Finite verb forms

Finite verb forms are marked by inflection and indicate person, number and tense. A finite verb can be the single main verb in a sentence.

The finite forms of, for example, the verb go are:

• go (present tense in all persons except the third person singular)

I go to school in the afternoon.

• goes (present tense in the third person singular)

Mia goes to school by bus every day.

• went (past tense)

Yesterday, we went to school at 9 am.

Non-finite verb forms

Non-finite verb forms do not indicate person, number or tense.

The non-finite forms of the verb go are:

• go (infinitive)

I can't go with you.
Unfortunately, she had to go.
Do you really go out with her?
I didn't go to work today.
I want to go home. 

• going (gerund)

I like going to the cinema.
Carol suggested going for a walk.
Going faster would have been really dangerous.

• gone (past participle)

Jack has gone away on holiday.
By the time Sue returned, the others had gone back to their cars.
I wish I had gone to university.

• going (present participle)

I'm going to a concert tonight.
I heard my dad going up the stairs.
Going across the bridge last night, I saw someone swimming in the river.

The infinitive, the gerund and the participle have other forms, which are discussed in detail in the following chapters.