Finite verbs are verbs that are conjugated to show tense, number, and person. They indicate the action or state of the subject in a sentence. For example, in the sentence "She walks to school," the verb "walks" is finite because it is conjugated to agree with the subject "she" in the present tense.
Nonfinite verbs, on the other hand, are not conjugated to show tense, number, or person. They do not indicate the action or state of the subject. Nonfinite verbs can take the form of infinitives, gerunds, or participles.
1. Infinitives: These are the base form of a verb, usually preceded by the word "to." For example, in the sentence "I like to swim," the verb "swim" is an infinitive.
2. Gerunds: These are verb forms that function as nouns and end in "-ing." For example, in the sentence "Running is my favorite hobby," the verb "running" is a gerund.
3. Participles: These are verb forms that function as adjectives and can end in "-ed," "-en," or "-ing." For example, in the sentence "The broken vase needs to be fixed," the verb "broken" is a participle.
Nonfinite verbs are often used in various grammatical constructions, such as infinitive phrases, gerund phrases, and participial phrases. They can also be used to form verb tenses, passive voice, and other verb forms.
In summary, finite verbs are conjugated to show tense, number, and person, while nonfinite verbs are not. Nonfinite verbs can take the form of infinitives, gerunds, or participles and are used in various grammatical constructions.