Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007
3 Verbs - Finite and non-finite verbs
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech
We can’t do without them!
Definition: The word ’verb’ comes from the Latin verbum meaning ’word’. Verbs are doing, being or having words.
Before learning about verbs, students should:
• understand the term ’noun’
• recognise common and proper nouns
• understand the term ’pronoun’
• recognise most personal pronouns
• be able to explain their purpose
It is a good idea to teach verbs next, as a noun or pronoun together with a verb, can form a complete sentence. This proves most satisfactory for the student.
Care should be taken by the teacher to proceed to each new section or concept only when the previous one has been fully grasped. The order of the segments has been chosen carefully to provide a sound structure of understanding.
For example, the section on finite and non-finite verbs comes naturally at the end of the first section. However, teachers may judge the timing of teaching this, depending on students’ level of understanding. It should not be left too long. A simple way of expressing it would be that a verb must have a doer (i.e. a subject) for it to make sense.
Finite and non-finite verbs
A verb needs a noun (or a pronoun) in front of it for it to make sense.
For example:
John waves.
The load slipped.
Verbs are of two kinds, non-finite or finite. Non-finite means not complete. Non-finite verbs are not complete, because they do not have a subject, that is, the person or thing that does the action, or that the sentence is about. For more about the subject see page 92.
Non-finite verbs also do not show a sense of time, i.e. tense. Finite verbs have both a subject and a tense.
For example:
I hope (present)
John hoped (past)
The most common and recognisable form of non-finite verb is the to-infinitive.
For example:
to drink, to be, to laugh ...
3.1 Activities: finite and non-finite verbs
The recognition of action is one of the first verbal concepts that young children grasp, so we have them thinking about things that they do, such as breathe, eat, clap, play.
1. Students act the verbs. This can be done in teams with each person calling out a verb for their counterpart in the other team to act. The latter then calls out their verb for the next in the first team, until all have had a turn.
2. Provide on paper a list of nouns plus a separate list of verbs in random order, which students match. This, too, can be done orally or in writing. The lists could be written side by side and students draw lines matching the nouns to suitable verbs, for example:
3. Students are provided with a list of nouns with which to compose sentences by adding an appropriate verb to each. This also could be done in reverse, for example:
Noun
a. the boy
b. snow
c. my uncle
d. our cat
e. the hose
f. a ghost
g. the wind
h. my friend
i. the ship
j. the horses
Verb (students add)
joked
fell
laughed
scratched
broke
appeared
howled
fell sick
sailed
galloped
4. Students use the present tense to indicate a habitual action, for example:
Uncle John snores.
April brings showers.
a. Dad
b. my brother
c. old cars
d. tramps
e. dictators
f. jet planes
g. eagles
h. ducks
i. geese
j. soldiers
5. Students add nouns to the following verbs that will indicate habit or custom, for example:
Lions - Lions roar.
a ... beat drums
b ... sing
c ... leave trails
d ... guard the building
e ... make speeches
f ... irons shirts
g ... paint pictures
h ... take money
i ... rattles