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Finite and non-finite verbs

Average: 3.4 (111 votes)
Wed, 07/31/2013 - 07:03 — Chris McCarthy

Verbs express an action or make a statement about a person or thing.

John gave Sarah a present.
Sarah was very surprised.

A finite verb is a 'working' verb with a subject; it can be any tense. A non-finite verb which is also called in infinitive verb has no subject and can't be in all the tenses.

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

Asentence must have at least one subject and finite verb.

A sentence:               I woke up early because of the noise from the street.
Not a sentence:        Because of the noise from the street.

A sentence:               I saw john and Sarah arguing just outside their house.
Not a sentence:        Arguing outside their house.

A sentence:               I went out to buy the things I needed for the party.
Not a sentence:        To buy the things I needed for the party.

Lesson by Tristan, English teacher at EC Malta English school

Decide which of the following are sentences or not:

  • 1) Walking in the morning before going to work to exercise.



  • 2) I keep telling my friend to stop smoking and start exercising.



  • 3) I hope to save up as much money as possible.



  • 4) He was so angry about wasting so much time at the post office.



  • 5) To save up as much money as possible.



  • 6) Helping my mum in the kitchen to prepare the Sunday lunch.



  • 7) I was helping my mum in the kitchen to prepare the Sunday lunch.



  • 8) Angry because of wasted time at the post office.