Point out the verbs which are finite and which are non- finite in the following sentences:
1. My mother cooks food for the family.
2. She attended three meetings.
3. My friend wants to go to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal.
4. The hunter killed the tiger.
5. He refused to obey the orders.
6. To err is human.
Answers
The verbs are underlined and their type written in brackets against each sentence:
a) My mother cooks food for the family. (Finite verb)
b) Se attended three meetings. (Finite verb)
c) My friend wants (Finite) to go (Non-finite) to Agra to visit (Non-finite) the Taj
d) The hunter killed the tiger. (Finite verb)
e) He refused (Finite verb) to obey (Non-finite) the orders.
f) To err is human. (Non-finite)
Explanation
Finite verb is a verb that changes according to change in the tense or number of the subject. On the other hand Non-finite verbs are those verbs that remain unchanged in any type of tense. Their form remains the same. They do not inflect. There are three types of non-finite verbs: 1. Infinitives 2. Gerunds 3. Participles
All the non-finite verbs in the above written sentences are infinitives.
Or
Verbs with tense are finite, and verbs without tense are infinite.
Explanation:
Verbs that have a past or a present form are called Finite verbs. All others are called infinite verbs.
In general, you can identify an infinite verb by the word 'to' that precedes the verb.
a) My mother cooks food for the family. - Finite verb
b) Se attended three meetings. - Finite verb
c) My friend wants to go to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal - Infinite verb
d) The hunter killed the tiger. - Finite verb
e) He refused to obey the orders. - Infinite verb
f) To err is human. - Infinite verb