19. Finite and Non-finite verbs

* Finite Verbs acts as the main verb of a sentence or a clause. They indicate number, person and tense. They are used in the present tense and the past tense. They have to agree with the subject and change accordingly. 

* Non Finite verbs do not act as a verb. They act as nouns, adjectives and adverbs. They do not indicate numbers, person or tense. They are usually gerunds, infinitives or participle. 

Gerund :

Gerund functions as a noun, so it is called a verbal noun. It also functions as an adjective. A gerund has the same form as a present participle.

Gerunds are used in the following ways. 

1. As a subject and a kind of a noun. 

   a) Reading is a good habit. 

   b) Learning a language is always useful. 

2. As an object: Rita likes cooking. 

3. As a complement: Her liking is cooking. 

4. Used in compound nouns: bathtub {a tub to bathe}

Participles:

Participles come after an object to describe it and express the state the object is in. A present participle indicates an activity that is continuing and is in progress. A present or past participle can function as an adjective phrase to describe a noun placed before it.

1. The baby singing in the room is my child.

2. The bird is flying in the sky is the lark.

The different forms of Participles are:
1. Present participle- verb +ing sleep+ing=sleeping
2. Past participles - verb+d/ed/en like+d=liked
3. Perfect participles - having + past participles having + finished = having finished
4. Present - {passive} - being + past participle being + toed = being toed
5. Perfect {passive} - having been + past participle having been written