Non-finite verbs
- John thinks that he is a great artist.
- I wish to learn English.
In sentence 2, the verb wish is finite, because it has a subject and is limited by the number and person of that subject, namely I. But to learn has no subject and is not limited by the number or person of the subject. It is used without any change whatever be the subject of the sentence.
Compare:
- You wish to learn.
- I wish to learn.
- He wishes to learn.
- They wish to learn.
There are three kinds of non-finite verbs:
The infinitive
Examples are: to learn, to write, to work, to break, to speak etc.
The participle
Examples are: learning, learned, writing, written, working, worked, breaking, broken, speaking, spoken etc.
The gerund or verbal noun
Examples are: learning, writing, working, running, speaking etc.
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