finite verb: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical / Academic
Quick answer
What does “finite verb” mean?
A verb form that shows tense, person, and number, and can function as the main verb in a clause.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A verb form that shows tense, person, and number, and can function as the main verb in a clause.
A verb that is inflected to agree with its subject and is marked for tense, mood, and sometimes person, distinguishing it from non-finite forms (infinitives, participles, gerunds). It anchors a clause in time and reality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is used identically in grammatical terminology.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general discourse but standard in linguistic/educational contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “finite verb” in a Sentence
[Subject] + finite verb + (Object/Complement/Adverbial)A finite verb is required in every independent clause.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “finite verb” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The verb 'speaks' is finite in the clause 'He speaks French.'
American English
- In 'She runs every day,' 'runs' is the finite verb.
adverb
British English
- The clause functions finitely, showing clear tense.
American English
- This is a finitely constructed verbal group.
adjective
British English
- We need to analyse the finite clause structure.
American English
- Identify the finite verb phrase in the sentence.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in training materials for non-native speakers.
Academic
Common in linguistics, grammar, and language teaching textbooks and papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
The primary context. Used to describe clause structure in grammatical analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “finite verb”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “finite verb”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “finite verb”
- Misidentifying infinitives or participles as finite verbs.
- Thinking every verb in a sentence must be finite (overlooking subordinate non-finite clauses).
- Assuming 'finite' refers to the meaning 'limited' rather than the grammatical property.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In a simple clause, yes. But in complex sentences, a main clause has a finite verb, while subordinate clauses may use non-finite verbs.
Yes, in compound or complex sentences. E.g., 'I cooked [finite], and she cleaned [finite].' Each independent clause has its own finite verb.
They are largely synonymous. 'Finite verb' is a broader syntactic category focusing on its role in the clause, while 'conjugated' focuses on its morphological form.
It helps learners correctly construct sentences with proper subject-verb agreement and tense, and to understand why some verb forms cannot stand alone as sentences (e.g., 'He going to town').
A verb form that shows tense, person, and number, and can function as the main verb in a clause.
Finite verb is usually technical / academic in register.
Finite verb: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfaɪnaɪt ˈvɜːb/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfaɪnaɪt ˈvɝːb/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. This is a technical term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'FINITE = FINished & definITE'. A finite verb is finished/complete with tense and subject agreement, unlike an infinitive ('to be').
Conceptual Metaphor
THE ANCHOR OF THE CLAUSE. The finite verb anchors the sentence in time (tense) and connects it to a specific subject.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following contains a finite verb?