eg: I enjoy shopping for clothes and
shoes.
You enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes.
They enjoy shopping for clothes and
shoes.
(The verb shopping remains unchanged whatever
be the person, number and tense of the subject.)
Non-finite verbs are of three kinds:
They are,
1 Infinitives,
2 Gerunds and
3 Participles.
Examples:
She can’t go out . (Zero Infinitive)
I want to go to the cinema.
(To-Infinitive)
I like going to the cinema. (Gerund)
I wish I had gone to university.
(Past Participle)
I’m going to a concert tonight.
(Present Participle)
Let us learn the three forms of
non-finite verbs in detail:
1 INFINITIVES:
The infinitive is often called as “TO
verb”.
Infinitive can function ass a subject
and object
Eg: To swim is a good
excersise - as a subject
I like to swim - as an object
When ‘to’ is added to a verb, it is
an infinitive. It is used as a subject or an object or a complement in a
sentence.
I) Infinitive
used as a subject:
a. To err is
human.
b. To forgive
is divine.
II) Infinitive
used as an object:
a. I like to
swim.
b. I want to
learn English.
III)
Infinitive used as a complement:
a. My aim is
to join the army.
b. His
ambition is to serve mankind.
Infinitives may be used without “to”
and we call such infinitives a plain infinitives or a bare infinitives
Eg: She made me do my project
We use plain/bare infinitives with
these models such as, Shall, may, will, might, do, could, did, must, would,
let, make, dare, need, see
The infinitives may function as
subject, direct object, subject complement, adjective or adverb in a sentence.
Although an infinitive is easy to locate because of the “To + Verb form”
deciding what function it has in a sentence depends on the meaning
Eg: To wait seemed foolish when
decisive action was required(subject)
Everyone wanted to go(direct object)
His ambition is to fly(subject complement)
He lacked the strength to resist(adjective)
We must study to learn(adverb)
The following list of verbs must be
followed by an infinitive; not any other kinds of non-finite verbs:
- Seem, Offer, Hesitate, Demand, Wish, Refuse, Need, Forget, Decide, Want, Pretend, Learn, Fail, Claim, Tend, Prepare, Intend, Expect, Attempt, Strive, Plan, Hope, Desire, Agree
2 GERUNDS:
A gerund is
an action word that ends in – “ING” in other words Gerund is a verbal noun, a participle or an adjective.
It is used as a subject or an object or a
complement and also with a preposition.
See the following examples
I Gerund used as a subject
a. Walking is a good exercise.
b. Smoking is a bad habit.
II Gerund used as an object
a. I like reading novels.
b. He likes swimming.
III Gerund used as a complement
a. Seeing is believing.
b. It is something worth buying.
IV Gerund used with preposition
a. I am fond of eating sweets.
b. Kaaviya is interested in dancing.
A gerund phrase consist of a gerund +
Modifier(S), object(S), and / or complement(S)
The following list of verbs must be
followed by an infinitive; not any other kinds of non-finite verbs: Admit,
Appreciate, Avoid, Consider, Delay, Deny, Enjoy, Finish, Mind, Miss, Postpone,
Practice, Quit, Resume, Recall, Report, Resent, Resist, Risk, Suggest
3 PARTICIPLES:
A participle is a verb that ends in –
“ing” (Present participle) or- “ed”, “_d”, “_t”, _en, _n, (past participle).
Participles may function as
adjectives, describing or modifying nouns.
• present participle - verb+ing -
sleep +ing = sleeping
• past participles - verb+d/ed/en -
like+d = liked
• perfect participles - having+past
participles - having+finished = having finished
• present - {passive} - being+past
participle - being+toed = being toed
• perfect {passive} - having
been+past participle - having been written