What is the Difference Between Finite and Non-Finite Verbs?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Finite and non-finite verbs are two different types of verbs in English. Finite verbs are conjugated with the subject in a sentence and indicate the person, number, and tense of the subject. They are usually in the present, past, and future tenses. On the other hand, non-finite verbs are not conjugated with the subject in a sentence and do not indicate the person, number, or tense of the subject. They typically include infinitive forms (e.g., to go, go), gerunds (verb+ing), and past participles.
Differences between finite and non-finite verbs:
- Conjugation: Finite verbs are conjugated with the subject in a sentence, while non-finite verbs are not.
- Tense: Finite verbs indicate the tense of the sentence, while non-finite verbs do not.
- Person, Number, and Mood: Finite verbs express the mood, tense, number, and person, while non-finite verbs do not.
Examples of finite verbs:
- I am running.
- She was walking.
- They will go.
Examples of non-finite verbs:
- To run.
- Having walked.
- Going.
In summary, finite verbs are main verbs that agree with the subject and express the mood, tense, number, and person, while non-finite verbs are usually auxiliary or modal verbs that do not agree with the subject and can be used in the present participle, past participle, or infinitive forms.
Comparative Table: Finite vs Non-Finite Verbs
The main difference between finite and non-finite verbs lies in their ability to stand alone and convey tense, person, and number on their own. Here is a comparison table highlighting the differences between finite and non-finite verbs:
Feature | Finite Verbs | Non-Finite Verbs |
---|---|---|
Definition | Verbs that do not need to be accompanied by other verbs. | Verbs that cannot stand alone and need other verbs to complete their meaning. |
Tense, Person, Number | Convey tense, person, and number on their own. | Do not fully convey tense, person, or number on their own. |
Examples | Susan travels all the time (third person singular form). | Miss Williams has written several articles recently (non-finite verb is "written"). |
Forms | Present, past, future forms. | Present participle, past participle, infinitive, and gerund. |
Finite verbs are directly related to their subjects and can stand alone as the main verb in a sentence, whereas non-finite verbs need other words to clarify their meaning and cannot stand alone.
- Regular vs Irregular Verbs
- Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs
- Verbs vs Nouns
- Verb vs Adverb
- Gerund vs Infinitive
- Verb vs Action Verb
- Modal vs Auxiliary Verbs
- Adjective vs Verb
- Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
- Future Perfect vs Future Perfect Continuous
- Verb Phrase vs Phrasal Verb
- Action vs Linking Verbs
- Regular vs Irregular Nouns
- Present Continuous vs Present Perfect Continuous
- Continuous vs Continual
- Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous
- Present Perfect Continuous vs Present Perfect
- Is vs Are in English Grammar
- No vs Not