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The specific problem is: <b>the lead should not contain bullet points.</b><span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Non-finite_clause" title="Special:EditPage/Non-finite clause">improve this article</a> if you can.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">November 2019</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Linguistics" title="Linguistics">linguistics</a>, a <b>non-finite clause</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Dependent_clause" title="Dependent clause">dependent or embedded clause</a> that represents a state or event in the same way no matter whether it takes place before, during, or after text production.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In this sense, a non-finite dependent clause represents one process as a circumstance for another without specifying the time when it takes place as in the following examples: </p> <dl><dt>Non-Finite Dependent Clauses</dt></dl> <ul><li><i>I'm going to Broadway <b>to watch a play</b></i>.</li> <li><i>I went to Broadway <b>to watch a play</b></i>.</li></ul> <dl><dt>Finite Dependent Clauses</dt></dl> <ul><li><i>I'm going to Broadway <b>so I can watch a play</b></i>.</li> <li><i>I went to Broadway <b>so I could watch a play</b></i>.</li></ul> <p>Similarly, a non-finite embedded clause represents a qualification for something that is being represented as in the following examples:<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <dl><dt>Non-Finite Embedded Clauses</dt></dl> <ul><li><i>I'm on a street <b>called Bellevue Avenue</b></i>.</li> <li><i>I was on a street <b>called Bellevue Avenue</b></i>.</li></ul> <dl><dt>Finite Embedded Clauses</dt></dl> <ul><li><i>I'm on a street <b>that is called Bellevue Avenue</b></i>.</li> <li><i>I'm on a street <b>that used to be called Bellevue Avenue</b></i>.</li> <li><i>I was on a street <b>that is called Bellevue Avenue</b></i>.</li> <li><i>I was on a street <b>that used to be called Bellevue Avenue</b></i>.</li></ul> <p>In meaning-independent descriptions of language, a non-finite clause is a clause whose verbal chain is <a href="/wiki/Non-finite_verb" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-finite verb">non-finite</a>;<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> for example, using Priscian's categories for Latin verb forms, in many languages we find texts with non-finite clauses containing <a href="/wiki/Infinitive" title="Infinitive">infinitives</a>, <a href="/wiki/Participle" title="Participle">participles</a> and <a href="/wiki/Gerund" title="Gerund">gerunds</a>. In such accounts, a non-finite clause usually serves a grammatical role – commonly that of a <a href="/wiki/Noun" title="Noun">noun</a>, <a href="/wiki/Adjective" title="Adjective">adjective</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Adverb" title="Adverb">adverb</a> – in a greater clause that contains it.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Structure">Structure</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Non-finite_clause&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Structure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A typical finite <a href="/wiki/Clause" title="Clause">clause</a> consists of a <a href="/wiki/Finite_verb" title="Finite verb">finite form of the verb</a> together with its <a href="/wiki/Object_(grammar)" title="Object (grammar)">objects</a> and other dependents (i.e. a <a href="/wiki/Verb_phrase" title="Verb phrase">verb phrase</a> or <a href="/wiki/Predicate_(grammar)" title="Predicate (grammar)">predicate</a>), along with its <a href="/wiki/Subject_(grammar)" title="Subject (grammar)">subject</a> (although in certain cases the subject is not expressed). A non-finite clause is similar, except that the verb must be in a <a href="/wiki/Non-finite_verb" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-finite verb">non-finite</a> form (such as an <a href="/wiki/Infinitive" title="Infinitive">infinitive</a>, <a href="/wiki/Participle" title="Participle">participle</a>, <a href="/wiki/Gerund" title="Gerund">gerund</a> or <a href="/wiki/Gerundive" title="Gerundive">gerundive</a>), and it is consequently much more likely that there will be no subject expressed, i.e. that the clause will consist of a (non-finite) verb phrase on its own. </p><p>Some examples are given below. </p> <dl><dt>Finite clauses</dt></dl> <ul><li><i>Kids play on computers.</i> (an <a href="/wiki/Independent_clause" title="Independent clause">independent clause</a>)</li> <li>I know <i>that kids play on computers.</i> (a <a href="/wiki/Dependent_clause" title="Dependent clause">dependent (subordinate) clause</a>, but still finite)</li> <li><i>Play on your computer!</i> (an <a href="/wiki/Imperative_mood" title="Imperative mood">imperative</a> sentence, an example of an independent finite clause lacking a subject)</li></ul> <dl><dt>Non-finite clauses</dt></dl> <ul><li>Kids like <b>to play on computers</b>. (an infinitival clause using the English <i>to</i>-infinitive)</li> <li>It's easy <b>for kids to play on computers</b>. (an infinitival clause containing <a href="/wiki/Periphrasis" title="Periphrasis">periphrastic</a> expression of the subject)</li> <li><b>Playing on computers</b>, they whiled the day away. (a participial clause, using a <a href="/wiki/Present_participle" class="mw-redirect" title="Present participle">present participle</a>)</li> <li>With <b>the kids playing on their computers</b>, we were able to enjoy some time alone. (a participial clause with a subject)</li> <li>Having <b>played on computers</b> all day, they were pale and hungry. (a participial clause using a past participle)</li> <li><b>Playing on computers</b> is fun. (a <a href="/wiki/Gerund" title="Gerund">gerund</a>-participial clause)</li> <li>… he be <b>playing on computers</b> all the time. (a <a href="/wiki/Gerund" title="Gerund">gerund</a>-participial subjunctive clause)</li></ul> <p>Some types of non-finite clause have <a href="/wiki/Zero_(linguistics)" title="Zero (linguistics)">zero</a> in one of the object or complement positions; the gap is usually understood to be filled by a noun from the larger clause in which the non-zero clause appears (as is the subject "gap" in most non-finite clauses). These clauses are also called <b>hollow non-finite clauses</b>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Some examples: </p> <ul><li>He is the man <b>to beat</b>. (infinitival clause with zero object; <i>the man</i> is understood as the object)</li> <li>That car wants <b>looking at straight away</b>. (gerund-participial clause with zero preposition complement after <i>at</i>)</li> <li>The building was <b>given a new lease of life</b>. (past-participial clause with zero indirect object)</li></ul> <p>For more examples of such constructions in English, see <a href="/wiki/English_passive_voice" title="English passive voice">English passive voice</a> and <a href="/wiki/Uses_of_English_verb_forms#Uses_of_non-finite_verbs" title="Uses of English verb forms">Uses of English verb forms § Uses of non-finite verbs</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Use">Use</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Non-finite_clause&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Use"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>As a dependent clause, a non-finite clause plays some kind of grammatical role within a larger clause that contains it. What this role can be, and what the consequent meaning is, depends on the type of non-finite verb involved, the constructions allowed by the <a href="/wiki/Grammar" title="Grammar">grammar</a> of the language in question, and the meanings of those constructions in that language. Some examples are noted below: </p> <ul><li><b>To live</b> is <b>to suffer in silence</b>. (infinitival clauses used as <a href="/wiki/Subject_(grammar)" title="Subject (grammar)">subject</a> and <a href="/wiki/Predicative_expression" title="Predicative expression">predicative expression</a>)</li> <li>I decided <b>to bathe myself</b>. (infinitival clause used as <a href="/wiki/Object_(grammar)" title="Object (grammar)">object</a>)</li> <li>We went there <b>to collect our computers</b>. (infinitival clause used as an <a href="/wiki/Adverbial" title="Adverbial">adverbial</a> of purpose)</li> <li>They were <b>sitting quietly</b>. (participial clause used as verb complement to express <a href="/wiki/Progressive_aspect" class="mw-redirect" title="Progressive aspect">progressive aspect</a>)</li> <li>The man <b>sitting quietly</b> is the man to watch. (participial clause used as noun modifier)</li> <li><b>Well beaten</b>, we slumped back to the dressing room. (participial clause used as <a href="/wiki/Nominative_absolute" title="Nominative absolute">nominative absolute</a>)</li> <li>I like <b>rescuing wasps</b>. (gerund-participial clause used as a noun phrase)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Carthago_delenda_est" title="Carthago delenda est">Carthago <b>delenda</b> est</a></i> ("Carthage must be destroyed"; Latin <a href="/wiki/Gerundive" title="Gerundive">gerundive</a> used as a <a href="/wiki/Predicative_expression" title="Predicative expression">predicative expression</a>)</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Different_traditions">Different traditions</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Non-finite_clause&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Different traditions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to Priscian, <i>delenda</i> is a participle because it agrees in number, case, and gender with a noun, namely <i>Carthago</i>, the subject. In Priscian's theory of POS, words are classified according to the inflectional paradigms that are created independent of the grammatical context the word is in. A misapplication of Priscian's verb categories for the modern notion of non-finite clause might thus result on the recognition of clauses where there are none. </p><p>In linguistics, both Generative Theory and Systemic Functional Theory of Language do not support analyses of <i><a href="/wiki/Carthago_delenda_est" title="Carthago delenda est">Carthago <b>delenda</b> est</a></i> in the way it is proposed above. For instance, the French active non-finite verbs <i>sorti(e)</i> and <i>entré(e)</i> as in <i>il est sorti/entré</i> and <i>elle est sortie/entrée</i> agree in number and gender with the subject in the same way as <i>delenda</i> does, but these words are not considered a non-finite sentence in Generative Theory nor a non-finite clause in Systemic Functional Theory on their own. In the example <i>Carthago delenda <b>est</b></i>/<i>Carthago <b>must be</b> destroyed</i>, the verb <i>est</i> is a modal voice auxiliary because it functions both as modal and as voice. A syntactic tree for the clause <i>Carthago must be destroyed</i> is shown below: </p><p>For more details of the use of such clauses in English, see <a href="/wiki/Uses_of_English_verb_forms#Uses_of_non-finite_verbs" title="Uses of English verb forms">Uses of English verb forms § Uses of non-finite verbs</a>, and <a href="/wiki/English_passive_voice" title="English passive voice">English passive voice</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Non-finite_clause&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/English_clause_syntax" title="English clause syntax">English clause syntax</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supine" title="Supine">Supine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Verbal_noun" title="Verbal noun">Verbal noun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balancing_and_deranking" title="Balancing and deranking">Balancing and deranking</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Non-finite_clause&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFM.A.K._HallidayChristian_M.I.M._Matthiessen" class="citation book cs1">M.A.K. Halliday; Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen. <i>What is a subordinate clause?</i>. SIL International. <a href="/wiki/Amazon_Standard_Identification_Number" title="Amazon Standard Identification Number">ASIN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/1444146602">1444146602</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=What+is+a+subordinate+clause%3F&rft.pub=SIL+International&rft.au=M.A.K.+Halliday&rft.au=Christian+M.I.M.+Matthiessen&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANon-finite+clause" class="Z3988"></span> <span class="cs1-visible-error citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_book" title="Template:Cite book">cite book</a>}}</code>: </span><span class="cs1-visible-error citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">|work=</code> ignored (<a href="/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#periodical_ignored" title="Help:CS1 errors">help</a>)</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFM.A.K._HallidayChristian_M.I.M._Matthiessen" class="citation book cs1">M.A.K. Halliday; Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen. <i>What is a subordinate clause?</i>. SIL International. <a href="/wiki/Amazon_Standard_Identification_Number" title="Amazon Standard Identification Number">ASIN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/1444146602">1444146602</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=What+is+a+subordinate+clause%3F&rft.pub=SIL+International&rft.au=M.A.K.+Halliday&rft.au=Christian+M.I.M.+Matthiessen&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANon-finite+clause" class="Z3988"></span> <span class="cs1-visible-error citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_book" title="Template:Cite book">cite book</a>}}</code>: </span><span class="cs1-visible-error citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">|work=</code> ignored (<a href="/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#periodical_ignored" title="Help:CS1 errors">help</a>)</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEugene_E._LoosSusan_AndersonDwight_H._Day,_Jr.Paul_C._Jordan" class="citation web cs1">Eugene E. Loos; Susan Anderson; Dwight H. Day, Jr.; Paul C. Jordan; J. Douglas Wingate (eds.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsANonfiniteClause.htm">"What is a non definite clause?"</a>. <i>Glossary of linguistic terms</i>. SIL International.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Glossary+of+linguistic+terms&rft.atitle=What+is+a+non+definite+clause%3F&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sil.org%2Flinguistics%2FGlossaryOfLinguisticTerms%2FWhatIsANonfiniteClause.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANon-finite+clause" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEugene_E._LoosSusan_AndersonDwight_H._Day,_Jr.Paul_C._Jordan" class="citation web cs1">Eugene E. Loos; Susan Anderson; Dwight H. Day, Jr.; Paul C. Jordan; J. Douglas Wingate (eds.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsASubordinateClause.htm">"What is a subordinate clause?"</a>. <i>Glossary of linguistic terms</i>. SIL International.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Glossary+of+linguistic+terms&rft.atitle=What+is+a+subordinate+clause%3F&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sil.org%2Flinguistics%2FGlossaryOfLinguisticTerms%2FWhatIsASubordinateClause.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANon-finite+clause" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHuddleston2022" class="citation book cs1">Huddleston, Rodney D. (2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1255520272"><i>A student's introduction to English grammar</i></a>. Geoffrey K. Pullum, Brett Reynolds (2nd ed.). 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