Finite and non-finite verb forms
Summary
TLDRThis educational video script delves into the complexities of finite and non-finite verbs in English grammar. It explains the necessity of finite verbs in main clauses, which must have a subject and tense, and can appear in various tenses. The script also explores non-finite verbs, including infinitives, gerunds, and participles, highlighting their roles as nouns, adjectives, and in subordinate clauses. The presenter uses examples to clarify how these verbs function differently in sentences and emphasizes the importance of understanding their roles for mastering parts of speech.
Takeaways
- 📘 Finite verbs are essential in English sentences, having a subject and often an object, and they change according to tense, number, and person.
- 📙 Auxiliary verbs like 'have', 'be', and 'do' are used to form different tenses, negatives, and passives in combination with the main verb.
- 📕 Non-finite verbs do not have a subject and do not change for tense, number, or person, serving different grammatical functions in a sentence.
- 📗 The bare infinitive, also known as the naked infinitive, is used after modal verbs and does not include 'to' before the verb.
- 📒 To-infinitives are used after certain verbs like 'want' and 'promise', and can also follow objects or object pronouns to express potential future actions.
- 📔 Gerunds function as nouns and are used as subjects or objects in sentences, often referring to concrete past actions.
- 📓 Participles act as adjectives or adverbs, modifying nouns or describing how, when, or where an action occurs.
- 📚 The difference between gerunds and infinitives is significant; gerunds are more concrete and infinitives often imply potential future actions.
- 📖 Subordinate clauses can function as subjects, objects, or adjectives within a sentence, and can be finite or non-finite.
- 📝 Participle clauses are subordinate and can be used to provide additional information about the subject, often starting with a participle like 'playing' or 'having'.
- 📑 The complexity of grammar arises from the ability to nest clauses within clauses, creating intricate sentence structures.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video script?
-The main focus of the video script is to explain the concepts of finite and non-finite verbs in English, including their usage and differences.
What is a finite verb according to the script?
-A finite verb is an ordinary verb that has a subject and often an object, and it must have a tense, showing if it's singular or plural.
Can you give an example of a finite verb from the script?
-An example of a finite verb given in the script is 'killed' in the sentence 'I killed him', which has a subject 'I' and an object 'him'.
What are the 12 tenses in English mentioned in the script?
-The script does not list all 12 tenses but provides examples like past simple (kicked), past continuous (was kicking), and past perfect (had kicked), indicating the existence of tenses for present, past, and future in simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous forms.
What is an auxiliary verb and why are they important?
-An auxiliary verb is used to form tenses, negatives, and passives. They are important because they are combined with the main verb to convey different aspects of the action, such as time and manner.
What is a non-finite verb and how is it different from a finite verb?
-A non-finite verb is a verb form that does not indicate tense, number, or person. It is different from a finite verb because it does not have a subject directly associated with it and does not change form to show tense or number.
What is a gerund and how does it function in a sentence?
-A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun in a sentence. It can be the subject, object, or complement of a verb.
Can you provide an example of a gerund used as an object in the script?
-An example of a gerund used as an object is 'smoking' in the sentence 'I will give up smoking', where 'smoking' is the object of the verb 'give up'.
What is a participle and how does it differ from a gerund?
-A participle is a verb form that functions as an adjective or adverb. It differs from a gerund because a gerund functions as a noun, while a participle modifies nouns or verbs.
How can a participle be used in a sentence according to the script?
-A participle can be used in a sentence as an adjective modifying a noun, as part of a participle phrase that describes the subject of a main clause, or as an adverb modifying a verb.
What is a subordinate clause and how does it function in a sentence?
-A subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb within a larger sentence.
Can a subordinate clause have a subject, verb, and object?
-Yes, a subordinate clause can have a subject, verb, and object, but it can also function without a subject when it is a non-finite verb clause.
What is the purpose of the imperative form mentioned in the script?
-The imperative form is used to give commands or make requests. It uses the base form of the verb without a subject.
How can a to-plus-infinitive be used in a sentence according to the script?
-A to-plus-infinitive can be used after certain verbs like 'want' or 'promise', after adjectives as an adjective complement, and after objects or object pronouns as a complement.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Finite and Non-finite Verbs
The speaker introduces the topic of non-finite and finite verbs, explaining that finite verbs are ordinary verbs with a subject and often an object, and are essential in English sentences to indicate tense and number. Examples are provided to illustrate this, such as 'I killed him,' where 'killed' is a finite verb. The speaker also discusses the concept of tenses, mentioning that there are 12 tenses in English, and auxiliary verbs like 'have,' 'be,' and 'do' are used to form these tenses. The target audience is non-native speakers looking to improve their understanding of parts of speech.
📘 Understanding Clause Structures and Noun Phrases
This paragraph delves into the complexities of clause structures, emphasizing that subjects and objects must be nouns or noun phrases, which can include subordinate clauses. The speaker clarifies that while main clauses typically follow the subject-verb-object structure, they can become intricate with clauses within clauses. The paragraph also touches on non-finite verbs, specifically infinitives without 'to,' which are used after modal verbs and do not show tense or number. The speaker aims to provide a practical perspective on using these grammatical structures correctly in speech.
📙 Non-finite Verbs: Uses and Characteristics
The speaker explores non-finite verbs further, highlighting their lack of tense and number, and their potential absence of a subject. Non-finite verbs are used after modal verbs in their bare infinitive form and can also appear in imperatives. The paragraph discusses the infinitive 'to' form, which is used after certain verbs like 'make' and 'let,' and after objects in sentences. The speaker also introduces the concept of a two-plus infinitive acting as a complement to a verb, which is essential for understanding verb patterns in English.
📒 Non-finite Verbs as Objects and Complements
This section discusses the use of non-finite verbs, specifically the to-plus-infinitive form, as objects or complements in a sentence. The speaker explains that this form is used after verbs like 'want' and 'promise,' and can also follow object pronouns, although common mistakes are made in this area. The paragraph also touches on the difference between using a to-plus-infinitive as a complement to an object pronoun versus a gerund, noting that the former is more poetic and future-oriented, while the latter is more concrete and past-oriented.
📕 Gerunds and Participles: Functions and Distinctions
The speaker clarifies the roles of gerunds and participles in sentences. Gerunds, which are nouns, are used after prepositions and as the objects of verbs, while participles function as adjectives or adverbs. The paragraph explains that gerunds are used to describe activities or states and can be the subject or object of a sentence, whereas participles modify nouns and can form subordinate clauses. The speaker also addresses common errors in using gerunds and participles and emphasizes the importance of recognizing their functions in different sentence structures.
📔 Participles as Subordinate Clauses and Adverb Modifiers
This paragraph focuses on participles used in various forms, such as subordinate clauses and adverb modifiers. The speaker illustrates how participles can form adjective clauses that describe the subject of a main clause, as well as adverbial clauses that provide additional context. The paragraph also covers the concept of reduced relative clauses, where the relative pronoun is omitted, and the use of participles with subordinating conjunctions. The speaker advises on the correct use of participles in different grammatical contexts and the importance of recognizing their function within a sentence.
📖 Clause Functions and Subordinate Clauses as Objects
The final paragraph wraps up the discussion by emphasizing the various functions that clauses can serve in a sentence. The speaker explains that subordinate clauses can act as subjects or objects and provides examples of nominal relative clauses, which function as noun phrases. The paragraph also touches on the use of 'that' clauses as objects and the presence of finite verbs within these clauses, showing tense and number. The speaker concludes by inviting questions from the audience, aiming to clarify any confusion and reinforce the understanding of the material covered.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Finite Verbs
💡Non-finite Verbs
💡Tenses
💡Auxiliary Verbs
💡Gerunds
💡Participles
💡Infinitives
💡Subject-Verb-Object
💡Subordinate Clauses
💡Relative Clauses
💡Adjective Complements
Highlights
Introduction to non-finite and finite verbs, explaining the terminology and importance in English grammar.
Finite verbs are ordinary verbs with a subject and often an object, essential in main clauses.
Explanation of the 12 tenses in English and the role of auxiliary verbs in forming them.
Auxiliary verbs such as 'have', 'be', and 'do' are crucial for making tenses, negatives, and passives.
Modal verbs are a special class of auxiliary verbs, but not the focus of this lesson.
Subjects and objects must be nouns or noun phrases, which can include subordinate clauses.
Complexity of grammar due to the possibility of clauses within clauses within clauses.
Non-finite verbs include infinitives without 'to', known as bare infinitives, used after modal verbs.
Non-finite verbs do not show tense, number, and often lack a clear subject.
Infinitives can be used for imperatives, giving commands in the form of infinitives.
The use of 'to' plus infinitive as a verbal unit or complement of the verb in English.
Memory aids for verbs that are always followed by 'to' plus infinitive, such as 'want' and 'promise'.
The distinction between using 'to' plus infinitive and gerund after prepositions and adjectives.
Gerunds as nouns, functioning as subjects or objects, and their difference from finite verbs.
Participles as adjectives or adverbs, modifying nouns or providing context to verbs.
Participle clauses as subordinate clauses, functioning as adjectives and requiring a main clause.
The use of participles in different positions in a sentence and the importance of commas.
The infinite possibilities of clause structures in English and the importance of identifying finite and non-finite clauses.
Invitation for questions and clarification, emphasizing the complexity and nuances of English grammar.
Transcripts
okay hello everybody I hope the board is
nice and clear today I might actually
put the camera a little bit closer up
I'm a bit closer to the board so you can
see it better probably should have done
this before but I'm just gonna do it now
okay that looks a little bit but I'm
sorry that you can see my face so close
up it's obviously not very pleasant okay
there's a lot of information on the
board today as you can see we're going
to look at non-finite verbs and finite
verbs which is another piece of
terminology hi everybody hi sorry I
can't pronounce those names a little bit
beyond me but hi guys so we don't look
at finite and non-finite verbs now it's
this is terminology of claw of course I
would call a finite verb an ordinary
verb which has a subject and very often
an object so these two sentences are
good examples of typical finite verbs
but there are millions of them because
anytime you have a main clause in other
words anytime you have a full sentence
you absolutely must have a subject and a
verb and the verb must be finite which
means it's going to have a subject it's
gonna have tense it's going to show if
it's singular or plural so it's going to
show a lot some main clauses must have a
finite verb in every English sentence
there must be a finite verb and that
just means a verb with a subject and
maybe with an object okay so I killed
him is a typical standard main clause
and he's got a finite verb in it killed
because the verb killed has a subject
and he even has an object him okay
that's all finite verb means finite verb
is very simple it's the ordinary verb
that we all know and love that has a
subject and it has a tense as well now
I'm actually aiming this episode at Nate
speakers and aiming it at native
speakers who want to improve their parts
of speech so when you have a finite verb
if you just have I kicked the ball you
have just a verb very simple verb kicked
in past simple but that is a very simple
tense past simple and it's not the only
tense we have we actually have 12 tenses
in English so we could say I kicked we
could say I was kicking we could say I
had kicked had been kicking have kicked
have been kicking and kicking kick and
will kick will be kicking will have
kicked and even will have been kicking
but there the 12 tenses and when you say
all of those forms you'll have an
auxiliary verb analog synonymy auxiliary
verb and the main verb so please
remember that when we make a tense the
little verbs like have B and do these
little verbs that make tenses and
negatives and passives they are called
auxiliary verbs and it's have B and do
really that are the three main auxiliary
verbs for making tense there are also
modal verbs which is another class of
auxiliary verbs but I don't want to talk
about them today I've done lots of
videos on modal verbs so please type
into the search bar Mista skype lessons
modal verbs if you want to improve your
modal verbs anyway I wanted to make it
clear that finite verbs very often have
an auxiliary verb before the main verb
okay so in main clauses you'll very
often have auxiliary verbs before the
main verb so whenever you've got a main
clause you always need to think in terms
of subject verb object
okay that's always how the main clause
is structured subject verb object
subordinate clauses might be structured
like that for example here we have
although subordinating conjunction and
then subject it was
we've got subject and then verb was
raining auxiliary verb and the main verb
so here we don't actually have an object
we just have subject and verb and quite
often that can happen if the if the verb
is intransitive then it doesn't take an
object and it's a main clause just when
you say he knows that's a main clause
because know doesn't need an object it
can have an object but it doesn't need
an object now subjects and objects they
might be not they must be nouns that's
the first thing to remember they must be
nouns they might be nouns which are
being modified by adjectives so we might
say the happy man
the generous man the tall man but still
the man is the subject of the verb has
been eating okay so subjects must be a
nouns and objects must be nouns as well
this is very important and very useful
when you're doing parts of speech now I
want to make one thing clear it doesn't
have to be just a word or a couple of
words or a slightly longer noun phrase
like the man I met yesterday we could
have a whole clause there like that I
met yesterday would be a relative clause
is an adjective clause because it's
describing the man and that's all your
subject so the subject could be really
long expanded noun phrase but the
subject could even be a subordinate
clause so we could say to get the best
results is important and then the
subordinate clause to get the best
results it's functioning as a noun
phrase we call it a noun phrase because
the subject must be a noun it must be a
thing and so to get the best results is
a noun phrase and we use that as subject
so don't think it when I say it has to
be a noun do understand that what I mean
is it could be a noun or a noun phrase
which may be a whole subordinate clause
and this shows you why grammar is soaked
complicated because even though we've
got subject-verb objects and that's a
standard main clause nice and easy
actually the subject could be a
subordinate clause so main clauses can
have a subordinate clause here and a
subordinate clause here as the object so
that already makes things much more
complicated we could have clauses within
clauses within clauses so we could have
a main clause with a subordinate clause
here and inside the subordinate clause
we've got subject verb object and the
subject of that subordinate clause is
another subordinate clause so you can
have clauses within clauses within
clauses that's why language is infinite
basically because you could keep putting
clauses within clauses within clauses so
that's why nothing about grammar is very
simple or straightforward now let me
talk a little bit about non-finite verbs
I learned most of this teaching English
as a foreign language and not knowing it
from perhaps a linguistic point of view
but understanding it from the point of
view of how do I get somebody to use
this stuff correctly when they speak and
so I'm gonna talk about it from that
perspective because it's quite useful
now the non-finite verbs could be split
up into at least four categories hello
to the Ukraine we could have an
infinitive without to which is very
often called the bare infinitive the
naked infinitive if you prefer but the
bare infinitive is what we usually say
and an infinitive without to we use in
certain situations we use them after
modal verbs firstly so I said it and
that modal verbs are important they're
important for one reason because you say
I must go I must play I must have and
the modal there must is functioning as
an auxilary but we always use the bare
infinitive after modal verbs okay if we
want another verb there we have to use
the bare infinitive of the verb now
infinitive some non-finite verbs because
they don't show tense when you say I
must go
it doesn't show you the tents of go it
doesn't show you if gogo is singular or
plural and very often it doesn't have a
subject where there's in finite verbs
they must have a subject a finite verb
must have a subject a non-finite verb
doesn't have to so when you say
something like I will give up the the I
is the subject of will but the give up
is just sitting there without a subject
if you want to say I will give up
smoking smoking is the object and
because it's an object it's a noun and
we call it in words which are nouns
gerron's the gerund is always a noun the
participle looks exactly the same but
it's an adjective and that's very
annoying and it means we have to work
out which one's which in a lot of
sentences and it's not so easy
so after modal verbs we use the bare
infinitive and it's a non-finite verb
because it doesn't have a subject it's
not clear anyway I mean obviously is the
I who should give up and so it does have
an implied subject infinitives can
happen yeah the infinitely I agreed to
plus infinitive and jaren's they have
many other forms as well but it's not
showing tense it's showing aspect which
is something different these verbs
finite verbs will show tense they'll
show present or past or future they're
non-finite verbs don't show tense and
they don't show number and they very
often don't even have a subject or the
subject is just implied and so we'll
look at that I mean when we say I will
give up smoking obviously you're talking
about you you are the person that will
give up or must give up smoking and so
there is an implied subject but it's not
right next to that verb and it certainly
doesn't show you number if you say they
will give up or one man will give up two
men will give up give up remains to say
and it doesn't change and show you if
you're dealing with one or two so it
certainly doesn't show number okay so we
could use a non finite further
infinitive after a modal verb and we
must
and we can also use a non-finite verb
and infinitive we do use it after make
and let but we have an object in there
first
he made me subject verb object slow down
and so here there is an implied subject
again than me but it doesn't show number
it doesn't matter if we say he made one
man slow down or he made two men slow
down slow down stays the same for one or
two so again it's not showing number and
really it's not showing tense either you
know it's not showing am slowing down
have been slowing down that kind of
thing
okay try make it relevant to this lesson
and I will deal with it so this one
doesn't have an object oh and one other
thing about infinitives we do also use
the infinitive for imperatives which are
commands and in this kind of sentence
where there's a command you don't have
subject verb object
you just have wait here yeah wait here
or don't look yeah don't look now or
something like it's a command it's an
order and we use it with the infinitive
so 2 plus infinitive is another
non-finite verb form now when you're
doing parts of speech just treat the two
plus infinitive as a verbal unit they're
sometimes called verbal nouns they're
sometimes called noun phrases I'm not
sure that I would call it a verbal now
because quite often it's more like a
compliment than a noun and that's why
I've written here as compliment of the
verb rather than object of the verb
there is a reason for it
it's compliment has a slightly different
meaning than object and it seems to work
in my opinion better for two plus
infinitive although I'm sure grammarians
argue about this kind of topic anyway
let's get down to the nitty-gritty you
use two plus infinitive after a number
of different verbs in English want being
the most obvious one I want to eat I
want to drink I want to have a cigarette
whatever it is you're gonna have to plus
infinitive after want
and I hope you can feel that it's
necessary if we take out to eat we can't
just say I want want needs an object or
we could call it a compliment
I mean you can call it an object meaning
it's a transitive verb and it needs an
object but you could say that there's
something missing and you you need to
add something to make it complete and
that we call a compliment as compliment
of the verb we would say I want to eat I
want to drink and there are loads of
other verbs that you can just memorize
promise to do it follows the same
pattern promise to do something what
else there are lots of other verbs that
take 2 plus infinitive offer to do
something promise to do something there
were many others I don't have a list
right off the calf by should do because
I used to do this very often in classes
and remind students about which verbs
are always followed by 2 plus infinitive
but when they are just treat the verb as
a unit and in parts of speech you can
just say it's another verb yes you've
got my subject 1 verb to eat another
verb and you can just call that complete
or you can say I want to eat an
ice-cream and then an ice-cream is the
object okay so this non-finite verb is
in the middle of a main clause and very
often they are okay but it's not just
after verbs we use to plus infinitive we
also use to plus infinitive after
objects that come after verbs so this is
AZ complement of the object now you
could see this as subject verb object I
want him and then subject verb because
he has to stay and so this is really
quite a strange structure because
literally the to stay is the complement
of the object him is describing him it's
describing what he must do he must stay
and so it's quite it's I recommend that
you learn these different patterns just
because here I mean really you could
treat the whole thing as the object you
could say I want what you want him to
stay and so the whole thing is the
object
but if we split it up even more of
course to stay as refirming to him so we
could say that's the subject and that's
a verb and it's like a little clause
within a longer clause
subject-verb-object I want him to stay
and then non-finite Clause him to stay
it's not showing number or yeah that's
going to subject he's got the him but
you've got a kind of clause within a
larger clause and that's very common so
that's one way he is to plus infinitive
yep exactly I want him to help me would
be a good example and then to help also
have an object so I want him to stay
with me you could say then you've got
subject verb object again I want him to
stay with me and you've got one clause
within a bigger clause okay and you
should notice a two plus infinitive can
come after an object pronoun Jevons
technically can't although we use them
like they can all the time so I would
normally say do you mind me arriving
late but it's wrong it's wrong I would
normally say that because loads of
people say this and if you check on
Google engrams
you'll see that a lot of people speak in
the wrong way and a lot of people use
Jevons in the wrong way if it's a gerund
you shouldn't use me although many
people do you should say my because this
is a noun and it's the object of that
verb so you could only have a possessive
pronoun there if it's a noun this one is
actually functioning more like a verb
that's why I call it a compliment and
not an object because it's functioning
more like a verb it's actually the verb
and that's the subject him and so it's
functioning in a quit in a very
different way than the gerund okay this
is very confusing very advanced stuff
but you know thing to take away from
this a piece of information I'd like you
to take away from this is that two plus
infinitive can be used after the object
of the verb him gerund can or it is the
direct object of a verb the arriving is
the object of mind not of me it wouldn't
make any sense to say it's the object of
me
anyway well it will be a participle
describing me and not a gerund okay as
compliment of the subject so if you see
something like to live is to think I
think Cicero said this but to live is to
think to think is describing to live and
so it's the compliment of the subject
now I want to make it clear here that
Germans can be used here you could say
living is thinking but we tend to use 2
+ infinitive for a potential future and
it's more literary
it sounds more poetic than the gerund
which is more often used for past and
it's more concrete now the way to see
this is take a verb like remember which
could be 2 plus infinitive or a gerund
and if you say remember to lock the door
you're talking about the potential
future but if you say I remember locking
the door you're talking about the past
and it's a very concrete action that you
did so Germans are very concrete actions
they're nouns whereas 2 plus infinitive
tends to talk about something which
could potentially happen in the future
so if you're interested in that that's
something else to remember so we can
also use them as subject just as we can
use Germans a subject we could say to
err is human or we could say early is
human but it would sound less literary
that's why I put that literary there
sound less poetic so we can use 2 plus
infinitive a subject or gerund as
subject but I would like to say that
most of the time most of the time we'll
use jemand a subject I think it's rare
that people will say to ski is fun
technically it's okay though it's
correct but most people would say skiing
is fun okay we can use two plus
infinitive after adjectives as an
adjective complement and you can't use
gerund here you have to use two plus
infinitive he's unlikely what is he
unlikely to do he's unlikely to run that
fast and to run is a non-finite verb
it's not in a tents is not showing if
it's singular or plural so it's a
non-finite verb and the subject is not
clear but it's actually the he of course
it's referring to the he that has to
learn that fast but it's not as clear as
when you have subject verb object it
doesn't follow that pattern not this
clause anyway the the clause with the
non-finite verb so we use two plus
infinitive after adjectives but we use
gerund after prepositions for example he
is good at juggling not he is good at to
juggle that's impossible so adjectives
always 2 plus infinitive prepositions
are always gerund now I'll quickly
mention gerund which must be the noun so
this means that if the in word cause
Germans are in words just like
participles are in words if the in word
is the subject of the sentence must be a
gerund it can't be a participle because
subjects must be nouns if it's the
object object of the sentence it must be
a gerund it can't be a participle
because objects are nouns so I like
playing chess now it's interesting again
to sure to see that you could say I like
to play chess so you could use the two
plus infinitive here and then it's the
complement of a verb but here it's
really like the object of a verb because
it's really is the activity what do you
like you like playing chess so there is
the object of the verb like and so that
means it must be a noun but it can also
be the direct object of another verb and
it means it means that there's a lot of
mistakes here there are a lot of
mistakes because a lot of people say do
you mind me arriving late certainly
everyone in this area says speaks like
that and a lot of people say I insisted
on buying I insisted on him buying me a
drink it's actually better to say I
insisted on his buying me a drink
so there are loads of examples of this
but you really ought to use a possessive
pronoun with jaren's not the direct
object pronoun which were which is
better with two plus
affinities okay we can also use it as a
compliment as a subject his earliest
memory is playing marbles now I want you
to look here at the Jevens his earliest
memory is playing marbles if we look at
a real make a finite verb now not a
non-finite verb but a finite verb and
treat playing is a finite verb I hope
you can see that there's a big
difference between he is playing marbles
and his earliest memory is playing
marbles they're very very different and
it's it's hard to see these subtle
nuances between different forms but this
is a main clause with a finite verb this
is this is a non-finite verb here it's a
gerund it's the object it's the
compliment of the verb to be and that
means that we can swap it around we can
say playing marbles is his earliest
memory his earliest memories playing
marbles
we're complimenting the subject we're
making equivalence between to try doing
that now with this sentence and you'll
see very quickly that it can't be done
and so it's being used differently you
can't say playing marbles is he didn't
make any sense you're not trying to say
that there's an equivalence between he
and the playing marbles you're not using
that like you're not using it in that
sense
and here is is the main verb here
playing is the main verb and is is the
early verb so here we've got a finite
verb showing tense a number here we've
got a non-finite verb which is a gerund
which is a noun which is the complement
of the subject his earliest memory it's
showing you an equivalence between his
earliest memory and playing marbles now
lastly the participle which is not a
noun it's an adjective or perhaps more
rarely an adverb modifier so participles
can be used in a lot of different
situations if they can be used as
subordinate clause first of all
and if it's used as a subordinate clause
house up at the beginning you're gonna
have a comma before the main clause
always and the reason we call it an
adjective it's because playing the disc
ATAR is describing the subject of the
main clause
here we've got subject verb and then
adverb so we've got no object we haven't
got he sang a song we've got he sang
softly so that's an adverb describing
how he sang so you could have a
participant a subordinate clause and I
warn you about this because I tell
students always think in terms of
subject verb object however when you're
dealing with non-finite verbs you
mustn't think like that because this
playing the guitar is certainly not
subject verb object
it's just adjectives or phrase
describing the subject of the main
clause so playing is a participle that
is a determiner guitar is a noun
there's no subject verb object here
you've just got a participle phrase and
then the main clause and participial
clauses are subordinate clauses they
don't make sense on their own you can't
just say playing the guitar okay and
notice that playing the guitar hasn't
got a subject until we start the main
clause and then it has got a subject so
they're very different from finite verbs
they're very different from main clauses
now participles can also function as
reduced relative clauses this is really
important to see you could say the man
who was playing the guitar sang softly
or you could say the man playing the
guitar sang softly and the man who was
playing the guitar is clearly who was
playing as a relative clause defining
the man so it's a defining relative
clause but you can get rid of the who
boss you can drop them and make it a
reduced relative clause but it's still
basically the same it's still an
adjective clause which is a type of
subordinate clause that's modifies and
now yeah it describes a noun
all relative clauses may be - all but
most relative clauses modify nouns which
makes some adjective clauses
okay so this is definitely an adjective
clause playing the guitar describes the
man and remember we can put these in
different positions we don't have to say
the man playing the guitar saying softly
we could say the man saying softly ,
playing the guitar or playing the guitar
, the man sang softly that , has to be
there because playing the participial
has been separated from the man which is
the noun it's describing and when that
happens
you need a comma please see my video on
participles and commas I've done at
least two of them put them in the search
bar if you want more information about
that particular comma that's in those
videos on participles and commerce but I
just wanted to show here that we could
say playing the guitar the man sang the
man sang softly or the man playing the
guitar sang softly or the man sang
softly playing the guitar they're all
correct
they've all got participle clauses in
there and remember that them on finite
clause it functions differently it
doesn't go subject-verb-object
it's important for parts of speech okay
so we could also use participles with
subordinating conjunctions
for example while subordinating
conjunction trying to escape
comma main clause he broke his leg now
when they used like this their adverbial
rather than ajik trifle if we think
about it the while trying to escape is
modifying it's telling you how he broke
his leg or what was happening at the
same time as he croak his leg and for
that reason because it's modifying he
broke his leg it's an adverb rather than
an adjective so you can use participles
as adverb modifiers as well as adjective
modifiers and of course the easiest
place or the easiest in some ways
easiest the easiest way you see a
participle being used is just as a
simple adjective if you say the boring
lesson yeah maybe this is a boy listen
if you say the boring lesson boring is a
participle describing the lesson the
verb is to bore to bore someone
and board is the other participant
forget that participial sending edy as
well as ing so board is a participial
boarding is a participle interested is a
participial interesting is a participle
and when you see them being used just to
simply modify nouns they just go before
the noun he was a broken man broken is a
past participle yeah so you can see it
used like that just as an adjective as a
simple adjective you know they're not
always in a participle subordinate
clause like I don't know can into a
thousand pieces comma the Vaught the
expensive vas was destroyed or whatever
or the expensive boss was lying on the
floor okay I don't get time to read a
lot of these questions that coming up
but try to make them short and clear and
precise and I'll do my best so I was
doing this today just to try and show
you that there are literally an infinite
number of different clauses that you can
have in a sentence and if you get used
to identifying finite you know main
clauses and non-finite parts of main
clauses or subordinate clauses it will
make parts of speech much easier and do
remember that subordinate clauses might
be without subjects sometimes they have
a subject a verb and an object for
example although I went to the park
comma and then the main clause which
would also have a subject although I
went to the park I subject went to the
park object so they might have a subject
verb and object and a subordinate clause
but they might not do when you say to
get best results you've got a to plus
infinitive clause which is a non-finite
verb and so it doesn't have a subject so
you have to analyze this one just in
terms of straight away verb to get
determiner
best adjective yeah and then results
noun there's no subject verb object
there in that first part but the subject
verb object comes here you have to
yeah there's your subject-verb-object so
remember you can use the subordinate
clause as a subject you can also use
subordinate clause as the object this is
where relative clauses come back in we
call sentences like at the bottom he
understands what to do he understands
where to go he understands he
understands who or he knows whom I met
when you've got one of those WH words
starting a clause and clearly the clause
is the object of the verb that means
you've got what's called a nominal
relative clause you can also call it a
relative clause being used not as an
adjective of clause but as a noun phrase
as a noun clause so that's functioning
as a noun here what to do that's
functioning as a noun where to go he
knows whom I met whom I met is
functioning as a noun okay so it really
depends on where it is in the sentence
what kind of function its is playing and
it's not just relative clauses which
workers objects which workers noun
phrases noun objects I mean certainly 2
plus infinitive can work as objects as
we've already seen I want him to stay I
want to eat so Germans can function as
objects participles can't but Germans
and 2 plus infinitive scan also relative
clauses can function as objects and that
Clause is he knows that I'm coming I
said that I'm coming I told him that I'm
coming that I'm coming in all of those
situations is the object of the verb so
that Clause is in which case of that is
a subordinating conjunction in these
cases that Clause is a very common and
they function as objects as well and
very often in the inside the subordinate
that Clause you will have a subject and
a verb a finite verb showing tense and
number ok I hope that has been helpful I
hope it hasn't just made a whole mess of
everything in your head if it has asked
me a question right now this is the time
to ask questions really
I've already explained what's on the
board and if you've got something
relating to this now is the time to put
it up because now I've got my attention
on the phone okay if there are no
questions then thanks everybody for
watching I really appreciate you coming
please click like on the video if you've
enjoyed it and I hope to see you all
soon
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