Finite Verb

A finite verb is a verb that is inflected for person and for tense rules and categories of the languages in which it occurs. Finite verbs can form independent clause, which can stand by their own as complete sentence.

Every grammatically correct sentence or clause must contain a finite verb; sentence fragments not containing finite verb; sentence fragments not containing finite verbs are describe as phrases.

Some interjections can play the same role. Even in English, a sentence like thanks for your help ! has an interjection where it could have a subject and a finite verb form (compare I appreciate your help!).

In English, as in most related languages , only verb in certain moods are finite these include :

* the indicative mood (expression a state of affairs); e.g. , “ The bulldozer demolished the restaurant,’’ “ The leaves were yellow and stiff.”

• the imperative mood (giving a command)
• the subjunctive mood (expressing something that might or might not be the state of affairs, depending on some other part of the sentence); nearly extinct in English.



A verb is a word that expresses an occurrence, act,or mode of being. Finite verb, sometimes, called main verbs, are limited by time (see tense), person, and number.

The finite verb are highlighted in the following sentence :

The finite verbs are highlighted in the following sentence :

The bear caught a salmon in the stream.

Who ate the pic ?

Stop !

A nonfinite verb form-such as a participle, infinitive , or gerund-is not limited by time (see tense), person, and number.

Verb form that are not finite include :
• the infinitive
• participles (e.g., “ the broken Window … ‘’, The wheezing gentleman …”)
• gerunds and gerundives.