Finite and Non-Finite Verbs Examples

Finite and Non-finite Verbs

There are primarily two types of verbs in English Grammar – finite and non-finite.

Finite Verbs:

A finite verb is a verb that is ‘working’ with a subject; it may be any tense. Finite verbs always change their forms according to a change in the number or person of the subject. Finite verbs also have multiple forms in different tenses.

Examples of Finite Verbs:

Here we have some examples of finite verbs. In the given sentences, the finite verbs are specified in bold:

• They rob banks.
• I ate chicken with some delicious rice.
• They want the premium wines available to people.
• You know how to drive, don’t you, Smith?
• They went to the market today.
• Many people travel to the hilly areas in the summer.
• The boat glides over the sea.
• The lion is the dangerous animal of the jungle.

Here we have some examples of finite verbs in the third person singular present form ending with “s”:

• He runs to the park every evening.
• The woman baths in the pool.
• The boy hits the cricket ball out of the park.
• He has two cars in her driveway.

A verb is finite if it is found in a clause; in combination with a subject and a tense.

• I walked the office.
• We saw a lion.
• They appreciate a little admiration now and then.

 

 

Non-Finite/Infinitive Verbs:

Non-finite verbs never change their form with respect to the number or person of the subject changes. A non-finite verb is also known as an infinitive verb that means it has no subject.

A non-finite verb can be:

an infinitive	walk/to walk	be/to be	be interested/to be arrested
a present participle	walking	being	being interesting
a past participle	walked	been	interested

Examples of Non-finite Verb:

• It is risky to drive on this icy road.
• We are not ready to play
• I felt it tough to understand.
• It is good to know that you can drive as well.
• We ate a lot of roasted red meat.
• I have finished the given task.
• I never drink boiled water because of its strange taste.
• Robert is the most senior player on the team.
• The scared boy jumped over the wall.
• Being pleased, I cheered hard in the theater.
• Shaun gave up smoking last year.

Sometimes, a non-finite verb is used right after a finite verb.

• I use to wake up early in the morning.
• Harry really dislikes washing the cooker.
• I definitely wouldn’t want to see him ever.
• We convinced them to join us.

Sometimes, a noun or pronoun may come between the finite verb and the non-finite one.

• We need Charlie to act as club administrator.
• He wanted him to wash his feet in the bathroom.
• I don’t like you washing your shoes over the sink.

 

3 Types of Non-finite verbs:

Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives.

1. Gerunds all end in -ing: skiing, dancing, reading, singing, etc. Gerunds work like nouns and can help as subjects or objects of statements. For Example:

• • Looking for results is something he appreciates.

 

2. A participle is often used as an adjective or an adverb in a sentence. There are two kinds of participles in English: the past and present participles. The participle form appears in the perfect or progressive tense, as in this sentence:

• • He is looking for a result.

• The present participle also has the – ing form: (e.g., writing, reading, singing, and raising).
• The past participle mostly looks like the past tense, but some have different forms: (e.g., written, spoken, sung, and raised).

 

3. The infinitive is the basic form of a verb, generally preceded by to. Thus, to look for an infinitive.

• • He wanted to find a solution.