Fun with Finite and Non-finite Verb

Finite and Non-finite Verb

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Exercises on Finite and Non-Finite Clause

Hi everyone !!

 

In each of the following sentences, decide whether the bracketed clauses are finite or nonfinite.

 

1. [Everybody left just after the ceremony]	a) Finite b) Nonfinite
2. [Inviting your sister] was not a great decision	a) Finite b) Nonfinite
3. I’ll be home around ten [if my train is on time]	a) Finite b) Nonfinite
4. [They expect Susan to do all the work]	a) Finite b) Nonfinite
5. [Deprived of oxygen], plants will quickly die	a) Finite b) Nonfinite

Check your answers ! a,b,a,a,b

Review

In 1, the bracketed clause is a matrix clause, so it must be finite. The verb left is a past tense form.

In 2, the bracketed clause is non-finite, since the verb inviting is an -ing form.

In 3, the bracketed clause is a finite subordinate clause. The verb is is a present tense form.

In 4, The bracketed clause is a matrix clause, so like 1, it must be finite. It has a finite verb expect (present tense), though it does have a non-finite subordinate clause within it (Susan to do all the work).

Finally, the bracketed clause in 5 is non-finite, since the verb deprived is an -ed form.

 

 

Non-finite Clause

Non-finite Clause

 

What is Non-Finite Clause?

Non-finite are dependent clauses. It cannot stand alone; need to depend on main clauses.

Non-finite clause has different forms – depend on the verb (non-finite form):

1)       bare infinitive (e.g play)

2)      to infinitive (e.g to play)

3)      ing participle (e.g playing)

4)      ed participle (e.g played)

Examples of Non-Finite Clause

1. David loves [to play the piano]
2.  We made [David play the piano]
3.  [Written in 1864], it soon became a classic
4.  [Leaving home] can be very traumatic

This table explains more about the functions of non-finite clause. Happy reading it ! 🙂

Non-finite verbs		Verbs that aren’t either present or past and don’t agree with their subjects for number are called non-finite forms. English has three non-finite forms. present participle: walking past participle: walked infinitive: to walk What we’ll call the bare infinitive form is just the infinitive form without the the to: bare infinitive: walk All ordinary verbs have the full inventory of non-finite forms. Modals never have non-finite forms: * maying * to may * mayed * toed/toing (attempt to form nonfinite forms of infinitivalT marker “to”)
Non-finite clauses		We call any clause whose main verb is a non-finite verb a non-finite clause. present participle: Mary kept John walking past particple: Mary had her dog walked every day. infinitive: Mary would like for John to walk. (so-called) bare infinitive: Mary made John walk.
Tense and number tests		Non-finite verbs don’t show tense or agreement: Mary would like for John to walk. * Mary would like for John to walks. * Mary would like for John to walked. Remember present tense plural forms (walk) can look just like non finite forms (walk). To show a verb is tensed and prove a clause is finite, put the verb into the past tense or use a singular subject in the present tense.
Modal Test		A non-finite clause will not allow modals, since modals lack non-finite forms: * Mary would like for John to may walk. * Mary had John mayed walk every day. * Mary kept John maying walk.
Subject Test		Only non-finite clauses can be subjectless: John keeps smiling. John wants to smile. John felt frozen. Another way of putting this is that only non-finite verb phrases can occur without subjects.
Nominative Case		Finite clauses assign nominative case to their subjects: I left. *Me left. *My left. The interesting property, which gives us another test for finite clauses, is that only finite clauses assign nominative case to their subjects. * Mary would like for I to walk. Mary would like for me to walk. * Mary had I walk every day. Mary had me walk every day. * Mary kept I walking. Mary kept me walking. Mary believed that I was coming. * Mary believed that me was coming.