Non-finite verb
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In linguistics, a non-finite verb (or a verbal) is a verb form that is not limited by a subject and, more generally, is not fully inflected by categories that are marked inflectionally in language, such as tense, aspect, mood, number, gender, and person. As a result, a non-finite verb cannot generally serve as the main verb in an independent clause; rather, it heads a non-finite clause.
By some accounts, a non-finite verb acts simultaneously as a verb and as another part of speech; it can take adverbs and certain kinds of verb arguments, producing a verbal phrase (i.e., non-finite clause), and this phrase then plays a different role — usually noun, adjective, or adverb — in a greater clause. This is the reason for the term verbal; non-finite verbs have traditionally been classified as verbal nouns, verbal adjectives, or verbal adverbs.
English has three kinds of verbals:
- participles, which function as adjectives;
- gerunds, which function as nouns; and
- infinitives, which have noun-like, adjective-like, and adverb-like functions.
Each of these kinds of verbals is also used in various common constructs; for example, the past participle is used in forming the perfect aspect (to have done).
Other kinds of verbals, such as supines and gerundives, exist in other languages.
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[edit] Participles
A participle is a verbal adjective that describes a noun as being a participant in the action of the verb. English has two kinds of participles: a present participle, also called an imperfect participle, which ends in -ing and which ordinarily describes the agent of an action, and a past participle, also called a perfect participle, which typically ends in -ed (but can also end in -en, -t, or none of these), and which ordinarily describes the patient of an action.
The following sentences contain participles:
- The talking children angered the teacher. (Here talking modifies children.)
- Annoyed, Rita ate dinner by herself in the bedroom. (Here annoyed modifies Rita.)
In English, the present participle is used in forming the continuous aspect (to be doing); the past participle is used in forming the passive voice (to be done) and the perfect aspect (to have done).
A participial phrase is a phrase consisting of a participle and any adverbials and/or arguments; the participle is the head of such a phrase:
- Gazing at the painting, she recalled the house where she was born. (Here gazing at the painting modifies she.)
[edit] Gerunds
A gerund is a verbal noun that refers to the action of the verb. In English, a gerund has the same form as a present participle (see above), ending in -ing:
- Fencing is good exercise. (Here fencing is the subject of is.)
- Leroy expanded his skills by studying. (Here studying is the object of by.)
A gerund phrase is a phrase consisting of a gerund and any adverbials and/or arguments; the gerund is the head of such a phrase:
- My evening routine features jogging slowly around the block. (Here jogging slowly around the block is the direct object of features.)
[edit] Infinitives
In English, the infinitive verb form is often introduced by the particle to, as in to eat or to run. The resulting phrase can then function as a subject or object, or as a modifier.
- To succeed takes courage, foresight, and luck. (Here to succeed is the subject of takes.)
- I don't have time to waste. (Here to waste modifies time.)
- Carol was invited to speak. (Here to speak is the object of invited.)
- Do not stop to chat. (Here to chat functions as an adverb modifying stop.)
An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive and any related words.
- Paul wanted to learn silk screening. (The infinitive phrase to learn silk screening is the object of wanted.)
[edit] See also
[edit] Other kinds of non-finite verbs
[edit] Related topics
[edit] Bibliography
- Dodds, Jack (2006). The Ready Reference Handbook, 4th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc.. ISBN 0-321-33069-2
- Rozakis, Laurie (2003). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style, 2nd Edition. Alpha. ISBN 1-59257-115-8
[edit] External links
- Owl Online Writing Lab: Verbals: Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives
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