Finite clauses
Finite clauses must contain a verb which shows tense. They can be main clauses or subordinate clauses:
Isitraining?(main: present)
Ispoketo Joanne last night.(main: past)
Wedidn’tget any food because wedidn’thave enough time.(main: past; subordinate: past)
Non-finite clauses
Non-finite clauses contain a verb which does not show tense. We usually use non-finite verbs only in subordinate clauses. We usually understand the time referred to from the context of the main clause. We often use a non-finite clause when the subject is the same as the subject in the main clause:
I had something to eatbefore leaving.(I had something to eat before I left.)
After having spentsix hours at the hospital, they eventually came home.
Helped by local volunteers, staff at the museum have spent many years sorting and cataloguing more than 100,000 photographs.
He left the party and went home,not having anyone to talk to.
The person to askabout going to New Zealandis Beck.
You have to look at the picture really carefullyin order to see all the detail.
After,although,though, andif
We often use non-finite clauses after some subordinating conjunctions likeafter,although, thoughandif:
By the end of the day,although exhausted, Mark did not feel quite as tired as he had in the past.(although he was exhausted)
The proposal,if accepted by Parliament, will mean fundamental changes to the education system.
See also:
Ellipsis
After verbs +-ingor infinitive withto
We use non-finite clauses as the complements to verbs which take-ingorto-infinitive after them:
I don’tenjoy playingtennis in the rain.
I’dhate to travelto London every day.
Relative clauses
A relative clause can be non-finite when the subject of the relative clause is the same as the subject of the main clause:
The mansitting on the sofa over thereis Simon’s brother.(The man who is sitting …)
Don’t forget to fill in the formattached to the letter.(… which is attached to the letter.)
See also:
Althoughorthough?
Finite clauses
Relative clauses