Non-Finite Verb Forms (Infinitive, Gerund, Participle): English ЕГЭ 2025 Preparation
Non-finite verb forms are verb forms that do not show tense, person, or number. They include infinitives, gerunds, and participles. Understanding these forms is essential for the ЕГЭ English exam, as they are frequently used in various grammatical constructions. This guide will help you master non-finite verb forms and use them correctly in different contexts.
Theory for Exam Preparation
In English, verbs can be either finite or non-finite. Finite verbs show tense, person, and number, and they function as the main verb in a clause (e.g., "She walks," "They are studying"). Non-finite verbs, on the other hand, do not show tense, person, or number, and they cannot function as the main verb in a clause. The three types of non-finite verb forms are infinitives, gerunds, and participles. Mastering these forms is crucial for achieving a high score in the ЕГЭ English exam, as they are frequently tested in both the grammar and reading comprehension sections.
Infinitives
The infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually preceded by "to" (e.g., "to go," "to study"). It can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb in a sentence.
Forms of the Infinitive
| Form | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|
| Simple |
to write |
to be written |
| Continuous |
to be writing |
- |
| Perfect |
to have written |
to have been written |
| Perfect Continuous |
to have been writing |
- |
Functions of the Infinitive
As a Subject
- To learn a foreign language requires patience and dedication.
- To travel around the world is her dream.
As an Object
- She wants to study medicine.
- I decided to accept the job offer.
As a Complement
- Her goal is to become a doctor.
- The best thing would be to tell the truth.
As an Adjective (Modifier)
- I need something to eat.
- She has a lot of work to do.
As an Adverb (Purpose)
- I went to the store to buy some milk.
- She studies hard to pass her exams.
Bare Infinitive (Without "to")
In some cases, the infinitive is used without "to." This is called the bare infinitive.
After Modal Verbs
- I can swim.
- You should study harder.
After "let," "make," and "have" (in the active voice)
- Let me help you.
- She made him apologize.
- I had the mechanic check my car.
Note!
In the passive voice, "to" is used after "be made" and "be had":
He was made to apologize.
The car was had to be checked by the mechanic.
After Perception Verbs (see, hear, watch, feel, notice, etc.)
- I saw her leave the house.
- We heard him sing at the concert.
In the Expression "had better"
- You had better hurry up.
- We had better leave now.
After "would rather" and "would sooner"
- I would rather stay at home.
- She would sooner die than admit she was wrong.
Split Infinitive
A split infinitive occurs when an adverb or adverbial phrase is placed between "to" and the base form of the verb.
- She decided to carefully read the instructions.
- I want to better understand the problem.
Note!
In traditional grammar, split infinitives were considered incorrect, but they are now widely accepted in modern English, especially when avoiding the split would result in an awkward or ambiguous sentence.
Common Verbs Followed by the Infinitive
Some verbs are typically followed by the infinitive (with "to"):
- agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, choose, decide, expect, fail, hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, tend, threaten, want, wish
Examples:
- I agreed to help him.
- She decided to study abroad.
- They hope to finish the project by Friday.
Gerunds
A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. It can be used as a subject, an object, or a complement in a sentence.
Forms of the Gerund
| Form | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|
| Simple |
writing |
being written |
| Perfect |
having written |
having been written |
Functions of the Gerund
As a Subject
- Swimming is good exercise.
- Reading books broadens your horizons.
As an Object of a Verb
- I enjoy reading novels.
- She suggested going to the cinema.
As an Object of a Preposition
- I'm interested in learning a new language.
- She's afraid of flying.
As a Complement
- My favorite hobby is painting.
- What I dislike most is waiting in long queues.
Common Verbs Followed by the Gerund
Some verbs are typically followed by the gerund:
- admit, appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, dislike, enjoy, finish, imagine, involve, keep, mind, miss, postpone, practice, quit, recall, recommend, resent, resist, risk, suggest, tolerate, understand
Examples:
- I enjoy swimming.
- She avoids driving in heavy traffic.
- They suggested meeting at the café.
Common Expressions Followed by the Gerund
Some expressions are typically followed by the gerund:
- be worth, can't help, can't stand, feel like, give up, have difficulty, it's no good, it's no use, look forward to, spend time, waste time
Examples:
- The book is worth reading.
- I can't help laughing when I see that video.
- She's looking forward to seeing her friends.
Gerund vs. Present Participle
The gerund and the present participle have the same form (verb + -ing), but they function differently in a sentence:
- The gerund functions as a noun:
Swimming is good exercise. (subject)
I enjoy swimming. (object)
- The present participle functions as an adjective or as part of a continuous tense:
The swimming pool is closed. (adjective)
She is swimming in the lake. (part of present continuous tense)
Participles
Participles are verb forms that can function as adjectives or as part of verb tenses. There are two types of participles: present participles (verb + -ing) and past participles (usually verb + -ed for regular verbs).
Present Participle
The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the base form of the verb.
As an Adjective
- The sleeping baby looks peaceful.
- The barking dog kept us awake all night.
In Continuous Tenses
- She is studying for her exams. (present continuous)
- They were watching TV when I called. (past continuous)
In Participle Clauses
- Walking home, I met an old friend. (= While I was walking home, I met an old friend.)
- Not knowing what to do, I asked for help. (= Because I didn't know what to do, I asked for help.)
Past Participle
The past participle is usually formed by adding -ed to the base form of regular verbs. Irregular verbs have different past participle forms.
As an Adjective
- The broken window needs to be fixed.
- The written instructions were clear.
In Perfect Tenses
- She has finished her homework. (present perfect)
- They had left before we arrived. (past perfect)
In Passive Voice
- The book was written by a famous author. (past simple passive)
- The letter is being typed now. (present continuous passive)
In Participle Clauses
- Exhausted by the long journey, we fell asleep immediately. (= Because we were exhausted by the long journey, we fell asleep immediately.)
- Given more time, I could have done a better job. (= If I had been given more time, I could have done a better job.)
Perfect Participle
The perfect participle is formed with "having" + past participle. It expresses an action that was completed before another action.
- Having finished her homework, she went out with her friends. (= After she had finished her homework, she went out with her friends.)
- Having lived in Paris for ten years, he speaks French fluently. (= Because he has lived in Paris for ten years, he speaks French fluently.)
Verbs Followed by Either Infinitive or Gerund
Some verbs can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund, sometimes with a change in meaning.
With Little or No Change in Meaning
| Verb | With Infinitive | With Gerund |
|---|
| begin, start |
It began to rain. |
It began raining. |
| continue |
She continued to work. |
She continued working. |
| hate |
I hate to disturb you. |
I hate disturbing you. |
| like |
I like to read in the evening. |
I like reading in the evening. |
| love |
I love to swim in the sea. |
I love swimming in the sea. |
| prefer |
I prefer to walk rather than drive. |
I prefer walking rather than driving. |
With a Change in Meaning
| Verb | With Infinitive | With Gerund |
|---|
| forget |
I forgot to post the letter. (= I didn't remember to post it.) |
I'll never forget meeting the president. (= I'll always remember the experience.) |
| remember |
Remember to lock the door. (= Don't forget to lock it.) |
I remember locking the door. (= I recall the action of locking it.) |
| regret |
I regret to inform you that your application has been rejected. (= I'm sorry that I have to tell you this.) |
I regret telling her the truth. (= I wish I hadn't told her the truth.) |
| stop |
She stopped to rest. (= She stopped in order to rest.) |
She stopped talking. (= She ceased the action of talking.) |
| try |
Try to solve this problem. (= Attempt to solve it.) |
Try adding some salt. (= Experiment with adding salt.) |
Common Errors with Non-Finite Verb Forms
Using the Wrong Form After Certain Verbs
- Incorrect: I enjoy to read books.
- Correct: I enjoy reading books.
- Incorrect: She suggested to go to the cinema.
- Correct: She suggested going to the cinema.
Using the Infinitive Without "to" When It's Required
- Incorrect: I want go home.
- Correct: I want to go home.
- Incorrect: She decided study medicine.
- Correct: She decided to study medicine.
Using "to" with the Infinitive When It's Not Required
- Incorrect: I can to swim.
- Correct: I can swim.
- Incorrect: You must to study harder.
- Correct: You must study harder.
Confusing Gerunds and Present Participles
- Incorrect: Swimming in the lake, the fish were beautiful. (The participle "swimming" incorrectly modifies "the fish.")
- Correct: Swimming in the lake, I saw beautiful fish. (The participle "swimming" correctly modifies "I.")
Using the Wrong Preposition Before a Gerund
- Incorrect: I'm interested about learning a new language.
- Correct: I'm interested in learning a new language.
- Incorrect: She's afraid from flying.
- Correct: She's afraid of flying.
Practice Examples
Choose the correct form (infinitive or gerund) to complete each sentence.
- I enjoy ________ (to swim / swimming) in the sea.
- She decided ________ (to study / studying) medicine.
- They suggested ________ (to go / going) to the cinema.
- I can't stand ________ (to wait / waiting) in long queues.
- Remember ________ (to lock / locking) the door when you leave.
Answers:
1. I enjoy swimming in the sea. ("enjoy" is followed by a gerund)
2. She decided to study medicine. ("decide" is followed by an infinitive)
3. They suggested going to the cinema. ("suggest" is followed by a gerund)
4. I can't stand waiting in long queues. ("can't stand" is followed by a gerund)
5. Remember to lock the door when you leave. ("remember" + infinitive means "don't forget to do something")
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- I saw her ________ (leave) the house.
- ________ (Walk) home, I met an old friend.
- The book ________ (write) by a famous author is very interesting.
- ________ (Finish) her homework, she went out with her friends.
- The children were ________ (play) in the garden when it started to rain.
Answers:
1. I saw her leave the house. (bare infinitive after perception verb "see")
2. Walking home, I met an old friend. (present participle in a participle clause)
3. The book written by a famous author is very interesting. (past participle as an adjective)
4. Having finished her homework, she went out with her friends. (perfect participle in a participle clause)
5. The children were playing in the garden when it started to rain. (present participle in past continuous tense)
Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.
- I enjoy to read books in my free time.
- She suggested to go to the cinema tonight.
- I must to study harder for the exam.
- Remember locking the door when you leave.
- Walking in the park, the birds were singing.
Corrections:
1. I enjoy reading books in my free time. ("enjoy" is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive)
2. She suggested going to the cinema tonight. ("suggest" is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive)
3. I must study harder for the exam. (modal verbs are followed by the bare infinitive, without "to")
4. Remember to lock the door when you leave. ("remember" + infinitive means "don't forget to do something")
5. While I was walking in the park, the birds were singing. OR As I walked in the park, the birds were singing. (the participle "walking" incorrectly modifies "the birds"; the sentence needs to be restructured)
Key Points to Remember
- Non-finite verb forms (infinitives, gerunds, and participles) do not show tense, person, or number
- The infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually preceded by "to" (e.g., "to go," "to study")
- The bare infinitive is used without "to" after modal verbs, "let," "make," "have," and perception verbs
- A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun (e.g., "Swimming is good exercise")
- The present participle also ends in -ing but functions as an adjective or as part of a continuous tense
- The past participle usually ends in -ed for regular verbs and has various forms for irregular verbs
- Some verbs are followed by the infinitive, some by the gerund, and some can be followed by either
- When a verb can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund, there may be a change in meaning
Exam Tip!
In the ЕГЭ English exam, non-finite verb forms are often tested in multiple-choice questions, gap-filling exercises, and error correction tasks. Pay special attention to verbs that are followed by specific forms (infinitive or gerund) and to verbs that can be followed by either form with a change in meaning. Also, be careful with participle clauses, ensuring that the participle correctly modifies the subject of the main clause.