SUMMARY OF FINITE AND NON-FINITE

CLAUSE

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FINITE AND NON-FINITE CLAUSE

English Clauses

The term "clause" refers to a group of words that minimally contains some types of subject and some
types of verb. A finite verb is a conjugated verb--a verb that has tense.Any group of words that has a
subject and a conjugated verb is a “finite clause.” With respect to verb type, there are two basic
kinds of clause in English: "finite clauses" and "nonfinite clauses."

Finite Clauses
 A finite clause includes a primary verb — a verb that can be inflected for tense, person and
sometimes number — and includes a subject. A finite clause can stand alone as an independent
clause (a sentence), or it can serve as a coordinate1 clause, a subordinate2 clause, or
a supplementary 3 clause. [Brackets enclose finite clauses below for demonstration purposes here.]

A finite verb shows us two things about the action done. It tells that who is doing the action and
when the action happened i.e. the tense form (present or past). The main thing is the tense of the
verb used in the clause.

These clauses use the present or past tense of finite verb and so called as finite clause.

A verb is finite if it is found in a clause in combination with a subject and a tense.

Example:

• I walked home.

• We saw a deer.

• They appreciate a little praise now and then.

• He is feeling sick after his long journey.

• The committee rejected his proposal.

Non-finite Clauses

A nonfinite clause includes a secondary verb — a verb not inflected for tense, person or number
(e.g., infinitival4, gerundial5 or past participial6 verb form) — and occasionally a subject (e.g., his, him
for7). A nonfinite clause is a dependent clause, which functions as part of a sentence such as a
subject, a verbal complement ("object"), a prepositional complement ("object"), or a noun
complement (modifier).

1 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/8-3punc.html
2 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/clause5.html
3 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/sent-subjpred.html#supplement
4 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/sent-nonfinite.html#infinitive
5 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/sent-nonfinite.html#gerund
6 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/sent-nonfinite.html#pastparticiple
7 https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/gerund2b.html
 A non-finite clause is a clause (mostly subordinate) that has a non-tensed form of the verb. This
clause tends to depict less information as compare to the main or finite clause. It can ’t stand alone as
a single sentence. The verb does not tell that when the action happened and who is doing it. There is
no subject in a non-finite clause generally. However, some non-finite clauses have a subject.

How you can identify a non-finite clause? Look for the two things a finite verb tells us about the
action done.

1) Does it tell about the time of doing the action like present or past? No, the verb “to meet” is
infinite and thus has no tense.

2) Who is the subject performing the action? You can’t get a clue without the previous part of the
sentence.

So-called “non-finite” verbs are not verbs at all. They are nouns, adjectives, and adverbs that are
made from the base forms of verbs.

They are called “non-finite” because they can't be conjugated. They do not have tense. If a word can't
be conjugated, it's not a verb.

It is very common for non-finite clauses to have no Subject. However, some do have a Subject.

For example, in I am happy for you to start without me, you is the Subject of the non-finite
subordinate clause.

It is non-finite if it is used:

• without the verb having a tense.

Example:
 To open, tear off the tab.

Looking around, he noticed a letter on the floor.

Worn out by the heat, they stopped for a drink.

• with no agreement between the subject (if there is one) and the verb.

Example:

That plan failing, he gave up.

Our guests departed, we felt a little depressed.

Non-finite parts of a verb are those that do not indicate number, person or tense.

The common non-finite forms are:

• the base form

• the to infinitive

• the present participle or -ing form

• the past participle

There are also other non-finite forms, such as:

• the continuous to infinitive: to be teaching

• the perfect to infinitive: to have taught

• the passive to infinitive: to be taught

A. The base form

1. after modal verbs

You must stop at the kerb before you cross.

He should think before he speaks.

2. after let’s (suggestion) and let (permission) and make (compulsion)

Let’s invite Annette round for dinner.

Let the cat go!

Make him stop!

Let him finish what he was saying!

3. after feel, notice, observe, see, watch, hear, listen to, + an object

I heard him run downstairs.

Later we saw them leave the house.

4. after a to infinitive to which it is joined by and

I want you to sit and listen.

Just wait and see.

5. after would rather and had better

I would rather go out, but I think we had better stay home and finish the painting.

Verbs of perception may be followed either by the base form or by the -ing form. There is often a
change of sentence meaning. These verbs include: notice, observe, see, watch, hear, listen to, feel,
smell.
 • We watched her park the car = we watched the whole event.

• We watched her parking the car = we may only have seen part of the event.

• I heard a cuckoo call = I heard just one call.

• We heard the birds singing = We heard part of the song of the birds.

B. The to-infinitive is used as follows:

To-infinitive clauses are easy to recognize because they have an infinitive verb form following to.

Here are some examples:

• It only took us about twenty minutes to get here.

• I’d be quite keen to try anything like that.

• Does anyone else want to be nominated?

• To reach it on foot, you must navigate hundreds of miles across a perishing sub-zero
landscape.

1. after an adjective of quality such as small, tall, agreeable, pleasant, funny that is used in
combination with too.

The child was too small to reach the switch.

The knife was too blunt to cut the string.

or (not) + adjective of quality + enough.

The child was not tall enough to reach the switch.

The knife was not sharp enough to cut the string.I was stupid enough to go walking in flip flops.

2. after adjectives of emotion such as: angry, happy, glad, sad, sorry, surprised, to express the
reason for the emotion.
 I’m glad to see you.I’m sorry to hear your news.

3. after a ‘behavior’ adjective such as: good, kind, nice, silly, wrong (sometimes + of + another noun
phrase)

It was good of you to come, and kind of Jane to have sent those flowers.

It was silly to go off like that.It was kind of you to ring me.

4. after a WH- word such as: how, what, where, whether, which, who, whom

We have no idea what to get for Tim’s birthday.

I don’t know where to go.

I can’t think how to do it.

They were wondering who to see first.

5. after a noun phrase such as a good idea, a good thing, a mistake (sometimes + for + another noun
phrase)

It was a mistake for Jim to buy that motorbike.

It was a good idea to stop here.

6. after an adjective such as easy, difficult, hard, impossible + for + noun phrase

It has never been easy for David to sit exams.

7. after a verb followed by for, e.g. ask, wait + for + noun phrase

They are waiting for us to decide.

The to infinitive can be used to express purpose or necessity after a verb followed by a pronoun or a
noun.

purpose: I brought it to read on the train = so that I could read it.

necessity: There is work to do! = work that must be done.

Sometimes the particle to can be used alone, provided the meaning is clear, for example in a short
response, when the whole verb form is used in a previous sentence or clause.
 Did you meet Tina? No, I wanted to, but she was ill.

Are you going to visit the museum? Yes, we hope to.

C. Present participle clause (or –ing clause)

It is easy to recognize -ing participle verb forms, as they always end in -ing.

They can occur in finite clauses after a tensed verb:

He is/was eating his dinner.

However, in -ing participle clauses, which are non-finite, there is no tensed verb before the participle.

Here are some examples:

• The house facing to the north of the bank river was destroyed by big flood.

• Thank you for your letter inquiring about vacancies at the Museum shop.

• He is a thoroughly spoilt child being the only one in the family.

• The director having many companies has had bankruptcy.

D. Past participle clause

To recognize -ed participle clauses, we need to remember that an -ed participle form does not always
end in -ed. This is because some verbs are irregular. Examples of irregular -ed participles occur in the
following:

• He has taken it. It was taken.

• He has sold it. It was sold.

In each of those examples the -ed participle occurs in a finite clause, after a tensed verb. But in -
ed participle clauses, which are non-finite, there is no tensed verb before the -ed participle.
 Here are some examples:

• This is a diagram of the respiratory system taken from front to back.

• The evidence given to Cullen was monitored closely.

• All the children, gathered in that group, were ready to perform a traditional dance.

• A woman recognized as one of the hostages was found unharmed in the building.

E. Relative clauses

A relative clause can be non-finite when the subject of the relative clause is the same as the subject
of the main clause:

The man sitting on the sofa over there is Simon’s brother. (The man who is sitting …)

Don’t forget to fill in the form attached to the letter. (… which is attached to the letter.)

Key points

A finite clause typically contains a verb in the present tense or past tense form. It can be a main
clause or a subordinate clause, e.g.:

• Kate broke the dish. (main clause)

• They suspect that Kate broke the dish. (subordinate clause)

A non-finite clause does not contain any present or past tense verb. It is usually a subordinate clause.
There are three main types:

• Kate didn't mean to break the dish. (to-infinitive clause)

• The girl breaking the dish yesterday is Kate. (-ing participle clause)

• They will replace the dish broken by Kate. (-ed participle clause)