FINITE AND NON-FINITE

VERBS

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 Finite Verbs

➢Verbs which change their forms according

to the tense and number and person of the
subject.

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 Examples
oI want to write. (Tense)
oI wanted to write. (Tense)
oHe wants to write. (Number)
oThey want to write. (Number)
oI want to write. (Person)
oHe wants to write. (Person)
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➢A sentence without a finite verb is
ungrammatical.
o People want to win.

oIf we remove want, the sentence becomes

ungrammatical.
o People to win.

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 Non-Finite Verbs

• Verbs which do not change their forms according

to the number, person and tense of the sentence

• .

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 EXAMPLES

o I want to write.
o He wants to write.
o They wanted to write

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•He is working.

•He was working.

•He has been working.

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Types of Non-Finite Verbs

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 THE INFINITIVE

• Often introduced by a main verb and the word “to”.

oJolly is going to wait outside the theatre.

oI will ask him to come.

oThey waited for Ravi to arrive.

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oWhen infinitives are used without ‘to’, it is known as

bare infinitives.

oThe old woman made the children cry. (Bare

Infinitive)
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WHEN BARE INFINITIVES ARE USED

1. After modal verbs

If it doesn’t rain, I might walk there.

2.After the causative verbs 'make', 'have', 'let' and 'help’

Can you help me find my keys?

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3.After verbs of perception like ‘see’, ‘watch’,

‘notice’, ‘observe’, ‘feel’, ‘hear’

I watched him move to a seat at the back.

4.After ‘would rather’, ‘had better’

You’d better call in a doctor.

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5.After prepositions such as ‘except’, ‘but’ and ‘than’

She does nothing but cry.

6.After 'why' when making suggestions

Why wait until later when we can do it now?

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 GERUND

• Form: verb+ing

• A gerund also functions as a noun and is also known as

Verbal Noun.

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 EXAMPLES
1.Running is a good exercise

2.Smoking does harm to a body.

3.He likes reading stories.

4.They are fond of playing cards.

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• A participle is used as an adjective or an adverb.

• They are known as verbal adjective.

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THREE TYPES OF PARTICIPLE IN ENGLISH
• The present participle (verb+ing form)

Example: Look at the burning candle.

• The past participle (verb+ed/en/d)

Example: The weather being bad, I stayed at home.

• Perfect Participles (having + past participles)

Example: Having eaten his dinner, Tom went to sleep.

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