Home
School Syllabus
Jharkhand Academic Council
Class 8
English (Daffodil & Grammar)
Ch G9: Grammar: Non-Finites (Infinitives & Gerunds)

Select Medium / माध्यम चुनें:

Eng (English) Hindi (हिन्दी अनुवाद एवं व्याख्या)

झारखण्ड बोर्ड के छात्रों के लिए: क्या आप इस पाठ को सम्पूर्ण हिन्दी अनुवाद, सारांश और शब्दार्थ के साथ पढ़ना चाहते हैं?

JAC • Class 8 • English (Daffodil & Grammar) • Ch G9

Estimated Time: 45 Mins

Study Progress: In Progress

Grammar: Non-Finites (Infinitives & Gerunds)

“Grammar: Non-Finites (Infinitives & Gerunds)” analyzes non-finite verb forms that do not change according to tense, number, or person of the subject. Tailored for Class 8 students under the JCERT / JAC syllabus, this unit explores Infinitives (to-infinitive and bare infinitive), Gerunds (verbal nouns ending in -ing), and Participles (verbal adjectives), providing clear structural rules and contextual usage for each.

Take Chapter CBT Test View All Chapters Download Official PDF Book

Overview Core Concepts Grammar & Core Rules Solved Examples Common Traps Summary Self Check Take MCQ Test

When Is a Verb Not a Verb? When It Acts as a Noun!

In 'Swimming is a great exercise', is 'swimming' an action taking place right now? No! It is the subject of the sentence, acting as a noun! That is a Gerund—a verb disguised as a noun. Learn the fascinating family of Non-Finites.

Why This Chapter Matters

Mastery of non-finites is critical for sentence synthesis, combining clauses concisely, and eliminating awkward repetition in essays and answers.

Before You Begin (Prerequisites)

Finite verbs (which change with tense and subject).
Understanding of subject and object noun positions.

What You Will Learn (Core Objectives)

Distinguish finite verbs from non-finite verbs.
Identify and form to-infinitives, bare infinitives, and gerunds.
Recognize participles acting as verbal adjectives.
Synthesize sentences using infinitives and gerunds.

Chapter Roadmap & Progression

1 1. Finite vs. Non-Finite Verbs (परि...

2 2. Gerund vs. Present Participle

Complete Concept Guide (100% Curriculum Coverage)

1. Finite vs. Non-Finite Verbs (परिमित और अपरिमित क्रियाएँ)

A Finite Verb changes its form according to the tense and the number/person of its subject (e.g. He plays / They play / He played). A Non-Finite Verb never changes its form regardless of subject or tense.

Non-Finite Class	Syntactic Form	Grammatical Function	Example Sentence
To-Infinitive	to + V1 (Base verb)	Acts as Noun, Adjective, or Adverb (purpose)	I want to learn* French. He came to see me.*
Bare Infinitive	V1 without 'to'	Used after modals, let, make, bid, see, hear	Let him go. She made me laugh.
Gerund	V1 + -ing	Acts strictly as a Noun (Subject or Object)	Walking is good for health. I enjoy reading.
Participle	Present (-ing) or Past (V3)	Acts as a Verbal Adjective	A barking* dog seldom bites. The broken vase lay on the floor.*

2. Gerund vs. Present Participle

Both end in -ing, but their functions are completely distinct:

Gerund = Verbal Noun: Can be replaced by 'it' or 'something': 'I like singing.' (I like it → Noun).
Participle = Verbal Adjective: Modifies a noun: 'I heard a singing bird.' (Which bird? The singing bird → Adjective).

Key Grammatical Rules, Literary Devices & Core Principles

Non-Finite Triple

Infinitive (to + V1) | Gerund (V-ing = Noun) | Participle (V-ing/V3 = Adjective)

Non-finites do not change with subject person or tense.

Conceptual Solved Examples & Case Studies

Example 1

Identify the non-finite: 'To err is human; to forgive, divine.'

Step-by-Step Solution:

Answer: 'To err' and 'to forgive' are to-infinitives functioning as subjects of the clauses.

Example 2

Combine using an infinitive: 'He went to Ranchi. He wanted to buy books.'

Step-by-Step Solution:

Answer: 'He went to Ranchi to buy books.'

Example 3

Identify whether the underlined word is a gerund or participle: 'Smoking is injurious to health.'

Step-by-Step Solution:

Answer: Gerund. It acts as the grammatical subject (noun) of the verb 'is'.

Example 4

Correct: 'She made me to cry.'

Step-by-Step Solution:

Correction: 'She made me cry.' (The causative verb 'make' takes a bare infinitive without 'to').

Common Misconceptions & Examiner Traps

Common Misconception

Using 'to' after causative verbs like 'make' or 'let' (e.g. 'He let me to go').

Scientific Reality & Correction

Use bare infinitive: 'He let me go'.

Chapter Summary & 10 Key Takeaways

Takeaway 1

Non-finite verbs do not show tense, person, or number.

Takeaway 2

Infinitives use 'to + base verb' (or bare infinitive after modals and causative verbs).

Takeaway 3

Gerunds end in '-ing' and function as nouns.

Takeaway 4

Participles end in '-ing' or '-ed/-en' and function as adjectives.

Takeaway 5

Non-finites are vital tools for sentence synthesis.

Check Your Understanding (Diagnostic Practice Questions)

Diagnostic questions testing core conceptual clarity. Answers are hidden initially — solve each problem first, then click to reveal the step-by-step verified solution.

What is a bare infinitive?

Reveal Answer & Explanation

Answer: The base form of a verb (V1) used without 'to'.
Infinitive without 'to'.

Identify: 'I saw a running train.' What is 'running'?

Reveal Answer & Explanation

Answer: Present Participle (Verbal Adjective).
It describes the noun 'train'.

Fill in: 'They forbade him ______ (enter) the room.'

Reveal Answer & Explanation

Answer: to enter.
To-infinitive.

Finished Studying This Chapter?

READY TO PRACTICE?

Timed CBT Practice Tests (Exam Simulator)

Put your concepts to the test with official curriculum-aligned Foundation and Advanced practice tests. Get instant accuracy scores, time metrics, and step-by-step verified explanations.

Foundation Test

15 MCQs • Core Concepts

Advanced Test

15 MCQs • HOTS & Traps