1. Understand what a finite verb is:
* A finite verb is a verb that shows tense (past, present, future) and agrees with its subject in number (singular or plural).
* Examples: *walks*, *played*, *will eat*
2. Understand what a non-finite verb is:
* A non-finite verb does not show tense or agree with its subject. It acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
* There are three types of non-finite verbs:
* Infinitives: These are the base form of the verb preceded by "to" (e.g., *to walk*, *to play*, *to eat*).
* Gerunds: These are verbs that end in "-ing" and function as nouns (e.g., *walking*, *playing*, *eating*).
* Participles: These are verbs that end in "-ing" or "-ed/-en" and function as adjectives or adverbs (e.g., *walking*, *played*, *eaten*).
3. Look for the following clues:
* No tense: Non-finite verbs don't have a clear past, present, or future tense.
* No agreement with subject: Non-finite verbs don't change form to match the subject.
* Function as other parts of speech: They act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
* Often preceded by "to" or "-ing": Infinitives are preceded by "to," and gerunds and participles often end in "-ing" or "-ed/-en."
Examples:
* Finite verb: "The dog barks loudly." (Barks shows present tense and agrees with the subject "dog").
* Infinitive: "I like to eat pizza." (To eat acts as the object of the verb "like").
* Gerund: "Walking is good exercise." (Walking acts as the subject of the sentence).
* Participle: "The burned cake was inedible." (Burned acts as an adjective describing the cake).
Key points to remember:
* Non-finite verbs can be part of verb phrases along with finite verbs (e.g., "He is going to eat dinner").
* While identifying non-finite verbs is helpful, the key is understanding their function within the sentence.
Let me know if you have any more questions about non-finite verbs!