Non-Finite (definition)
From Scottish Gaelic Grammar Wiki
Revision as of 21:23, 8 July 2009 by HyunKyoungJung (talk | contribs)
A non-finite clause is a clause where the verb/auxiliary does not contain the tense information of the event/action/state it describes. For example, in an English sentence She wants [to go to school], the embedded clause in the brackets is non-finite in that the tense of the action described by the verb go is not expressed.
The subject of a non-finite clause can be omitted as in She wants [PRO to go to school]; When it appears as a personal pronoun, it must inflect for accusative Case as in She wants [him go to school], as opposed to *She wants [he go to school].