Infinitives, Participles And Gerunds Worksheet
Write whether the underlined words in the following sentences are finite or non-finite. If they are non-finite, say whether they are infinitives, past participles, present participles or gerunds. Before doing this exercise you may want to review this lesson about identifying different types of non-finite verbs.
1. I am waiting to hear from my sister.
2. Running as fast as he could, he beat all his opponents.
3. Driven by hunger, he stole a piece of bread.
4. Smoking is injurious to health.
5. Swimming is a good exercise.
6. I enjoy painting.
7. Unable to bear the humiliation, he killed himself.
8. Working day and night, we finished the project before the deadline.
9. I heard them singing in the other room.
10. I told him to leave.
Answers
1. I am waiting to hear from my sister. (To hear is an infinitive.)
2. Running as fast as he could, he beat all his opponents. (Here running is a present participle; it connects the two clauses. He ran as fast as he could. He beat all his opponents.)
3. Driven by hunger, he stole a piece of bread. (Here driven is a past participle; it connects the two clauses. He was driven by hunger. He stole a piece of bread.)
4. Smoking is injurious to health. (Smoking is the subject of the verb is; hence it is a gerund.)
5. Swimming is a good exercise. (Swimming is the subject of the verb is; hence, it is a gerund.)
6. I enjoy painting. (Painting is the object of the verb enjoy; hence it is a gerund.)
7. Unable to bear the humiliation, he killed himself. (To bear is an infinitive.)
8. Working day and night, we finished the project before the deadline. (Working is a present participle. It connects the two clauses.)
9. I heard them singing in the other room. (Singing is the complement of the object them; it is a gerund.)
10. I told him to leave. (To leave is an infinitive.)
