Verb Finiteness in the English Sentence

Abstract

Any independent clause must contain one and only one finite verb. A finite verb is the one which
can occur on its own in an independent clause and permit formal contrasts of tense, number, and
mood. On the contrary, a non-finite verb or construction, can occur on its own only in a
dependent clause and lacks the said contrasts. This dichotomy plays a significant role in the
recognition of the sentence from non-sentence. It is particularly of help in teaching and learning
English as a foreign language, in a number of aspects. The objective of this article is to
formulate the rules governing the two categories of verbs and to illustrate how the concept of
finiteness can be utilized to help prevent the formation of ungrammatical sentences in English.
Some simple rules facilitating the interrogation and/or negation of English sentences are also
introduced.