Every verb is considered to be either Finite or Non-finite, just as they can be either Regular or Irregular or Transitive or Intransitive.
A Finite Verb is one that has a direct relationship to the subject of a sentence or clause and does not need the help of another verb to be grammatically correct. Any verb can be a finite verb (except -ing verbs, auxiliary verbs, participles, and infinitives).
So, any verb except the -ing verbs, auxiliary verbs, participles, and infinitives is a finite verb.
examples:
action verbs in the base form: eat, drink, comb, brush, draw, paint, sleep, rest, speak
stative verbs: perceive, sense, understand, feel, love, sad
linking verbs: is, are, was, were, am, be, been, being
causative verbs: enable, let, allow
light verbs: do, make, take, have
There are more verbs that fall under 'finite verbs'. The categories of verbs can be confusing. But the secret to knowing which is finite and non-finite is seeing if each verb can give a complete thought of predicate to the sentence by itself or not.
Note: Finite verbs can stand on their own. They do not need the help of other verbs to be grammatically correct in a sentence. So any verb that can function as a verb without the help of other verbs in a sentence is finite a verb.
There are plenty of finite verbs, which is why it is better to also know the non-finite verbs, and they are as follows.
-ing verbs
-ing verbs are verbs pertaining to actions with -ing in the end. They are mostly used with other verbs such as linking verbs to be grammatically correct. Some of them function as nouns, through which they are called gerunds.
examples:
eating
grinding
playing
singing
dancing
breaking
slicing
writing
hearing
listening
talking
clapping
walking
jumping
running
auxiliary verbs
There are only 13 auxiliary verbs falling under two types: Modal Auxiliary Verbs and Semi-modal Auxiliary Verbs
a. Modal Auxiliary Verbs
can
could
may
might
will
would
shall
should
must
b. Semi-modal Auxiliary Verbs
dare
need
used to
ought to
participles
Participles are verbs derived from both regular and irregular verbs, formed to function in different ways.
There are two forms of participles: present participle and past participle
infinitives
Infinitives are action verbs paired with the word "to". They are often used with the help of other verbs such as action verbs to portray a complete thought of predicate.
examples:
to cry
to listen
to eat
to drink
to study
to hear
to create
to form
to tell
to watch
in a sentence:
"You need to watch the movie."
need = auxiliary verb
to watch = infinitive
"She has to tell him what happened."
has (in present participle) = action verb/stative verb/modal verb (varies on the meaning portrayed)
to tell = infinitive
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