Finite Verbs

Definition:

A form of the verb with a distinction in tense. A finite verb works with the subject of a sentence to give a sense of completeness. Contrast with nonfinite verb (or verbal).

Etymology:

From the Latin, "end"

Examples and Observations:

• "When you use a verb to form a sentence, you use it in its finite form, that is, its conjugated form. Verb conjugation will show tense, person, and number, as in She won the game (past tense, third person, singular) or They will run around the bases (future tense, third person, plural)."
  
  

• "Finite verbs can be recognized by their form and their position in the sentence. Here are some of the things to look for when you are trying to identify the finite verbs in a sentence:
1. Most finite verbs can take an -ed or a -d at the end of the word to indicate time in the past: cough, coughed; celebrate, celebrated. A hundred or so finite verbs do not have these endings [see Principal Parts of Irregular Verbs].

2. Nearly all finite verbs take an -s at the end of the word to indicate the present when the subject of the verb is third-person singular: cough, he coughs; celebrate, she celebrates. The exceptions are auxiliary verbs like can and must. Remember that nouns can also end in -s. Thus the dog races can refer to a spectator sport or to a fast-moving third-person singular dog.

3. Finite verbs are often groups of words that include such auxiliary verbs as can, must, have, and be: can be suffering, must eat, will have gone.

4. Finite verbs usually follow their subjects: He coughs. The documents had compromised him. They will have gone.

5. Finite verbs surround their subjects when some forms of a question are asked: Is he coughing? Did they celebrate?