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Non Finite Verbs

Non finite verbs don't have Tense, Number. For example, "to
play" neither indicates any tense nor singular / plural. So
they cannot seve as a main verb of an indipendent clause.
They are three types.
1. Infinitives : (to + verb form)
2. Gerunds : ( verb + ing form, which acts as a noun)
3. Participles (Present participle : verb + ing form, which
acts as an adjective and Past participle : V3 form which
also acts as an adjective)

Infinitives
Forms like (to) stand, to sit, to ear are infinitives. Infinitives
usually refer to events and actions in a general way. They are
not like verb tenses which indicate the actual time of an event..
Examples:
1. Birds love to sing
2. To respect our parents is our duty
3. He refused to obey the orders
After certain verbs to os omitted. Those verbs are bid, let,
make, need, dare, see, hear
1. I made him run
2. We need not do it
3. I heard him cry
4. I saw him do it

press purpose
Examples:
He called to see my brother
He eat to live
I come to bury Caesar
He wept to see the desolation caused by the flood
7. To quality an Adjective
Examples:
Figs are good to eat
This medicine is pleasant to take
The boys are anxious to learn
He is tool ill to do any work
8. To quality a Noun
Examples:
This is not the time to play
You will have cause to repeat
He is a man to be admired
Here is a house to let
This house is to let
9**. To qualify a sentence (These are called verbals and
they modify the whole sentence)
Examples:
To tell the truth, I quite forgot my promise
He was petrified, so to speak

Infinitives in different forms

Uses of to - infinitive
A. Progressive Infinitives ( TO + BE + ING)
The infinitive, with or without adjuncts, may be used, a like a
Noun
1. As the subject of a Verb
Examples:
To find fault is easy
To err is human

Progressive infinitives indicate that an event is, was, or will be

going on at the time of speaking.
Examples:
1. I feel bad to be waiting here all alone.
2. He seems to be drinking a lot.
3. This time next month, I will be playing with the children.
4. She cant still be sleeping.

2. As the object of a transitive verb

Examples:
I do not mean to read
He likes to play cards

B. Passive Infinitives
Passive infinitives work in a similar way to other passive forms.

3. As the complement of a Verb

Examples:
Her greatest pleasure is to sing
His custom is to ride daily

Examples:
1. There are another five candidates to be selected.
(Alternative: There are five other candidates to be
selected.)
2. There are four walls to be painted.
3. The room must be painted before nightfall.

4. As the object of the preposition

Examples:
He had no choice but to obey
The speaker is about to begin

C. Perfect Infinitive ( TO + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE)

5. As an objective complement
Examples:
I saw him go (=to go)
6. The infinitive is used to qualify a verb, usually to

Non Finite Verbs

ex-

Examples:
1. I am pleased to have completed this work on time
2. I would like to have seen the Taj Mahal when I was in
India.
3. He pretended to have seen the film.
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D. There are Perfect progressive as well as perfect passive
Infinitives
Examples:
1. I would like to have been painting when he came in.
2. The woman seemed to have been crying.
3. He pretended to have been painting all day.

Common Mistakes in using Infinitives:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Verbs such as learn, remember, promise, swear,

consent, neglect, refuse, purpose, try, endeavour,
attempt, fail care, hope, decide, hesitate, prepare,
determine, undertake, manage, arrange, seem, forget,
agree, regret etc. are followed by infinitive.
Eg: We endeavour to invite such persons
We promise to do this work soon

GERUNDS
A verb ending in -ing and functioning as a noun is called a
gerund. A gerund can function as a subject, subj ect
complement, direct object, and object of a preposition in a
sentence.
1. THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE
Drinking a glass of cold water before going to bed was not
a bad idea.
Drinking (gerund)
a glass (direct object of action stated in gerund)
of cold water (prepositional phrase functions like adverb)
2. THE DIRECT OBJECT OF THE VERB

Verbs such as order, tell, invite, oblige, allow, permit,

compel, teach, instruct, advise, tempt, encourage, urge,
request, show, remind, forbid, warm etc. are followed by
object and infinitive.
Eg: The teacher instructed the students to go.
She told me to come here
Verbs or expressions like - will, can, do, must, may let
are followed by infinitive without to.
Eg: Let him do this work
Let it be done
Expressions like would rather, would sooner, rather
than, sooner than, had better are followed by infinitive
without to
Eg: You had better tell him
I would do rather than suffer

I wonder whether you like my lending you this money.

My (adjective form of the possessive pronoun modifies
the gerund)
lending (gerund) you (indirect object of action started in
gerund)
this money (direct object of action stated in gerund)
3. THE SUBJECT COMPLEMENT
Ritas favourite activity has been speaking to her friends.
Speaking (gerund)
to her friends (direct object of action stated in gerund)
4. THE OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION
You might have to pay a lot for interrupting this session to
prove your point.

See can be used with infinitive or without it.

Eg: Go to see him
Go and see him
The infinitive is used after adjectives like delight, angry,
glad, astonished, surprised, horrified, disappointed etc
Eg: I was astonished to find him
I was horrified to find him

Interrupting (gerund)
this session (direct object of action stated in gerund)
to prove your point (infinitive phrase functions like adverb)
5. THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE
Being an analyst made Darcy feel vulnerable.

7.

8.

9.

The verb know is never directly followed by the infinitive.

It is followed by a conjunction and then the infinitive:
W: Do you know to play the harmonium?
R: Do you know how to play the harmonium?
Had better is always followed by the infinitive without to:
W: You had better to stop taking the medicine
R: You had better stop taking the medicine
Infinitive is not used with to after verbs of perception like
to see, to hear, to feel, to watch etc:
Eg: I saw him cross the street
She heard her come downstairs

10. Avoid using split - infinitive

W: He planned to not go on a vacation this year
R: He planned not to go on a vacation this year

Non Finite Verbs

Being (gerund)
an analyst (subject complement for Darcy, by means of
the position of being stated in gerund).

Common Mistakes in using Gerunds:

1.

W hen an action is being considered in general sense,

gerund is used as subject
Eg: Swimming is his favorite past time
Walking is a good exercise

2.

Gerund is used as subject in short prohibitions

Eg: Smoking is prohibited

3.

Verbs such as help, stop, detest, avoid, finish, dread, mind,

prevent, dislike, risk, deny, recollect, no good, no use,
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4.

resent, delay, postpone, defer, enjoy, forgive, pardon,

excuse, suggest etc. are followed by gerund:
Eg: it is no use saying
It is no good repenting
I avoid calling out loudly

7.

If there is a sense of dislike, hesitation, risk etc. in a

sentence, use gerund
Eg: I dislike reading cheap novels.
She hesitates singing in the company of her friends

A gerund is placed after a preposition:

Eg: She is tired of walking
He is fond of riding

8.

Adjective before gerund are put in the possessive case

Eg: I do not mind your going away.
What is the good of his trying to do that?

9.

With a view to is always followed by a gerund and not an

adjective
Eg: We go to school with a view to studying.

But the prepositions except and but are followed by

infinitive
5.

6.

A gerund, showing physical activity, is put after come or go

Eg: He is to go shooting
Come fishing with us.
Nouns, followed by a gerund, are put in the possessive
case.
Eg: He hates his brothers drinking everyday.

She dislikes her childs playing all the time

10. Either the to-infinitive or gerund can be used after certain

verbs with no difference in meaning.
advise, allow, begin, bother, cant bear, continue,
encourage, hate, intend, like, love, permit, prefer, propose,
recommend, require, start ...
e.g. We started to do/ doing our summer homework.

Verbs taking to-infinitives

1. forget: forget to do s th
e.g. Im s orry, I forgot to lock the car.

Verbs taking gerunds

1. forget: forget a pas t event
e.g. Well never forget vis iting Paris .

2. rem em ber: rem em ber to do s th

e.g. Rem em ber to read the ins tructions .

2. rem em ber: recall a pas t event

e.g. I dont rem em ber m eeting Ali before.

3. m ean: intend to
e.g. He m eans to m ove to New York.

3. m ean: involve
e.g. Love m eans s haring.

4. try: do ones bes t; attem pt

e.g. She tried hard to cope with her job.

4. try: do s th as an experim ent

e.g. Try adding m ore s auce to your pas ta.

5. s top: paus e tem porarily

e.g. He s topped to buy a gift on his way.

5. s top: finis h; ceas e

e.g. Stop talking to each other, pleas e!

6. regret: be s orry to
e.g. I regret to tell you that youve failed.

6. regret: feel s orry for what weve done

e.g. I regret telling lies .

7. be s orry: feel s ad
e.g. Im s orry to hear the bad news .

7. be s orry for: apologis e

e.g. Im s orry for being late.

8. hate: hate what one is about to do

e.g. I hate to interrupt, but I m us t do s o.

8. hate: feel s orry for what one is doing

e.g. I hate m aking you feel uncom fortable.

9. be afraid: too frightened to do s th

e.g. Im afraid to walk over that bridge.

9. be afraid of: afraid that s th m ay happen

e.g. She is afraid of being too fat.

10. would prefer/love/like: s pecific preference

e.g. I d prefer/like to s ee the m anager.
11. want/need: wis h/ have to
e.g. I want/need to find a better job.

10. prefer/love/like: in general

e.g. I prefer/love watching TV.
11. want/ need: s th needs to be done
e.g. Your dres s wants /needs cleaning.

12. go: action

e.g. He went to s ee his s ick grandparents .

12. go: for activities

e.g. We often go s hopping/ hiking.

13. go on: finis h doing s th & s tart to do s th

e.g. After s leeping, s he went on to s tudy.

13. go on: continue

e.g. She goes on doing exercis e.

Non Finite Verbs

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1. The body found on the shore of the river, is not yet
identified
2. This is the idea chosen by majority of households.

PARTICIPLES
A participle is a verb that ends in -ing or -ed and functions as
an adjective. It modifies nouns and pronouns. A present
participle (like running or fluttering) describes a present
condition; a past participle describes something that has
happened The completely rotted tooth finally fell out of his
mouth.

The nouns, pronouns or noun phrases contained in the

participial phrase function as a direct object, an indirect object
or a complement.
Examples:

Examples:
1. The crying baby was taken away.
2. The burning train passed through the tunnel.
3. Smiling, he walked towards the little boy.

1.

A present participle (like crying or flying) speaks of a present

condition; a past participle speaks of something that took place:

2.

Carrying (participle)
the rope (direct object of action stated in participle)
Ben found the dog wandering in the garden.
W andering (participle)
in the garden (prepositional phrase functioning as an
adverb)

Example:
Shaken, she ran from the wretched woman.
Present participles, verbs that end in -ing, and past participles,
verbs ending in -ed joined with complements and modifiers to
form phrasal structures. Participle phrases function only as
adjectives.

Carrying the rope, Jim rushed to the edge of the cliff.

3.

Students introduced to maths early are more likely to do

well in engineering.
Introduced (participle)
to maths (direct object of action stated in participle)
early (adverb)

FUNCTIONS OF PARTICIPLES
1. Adverbial
Examples:
Having completed my work, I now wish to watch TV.
walking through the town, I notice that nobody was in the
streets.

4.

2. Part of noun phrase

Examples:
Ramesh standing near the poll looked dull
The man making the counterfeit notes was described as
middle aged

Common Error using Participle:

Identifying the differences between Participles and Gerunds:

Gerund is a noun and participle is an adjective and qualifies a
noun.
Example:
Travelling is fun (Gerund)
The travelling man stopped (Participle)

PAST PARTICIPLE
1. Direct object
Examples:
1. I got my house painted

Having been tired, Lina decided to take rest.

Having been (participle)
Tired (subject complement for Lina, through state of being
indicated in participle)

A participle phrase must be located very close to the noun

modified by it. At the same time, the noun must be stated.
Examples:
In correct: Wandering through the forest, a house was
seen.
Correct: Wandering through the forest, he saw a house.
The first sentence does not indicate who or what is
performing the activity indicated by the participle wandering. A
house cannot function in this manner. This is called a dangling
modifier error. The modifier (the participle phrase) does not
modify any particular noun in the sentence and is therefore left
dangling. A subject should immediately follow the participial
phrase. The second sentence thus makes complete sense.

2. Adverbial
Examples:
1. W hen told by my friend that the afternoon exam is
postponed, I felt relaxed"
2. Blinded by dust storm, I closed my eyes.
3. Part of noun phrase
Examples:

Non Finite Verbs

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