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Eng 430
Finiteness and Non-finiteness
All English verbs except the modal auxiliaries (can/could, will/would, shall/should, may/might,
must/ought to) have finite and nonfinite forms. Finite forms show time; nonfinite forms do not show
time. When we conjugate a verb, we are usually working with the finite forms of the verb. It is important
to know about the nonfinite forms also, because nonfinite forms have important roles in English verb
phrases.
Telling the difference between finite and nonfinite forms can be difficult, because some finite forms look
very much like nonfinite forms, at least in regular verbs.
Let’s look at a conjugated regular verb.
To Walk
1st Person
I
2nd Person
You
3rd Person
He, she, it
Finite Forms
Singular
Present
Past
walk
walked
walk
walked
walks
walked
Nonfinite Forms
1st Person
We
2nd Person
3rd Person
they
Plural
Present
Past
Infinitive
Walk
walk
walked
Present (-ing) Participle
Walking
Past (-ed) Participle
Walked
walk
walked
You might notice that the simple past, walked, looks just like the past participle, walked. But they are not
the same. The simple past shows time and can be the main verb of a sentence: I walked to school. The
verb tells us that this happened in the past. When the past participle is part of the main verb of the
sentence, it has to be used with an auxiliary verb.: We had walked five miles. In this sentence, it is the
word ‘had’ that tells that this occurred in the past. ‘Walked’ is nonfinite. If I put this sentence in the
present, it becomes ‘We have walked five miles. It is ‘have’ that changes to show tense, not ‘walked.’
Sometimes this is easier to see if we look at an irregular verb. It is frequently the case with English
irregular verbs that the simple past and the past participle are not the same.
To See
1st Person
I
2nd Person
You
3rd Person
He, she, it
Finite Forms
Singular
Present
Past
see
saw
see
saw
sees
saw
Nonfinite Forms
1st Person
We
2nd Person
*
3rd Person
they
Plural
Present
Past
Infinitive
See
see
saw
Present (-ing) Participle
Seeing
Past (-ed) Participle
Seen
see
saw
In this case, the simple past, ‘saw,’ does not look like the past participle, ‘seen.’ They are used differently
as well. I saw a cat. I had seen it before.
Here are some important things to remember about finiteness and nonfiniteness.
1. As a rule, every English sentence and most English clauses will have a finite verb phrase in them.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The finite verb in a verb phrase will be the first or only verb.
The main verb in a verb phrase (the verb which carries the meaning) will be the last or only verb.
This means that the finite verb in a verb phrase will often be a helping verb.
When verbs function outside of finite verb phrases, such as adjective participles or gerunds (verbs
functioning as nouns), they are always nonfinite.
Examples:
1. I walked to the store. Walked is finite and in the past tense. It is the only verb in the verb phrase.
2. I have walked five miles every day of my life. The verb phrase is ‘have walked.’ “Have” is finite.
‘Walked’ is nonfinite, and it is the main verb. Note that it is the last verb in the verb phrase.
3. The burned toast was awful. ‘Burned’ is a participle functioning as an adjective. It is nonfinite.
4. Walking is good for you. ‘Walking’ is what is called a gerund, a noun formed from a present
participle. It is nonfinite.