Finite and non-finite forms: the test

Multiple-choice exercise

ELT Concourse home
Choose the best answer for each question

  1. "He came to see me" contains
    1.   A non-finite verb with a non-finite infinitive
    2.   A finite verb marked for person with a non-finite infinitive
    3.   A finite verb marked for tense with a non-finite infinitive
    4.   A finite verb marked for tense with a finite verb marked for person
  2. English verbs do not inflect for gender.
    1.   False
    2.   True
  3. The infinitive with to can:
    1.   only follow an auxiliary verb and a main verb
    2.   follow a main verb or be the subject of a verb
    3.   only follow a main verb
    4.   only follow an auxiliary verb
  4. "I walked to the park" contains
    1.   A finite verb post-modified with an adverb phrase
    2.   A non-finite verb post-modified with a prepositional phrase
    3.   A finite verb post-modified with a prepositional phrase
  5. The imperative form in English has no subject normally so is ...
    1.   ... a non-finite form
    2.   ... an example of person indicated by verb form alone
    3.   ... unusual but still a finite form
    4.   ... a finite, non-finite
  6. The infinitive without to can:
    1.   act as a noun or follow an auxiliary verb and a main verb
    2.   only follow an auxiliary verb
    3.   follow an auxiliary verb and a main verb
    4.   follow an auxiliary verb and a main verb or be the subject of a verb
  7. In "I am here", the use of 'am' indicates
    1.   person only
    2.   gender and tense
    3.   number and person
    4.   number only
  8. "Opening the box, he saw it was empty" contains
    1.   A non-finite participle verb followed by a finite verb
    2.   A non-finite gerund followed by a finite verb
    3.   A non-finite participle verb followed by a non-finite verb
    4.   A finite verb followed by a finite verb
  9. "What do they want to have done about it?" is an example of
    1.   chaining non-finite verbs
    2.   the non-finite passive voice use of 'want'
    3.   non-finite perfect tense indicators
    4.   non-finite modal auxiliary verbs
  10. "I can smell something burning" contains
    1.   A finite use of 'burn' in the progressive
    2.   A non-finite use of 'smell'
    3.   A finite verb and a non-finite participle
    4.   A finite verb and a non-finite gerund