Non-Finite Verb

A Non-Finite Verb is a verb that cannot serve as the root of an independent clause.

• AKA: Nonfinite Verb.
  • …
• Counter-Example(s):
  • a Finite Verb.
• See: Non-Finite Clause, Independent Clause, Infinitive, Participle, Gerund, Converb, Gerundive, Supine, Inflection, Grammatical Tense.

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References

2016

• (Wikipedia, 2016) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonfinite_verb Retrieved:2016-5-20.
  • A nonfinite verb is any of several verb forms that are not finite verbs; that is, they cannot serve as the root of an independent clause. Nonfinite verbs found in English typically are infinitives, participles and gerunds. (They sometimes are called verbalsalthough that term has traditionally applied only to participles and gerunds.) Additional nonfinite forms found in some other languages include converbs, gerundives and supines.

    Nonfinite verbs typically are not inflected by grammatical tense; and they present little inflection for other grammatical categories as well. Generally, they also lack a subject dependent. One or more nonfinite verbs may be associated with a finite verb in a finite clause, composing the elements of a verb catena, or verb chain.

    Because English to a large extent lacks inflectional morphology, the finite and nonfinite forms of a verb may appear the same in a given context. In such a case, the environment surrounding the verb must be examined to determine whether it is finite or nonfinite.

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