What are finite and nonfinite verbs?
Finite verbs are (or can serve as) the root of a sentence/clause.
Example 1 - Finite Verb
In the below example, "painted" is the finite verb because it serves as the root of the sentence.
Nonfinite verbs
Nonfinite verbs are verbs which cannot serve as a root of a sentence/clause. These include infinitives, participles and gerunds:
| type | explanation | example |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | An infinite is the basic form of a verb, often preceded by `to`, and which can act as a noun or an adjective. | He likes `to swim`. `to swim` is not a prepositional phrase in this context, but acts as a noun. We could easily say, "He likes `swimming`." |
| Participle | Given the basic form of a verb (e.g. `swim`), we can either its past (`swam`) or the present (`swimming`). It can be used as an adjective or a noun. | Adjective: The `working` woman. I love `burnt` toast. Noun: I love `swimming`. |
| Gerund | Create a noun by taking a verb and sticking `ing` at the end. | `Swimming` is fun. (Clearly `swimming` is a noun in this context.) |
Note that the present participle is in actual fact, a gerund.
Clearing up confusion
Note that in English, you have to examine the sentence to see if a verb form is serving as a finite or nonfinite verb. A verb in isolation cannot be categorized.
In the example below, "kicked" is the finite verb with "painted" as a nonfinite verb, even though "painted" served as a finite verb in Example 1.
NOTE: transferred from other blog; dated October 2015.
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