Observe the following two sets of sentences:
A B
1. They read the Geeta. 1. They like to read the Geeta.
2. He reads the Geeta. 2. He likes reading the Geeta.
3. I am reading the Geeta. 3. Reading the Geeta
I tried to explain it.
4. Ram is reading the Geeta 4. Ram is a widely
read man.
In Group A, each verb has its subject. The form of the verb depends on its subject. Thus each verb is limited by the number and person of the subject. Read is limited by they; reads by he; am reading by I; is reading by Ram.
Definition: a verb which is limited by the number and person of its subject is called a Finite Verb.
In Group B, the words to read, reading and read are derived from the verb 'read', so they have some features of the verb, but they do not have any subject.
Since they have no subjects, they are not limited by the number and person of the subjects, nor they need to change their forms. Such words are called Non-Finites.
Definition: A Non-Finite Verb is that which is derived from a verb but has no subject, and, therefore, is not limited by the number and person of any noun or pronoun.
There are three kinds of non infinites: Infinitive, Gerund and Participles (Present and Past).
As in group B, to read in sentence 1 is Infinitive, reading in sentence 2 is Gerund, reading in sentence 3 is Present Participle and read in sentence 4 is Past Participle.
