Microsoft Word Theoretical Course of English Grammar

Finite forms are distinguished from the non-finites as follows:
 
1. Finite verbs can occur independently (i.e. without copular verbs or modal auxiliaries) 
as a simple predicate, while non-finite verb forms can function as part of a complex verbal 
predicate. This functional distinction between finite and non-finite verbs is called FINITNESS. 
Non-finite verbs can also perform other syntactic functions in a sentence. Cf.: 
finite verb:
Nick speaks five languages
. (simple verbal predicate) 
Non-finite verb forms: 1.
Nick can speak five languages
. (infinitive, part of a compound
modal verbal predicate.) 
2.
Dancing is my favorite good pastime
. (gerund, subject) 
3.
I like dancing
. (gerund, direct object) 
4.
He sat on the sofa reading a book
. (participle I, adv. modifier 
of attending circumstances)
5.
He saw a dancing girl
. (participle I, attribute) 
6.
There was a broken vase in the box
. (participle II, attribute) 
2. Finite verbs have TENSE contrast (i.e. the distinction between present and past tenses: 
She works hard. She worked hard
.) while non-finite verb forms don’t have tense distinction, 
i.e. they don’t have grammatical category of tense. 
3. Finite verbs have grammatical categories of PERSON
and NUMBER while non-finite 
verbs don’t have any of these distinctions. There is a person and number concord between the 
subject of a clause and the finite simple verbal predicate. This concord is particularly clear with 
the present tense of the verb 
be
(I am; you are; he/she/it is; we/you/they are). But with most full 
verbs overt (
თვალსაჩინო
, 
აშკარა
) concord is restricted to a contrast between the 3
rd
person 
singular present and other persons or plural number: 
He / She / Jim reads the paper every morning. 
I / We / You / They read the paper every morning.

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Theoretical Course of English Grammar 
Script by prof.