Non-finite Verb
There are three kinds of non-finite verbs:
i) Gerund
ii) Participle
iii) Infinitive
Gerund
Functions:
1. As a subject of the verb:
Swimming is a good exercise.
Giving is better than receiving.
Seeing is believing.
Rising early is a good habit.
The bold subjects in the above sentences are gerund --- non-finite verb.
2. Object/predicate of a transitive verb:
Stop writing.
I like reading poetry.
Working is praying.
My hobby is reading.
I could not help laughing
Don’t give up trying.
The bold objects (predicates) in the above sentences are gerund --- non-finite verb.
3. Object of Preposition:
I am fond of catching fish.
I am tired of writing.
They are punished for telling a lie.
In the above sentences, after preposition ‘of’ and ‘for’ --- nonfinite verb gerund is used
(verb+ing)
4. Compound Noun:
This is my sleeping room.
I have lost my walking stick.
Put aside your reading materials.
These are not adjectives because the room can’t sleep, the stick can’t walk and the materials
can’t read. Here ‘sleeping room’ ‘walking stick’, ‘reading materials’ are a compound noun or
noun phrase.
5. By + Gerund:
By eating a balanced diet, you can live well.
By drinking milk, you can get vitamins.
By being curious, he can learn many things.
6. Without + Gerund:
Without working hard, you cannot success.
7. On/in/at/of/for + Gerund:
She aimed at passing the exam.
They succeeded in doing the work.
She excels in drawing pictures.
8. As Verbal Noun (The + Gerund + of):
The reading of history is interesting.
The making of dolls/the taking of exercise...
9. Gerund after particular Finite Verbs:
Mind, drop, practice, finish, delay, forbid, endure, excuse, consider, stop, fancy, suggest,
present, prefer, deny, enjoy, miss, forgive, avoid, pardon.
After these finite (principal) verbs --- if another verb (action word) sits, it takes the structure of
gerund (verb+ing).
Example:
a. We enjoyed playing football.
b. We stopped working.
c. I suggest doing it.
d. She forbade doing this.
e. I have finished reading.
Participle
Participle is a non-finite verb. It is used as an adjective. There are three kinds of participle:
a. Present Participle: When ‘verb+ing’ works as an ‘adjective and verb’, it is called
Present Participle.
Example: sleeping child, burning home, crying baby
b. Past Participle: When ‘v3’ works as ‘non-finite verb’, it is called past participle.
Example: The burnt house is not ours.
c. Perfect Participle: When ‘having’ is used as ‘adjective and verb’ is called perfect
participle.
Example: Having done the work, I slept.
Functions:
1. It takes an object like a verb:
Hearing a noise, he woke up.
I saw a boy mending his shoes.
The participle took objects (‘a noise’, ‘his shoes’) like a verb.
2. Modified by an adverb:
Loudly knocking at the gate, he went off.
The book is very interesting.
‘Loudly’ and ‘very’ are adverbs which are modifying the participle.
3. Modifies a noun/pronoun:
A lying person should be punished.
A sleeping fox cannot catch a hen.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
The glass is broken.
This story is exciting.
The girl is good-looking.
Here the participles are modifying the nouns (subjects) like adjectives.
4. It can be compared like an adjective:
She in more charming than her sister.
This is the most amusing story I have ever heard.
Here the participles are compared like adjectives.
5. Absolute Nominative (it means --- not having any relation with Finite Verb):
The sky being clear, the plane took off.
I know nothing regarding the matter.
Finite Verbs in the above sentences are --- ‘took’, ‘know’, ‘was’, and participles have no direct
connection with the finite verbs. Here the participles are --- ‘being’, ‘regarding’.
6. Noun phrase + Present Participle =Adjective:
I met a girl carrying a basket of flowers.
I found her crying.
I saw him going up the hill.
Here the bold italic words are participles which are used as adjectives --- describing the nouns.
Infinitive
Structure of Infinitive: Finite Verb + to + base form of verb (v1)
After the following verbs infinitives take place:
Decide, desire, expect, promise, wish, want, offer, hope, refuse, and swear.
Example:
1. She promised to speak the truth.
2. I desire to go abroad.
3. We decided to go there.
4. She refused to help me.
After the following words ‘to’ remains invisible (hidden):
had better, had sooner, than, but, except
Example:
1. You have nothing to do but weep.
2. He is better able to sing than recite.
After the following verbs, ‘bare infinitive’ (zero/invisible infinitive) takes place:
Make, know, feel, hear, dare, bid, need, behold, watch, notice, see.
Example:
1. Let him stay
2. I watched them play.
3. Did you hear me call you?
Bare infinitive: uses
A bare infinitive is used in the following contexts:
i) As a complement of the following verbs:
bid, behold, feel, find, hear know, let, make, notice, see, watch
1. We felt the earth shake.
2. I heard her sing.
3. We saw the plane land.
4. He made us laugh.
5. I let them play in the park.
Note:
a) These verbs take full infinitive in the passive voice:
1. She was made to sing. (not, sing)
2. He was heard to murmur. (not, murmur)
b) But let is used without to even in passive construction:
1. I let him go. (Active voice)
2. He was let go. (Passive voice)
ii) As complement of have (meaning want/wish)
1. I would have you learn manners. (i.e. to learn)
2. I like to have them reach in time. (i.e to reach)
3. I wound have him keep his promise. (i.e. to keep)
Note:
• Prefer … rather than
1. I prefer to die rather than beg.
2. I would prefer to fight rather than surrender.
In this construction ‘prefer’ takes a full infinitive but ‘rather than’ takes a bare infinitive.
• as …. As/not so/not as …. As/comparative form … than
1. If is as easy to run as swim.
2. If is not so easy to than cook.
3. If is easier to eat than cook.
The second ‘as’ takes a bare infinitive.
• why/why not?
1. Why hire a taxi?
2. Why not start now?
These elliptical expressions take a bare infinitive.
• help
1. He helped me carry/to carry the luggage.
2. She helped me find/to find my purse.
‘Help’ can be used with to or without to. Without ‘to’ is used mostly, especially in British
English.
• Anaphoric to
Sometimes ‘to’ alone is used instead of ‘to + verb’ (full infinitive). It is called an anaphoric use
of ‘to’ because it has a backward reference, that is, a reference to an earlier mention of the verb:
Example:
1. Would you like to have a cup of tea?
2. She wanted to lock up the house but she forgot to.
3. I didn’t want to go to the cinema but I had to.
This device is used to avoid the repetition of a verb.
• Split infinitive
When a ‘to + verb’ is split into two parts and an adverb is put between the two, it is called a split
infinitive:
He asked me to briefly state my case.
Here to has been separated from the verb ‘state’ and an adverb (briefly) inserted between them.
Infinitive: forms
a) Simple
To + verb: to write
b) Progressive
To + be + verb + ing: to be writing
HSC Programme
Unit 5 Page # 118
c) Perfect
To + have + past participle: to have written
c) Perfect Progressive
To + have been+ present participle: to have been writing
d) Passive
To be + past participle: to be written
e) Perfect Passive
To have been + past participle: to have been written
Note:
• Verbs that take an infinitive as object or complement are:
Appear consent hope refuse
Attempt decide long seem
Choose fail plan wish
Claim happen promise vow
Example:
1. The earth appears to stand still.
2. He seems to know the secret.
3. He hopes to win a medal.
• Adjective + infinitive
Adjectives that take an infinitive are:
Able, anxious, easy, eager, glad, happy, hard, ready
Example:
1. He isn’t able to run fast.
2. We are eager to know the result.
3. They are ready to fight.
• Verb + object + infinitive
Verbs that take object + infinitive are:
Ask instruct request
Command invite see
Compel make urge
Enable oblige warn
Encourage order watch
Force remind
Example:
1. I asked him to wait a minute.
2. He compelled/forced me to open the door.
3. I made him sing a song. (bare infinitive)
4. We saw/watched the plane land. (bare infinitive)
Exercise
Fill the gaps with appropriate verbs:
1. I hate (camp) ____
2. Jamal wants (go) ___ to Sri Lanka.
3. Who ate the (roast) ____ chicken?
4. The baby started (scream) ____ as it was hungry.
5. By (work) ____ hard, you can shine in life.
6. Kamal had a great time (tour) ____ Kuakata.
7. He made a new record by (catch)____ the biggest fish.
8. Do you like (read) _____?
9. I struggle (understand) ____ this math problem.
10. The freshly (pick) ____ tomatoes look delicious.
Answer Key
1. camping
2. to go
3. roasted
4. screaming
5. working
6. touring
7. catching
8. reading
9. to understand
10. picked