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ENGL 672

Finite and Nonfinite1

The meaning offiniteas a general term in grammar is related to that offinitein its everyday sense: limited, bounded. Thus a finite verb is one that is limitedby properties of

person, number and tense (Huddleston 1988: 44).

I believe the confusion about these terms has to do with their multiple uses in English.

FINITE/NONFINITEVERB FORMS: This distinction applies to main verbs.

FINITE VERB FORMS: Third singular -s, past (-ed), other present tense forms (unmarked)of main verbs.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS: -ingparticiple, -edparticiple, (to) infinitive

FINITE/NONFINITEVPS/CLAUSES

The terms FINITEand NONFINITEare also applied to VPs2and clauses. And the problem I

think is that there is not a one-to-one correspondence between verb forms and the (finite)VPs or clauses that they may occur in. So, for example, in (1), was beginningis a finite VP

even though the VP contains a nonfinite verb form (beginning, the -ingparticiple). Thephrase is finite because it is tensed on the auxiliary (wasis PAST); furthermore because the

auxiliary is the verb be, person/number marking is apparent as well (wasvs. were).

(1) The doorbell rang as Pat was beginninghis new novel

In other words, many finite VPs/clauses in English contain nonfinite forms (e.g. thePROGRESSIVEillustrated in (1) is composed of be+ -ingparticiple; PERFECTconstructions

are formed with have+ -edparticiple). Note that the auxiliaries in these twoconstructionsthe PROGRESSIVEand the PERFECTare finite (minimally they carry tense).

Huddleston (1988: 44) suggests that since the only reliable grammatical contrast present in

English finite verbs is in fact tense (person and number being distinctions with limiteddistributions), then perhaps tensedwould be a more appropriate term thanfinitefor

English.

What about NONFINITEVPs/clauses? These would be VPs that doNOTcontain verb forms

that are tensed (or personed, or numbered, etc.). In (2) below, leavingis the -ingparticiple. There is no tensed auxiliary (or even a modal auxiliary; see below). In this case,then, both the verb form and the VP/clause are NONFINITE.

1This handout is intended to clarify information in GQ: 41-43.2Remember that VPs consist of a main verb standing alone as the entire VP, or can be preceded by one or

multiple auxiliaries (e.g. The ship sankvs.The ship must have beensinking.)

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(2) Leavingthe house so early, she forgot her lunch.

If the nonfinite VP in (2) were having leftinstead of leaving, then the nonfinite VP wouldbe composed of two nonfinite formsthe -ingparticiple havingand the -edparticiple left.

What about VPs/clauses that contain modal auxiliaries which are not marked for tense (e.g.

*musted)? Modal auxiliaries, nonetheless, are considered finite, and their lack of overttense or any other inflectional distinction is treated as a property of the modal auxiliary

group.

In summary, regarding VPs and clauses:

The distinction between finite and nonfinite in English refers to the presence orabsence of a tensed verb or auxiliary. Clauses [or VPs] that contain a tensed verb or

auxiliary are considered finite clauses [or VPs]. Clauses [or VPs] that do notcontain a tensed verb or auxiliary, but only an -ingform or an infinitive such as to

leave, are considered nonfinite. (Hopper 1999: 16)

Here is a link to a page on finite/nonfinite clauses with exerciseshttp://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/clauses/finite.htm

Exercises: Indicate whether the italicized VPs are finite (F) or nonfinite (N).

1. After hovering( ) overhead, the helicopter suddenly descended ( ).

2. The house had been painted( ) a bright red before it was sold( ).

3. Murphy, beaten( ) by the challenger, has retired( ) from the ring.

4. Overcome( ) by grief, shesat( ) silently.

5. They dared to divorce ( ) before their children died( ).

6. Having been invited( ), heshould have arrived( ) on time.

Answers 1. N, F 2. F, F 3. N, F 4. N, F 5. F, F 6. N, F

______________________References

Hopper, Paul J. 1999.A short course in grammar. NY: W.W. Norton.

Huddleston, Rodney. 1988.English grammar: An outline. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.