4. The Finite Verb and the Infinite

The Finite Verb Finite verbs are those with tenses, that is they have the past or the present form. The finite verb is the verb that changes with the person and number of the subject. Verbs without tense are nonfinite. Note the following: Person Present Tense Singular Plural First Person I play We play Second Person You play You play Third Person He plays They play She plays They play It plays They play The verb "play" changes with the subject (person). When the subject is in the third person singular, that is he, she, or it, the verb changes into "plays". It does not change when the subject is in the first and second person, that is I or you and in the plural subject, that is, we, you, or they. The verb "play" is a finite verb. Example of finite verb: We go to the library. He goes to the library. They go to the library. She goes to the library. I go to the library. (The finite verb is 'go') The Infinitive The infinitive is a verb that comes after the word "to" Note the infinitive does not change with the subject or person. Example: to eat, to run, to see, to take: My fat sister likes to eat spaghetti. I have decided to run away from home. We love to see your face. She wants to take all my candy. Infinitives are also used without 'to'. Example: Let him eat the bigger piece. I think you had better go alone. We see each other only on weekends. Please take this along with you. Infinitives are used without 'to' after helping verbs called auxiliary verbs such as be, have, do, can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might and must Example: He can drive me to the airport. (NOT: He can to drive me to the airport.) I am so hungry I could eat a whole chicken. She will keep asking silly questions Anne phoned to say she would be late again. (NOT: Anne phoned to say she would to be late again.) I shall never say yes to his request. We should eat our dinner earlier tonight. He may come over later this evening. You might have left your keys in the gift shop. We must visit him at the hospital. Where more than one infinitive is used in a sentence, consistency in using the infinitives is essential. The first infinitive is always used with 'to'. If the second infinitive is preceded by 'to', the following infinitives must likewise have 'to' before them, or if the second infinitive is used without 'to', the rest must be without 'to' as well. See the following examples. Correct: Each competitor has to paddle across the lake, cycle five kilometres, climb the steep hill and run down to the finishing line. Correct: Each competitor has to paddle across the lake, to cycle five kilometres, to climb the steep hill and to run down to the finishing line. Incorrect: Each competitor has to paddle across the lake, to cycle five kilometres, climb the steep hill and run down to the finishing line.