Finite and Non Finite Clause

FINITE AND NON-FINITE CLAUSE
In linguistics, clause is divided into two: finite and nonfinite. Finite Clauses are those clauses
containing a subject and a finite verb (marked for tense, person, and number). Finite clause can be
either dependent or independent.
(Dalam linguistik, klausa dibagi menjadi dua yaitu finite dan nonfinite. Finite Clauses adalah
klausa yang berisi subjek dan kata kerja finite yang ditandai untuk tenses, orang, dan angka. Finite
Clauses bisa dependen atau independen ).
A. Finite clauses
Finite clauses must contain a verb which shows tense. They can be main clauses or subordinate
clauses.
For example
She spokes to her friends (main clause : present)
I spoke to Joanne last night. (main clause : past)
We didn’t get any food because we didn’t have enough time. (main clause : past; sub clause : past)
In contrast, nonfinite clauses are those clauses formed with a nonfinite verb, a verbal element
which is not marked for tense, person, or number. Nonfinite clauses are always dependent or
embedded, since a main clause must have a finite verb.
(Sebaliknya, nonfinite clauses merupakan klausa yang terbentuk kata kerja non finite yaitu kata
elemen kata kerja yang tidak ditandai untuk tense, orang, dan angka. Nonfinite clauses selalu
dependen/tidak bisa berdiri sendiri, karena main clausenya harus memiliki finite verb )
B. Non-finite clauses
Non-finite clauses contain a verb which does not show tense. We usually use non-finite verbs only in
subordinate clauses. We usually understand the time referred to from the context of the main clause.
We often use a non-finite clause when the subject is the same as the subject in the main clause:
For example :
1. I had something to eat before leaving. (= I had something to eat before I left.)
2. After having spent six hours at the hospital, they eventually came home.
3. Helped by local volunteers, staff at the museum have spent many years sorting and cataloguing
more than 100,000 photographs.
4. He left the party and went home, not having anyone to talk to.
A relative clause can be non-finite when the subject of the relative clause is the same as the subject of
the main clause:
1. The man who is sitting on the sofa over there is Simon’s brother.
The man sitting on the sofa over there is Simon’s brother. (non-finite verb)
2. Don’t forget to fill in the form which is attached to the letter.

Don’t forget to fill in the form attached to the letter. (non-finite verb)
Exercise
Create the finite clauses into non finite clause. Number 1 has been done for you.
1. Do you know the woman who is coming toward us?
Do you know the woman coming toward us?
2. The people who are waiting for the bus in the rain are getting wet.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. I come from a city that is located in the southern part of the country.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. The children who attend that school receive a good education.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. The scientist who are researching the causes of COVID-19 are making progress.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The fence which surrounds our house is made of wood.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. They live in a house that was built in 1890.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. We have an apartment which overlooks the park.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The people who visited our house were nice.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The painting which was stolen ten years ago in the National Gallery was found in abroad last week.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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FINITE AND NON-FINITE CLAUSE

2. Don’t forget to fill in the form which is attached to the letter.

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