English grammar

Finite and non-finite verbs

A finite verb shows tense and changes to agree with its subject, so it can be the main verb of a clause: "She works in a bank." A non-finite verb, such as an infinitive, gerund or participle, does neither: "to work", "working", "worked". Every complete sentence needs at least one finite verb.

Example

One finite, two non-finite

  • Having missed the bus, he decided to walk.
  • Finite: decided. Non-finite: having missed, to walk.
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Finite and non-finite forms

A finite verb changes if you change the subject or the time. A non-finite verb stays the same.

TypeFormsExample
Finite (present)work, works, am, is, are, hasHe works late.
Finite (past)worked, was, were, had, didThey worked late.
Finite (modal)can, will, must, should and othersYou must work late.
Non-finite: to-infinitiveto + base formI want to work abroad.
Non-finite: bare infinitivebase form after a modal or make, letShe can work from home.
Non-finite: gerund or present participle-ingWorking late is tiring.
Non-finite: past participle-ed or irregularThe work, finished early, was good.

How to tell them apart

Change the subject. In "She wants to leave", change she to they: "They want to leave". Want changed, so it is finite. To leave didn't, so it is non-finite.

Change the time. "She wanted to leave." Only the finite verb moves into the past.

In a verb phrase, the first verb is finite and the rest are non-finite: in "She has been working", has is finite, while been and working are non-finite.

Sentence fragments

A group of words with only non-finite verbs isn't a complete sentence. "Students coming from many countries." is a fragment. Add a finite verb: "Students come from many countries" or "Students are coming from many countries."

Fragments often appear after a full stop in essays: "Many people move to cities. Hoping to find work." Join them with a comma: "Many people move to cities, hoping to find work."

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: Students coming from many different countries.

    Right: Students come from many different countries.

    The original has no finite verb, so it isn't a sentence.

  • Wrong: She wanted to went home.

    Right: She wanted to go home.

    An infinitive is non-finite and never shows tense. Wanted already shows the past.

  • Wrong: He is work in a hospital.

    Right: He works in a hospital.

    Is and work are mixed up. Use one finite verb, works, or the continuous, is working.

  • Wrong: Hoping to hear from you soon.

    Right: I hope to hear from you soon.

    As a sentence on its own, this has no subject or finite verb. It is fine in a casual note, but use the full form in an IELTS General Training letter.

Using this in IELTS and PTE

Fragments and doubled tense marking ("didn't went", "to went") are frequent errors in IELTS Writing and PTE Write Essay. Checking that each sentence has one finite verb per clause is a quick way to catch them. In PTE Summarise Written Text, your one-sentence summary must have a finite main verb, or it will not read as a complete sentence.

5 questions

Exercise

Try each one, then open it to check your answer.

  1. 1. Find the finite verb: "To pass the exam, she studied every evening."

    studied

    It shows past tense and has a subject, she.

  2. 2. Is reading finite in "I enjoy reading"?

    No.

    Reading is a gerund, which is non-finite.

  3. 3. Correct this: "They decided to moved to Pune."

    They decided to move to Pune.

    After to, use the base form.

  4. 4. Is this a complete sentence? "The results published in the report."

    No.

    Published is a past participle here. Add a finite verb: "The results were published in the report."

  5. 5. Which verb is finite? "She has been teaching for years."

    has

    The first verb in the phrase carries the tense and agrees with she.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between finite and non-finite verbs?+

A finite verb shows tense and agrees with the subject (she goes, they went). A non-finite verb doesn't (to go, going, gone), so it can't be the only verb in a sentence.

Are modal verbs finite?+

Yes. Modals such as can, will and must always come first in a verb phrase and act as the finite verb, even though they don't add -s.

Can a sentence have more than one finite verb?+

Yes, one for each finite clause. "She left because she was tired" has two: left and was.

What are the three types of non-finite verbs?+

Infinitives (to go, go), gerunds (going as a noun) and participles (going, gone, having gone).

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