The Finite Clauses The Non-finite Clauses

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a. The Finite Clauses

The finite clauses are clauses which contain finite verb phrases as the elements of the verbs Quirk et al., 1992: 150. The finite verb phrases are defined as verb phrases containing a finite verb as the first or only word, and the rest of the verb phrases are non-finite verbs Greenbaum and Quirk, 1990: 41. It implies that a finite verb phrase is always introduced by a finite verb. Furthermore, Greenbaum and Quirk 1990: 41 explain the characteristics of a finite verb phrase. They are 1 a finite verb phrase can be the verb phrase of independent clauses, 2 a finite verb phrase should be able to show tense and mood, and 3 there is agreement between subject and verb. The examples of the finite verb phrases are: 33 He studies English Quirk and Greenbaum, 1985: 38. 34 You have been smoking all day Quirk et al., 1992: 151.

b. The Non-finite Clauses

The non-finite clauses are described as clauses with non-finite verb phrases as the elements of the verbs Quirk and Greenbaum, 1985: 310. The non-finite verb phrases themselves are verb phrases that consisted of non-finite verbs forms only Quirk et al., 1992: 149. The non-finite verbs include the verbs in the form of to-infinitive, bare infinitive, -ing participle, and –ed participle. In the study, the use of bare infinitive to introduce the non-finite clauses is excluded since it is rarely used in the sentences. According to Quirk et al. 1992: 995, the non-finite verb phrases have no tense or mood, and it is impossible for them to occur with the subject of a main PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 19 clause. It implies that the non-finite clauses cannot occur as the main clauses. In other words, they are always embedded to the main clauses. Therefore, the non- finite clauses are different from the finite clauses because the non-finite clauses always function as subordinate clauses while the finite clauses can occur both in main clauses and subordinate clauses. From the statement, it can be inferred that main clauses are always finite clauses, but subordinate clauses can be either finite clauses or non-finite clauses. Therefore, the three types of subordinate clauses; namely adjective clauses, adverbial clauses, and noun clauses can occur either in finite clauses or non-finite clauses. The following are the examples of the non- finite clauses. 35 Since coming to this country, Mary has made many friends Azar, 1992, 1989: 315. 36 We could see the distant hills covered with snow Close, 1977: 89. From 35 and 36, it is clear that the non-finite clauses are always subordinated to their main clauses. The non-finite clauses, which are written in italics, also lack some parts. In 35, the italicized part does not have a subject and tense. Meanwhile, in 36, the non-finite clause lacks a subordinate conjunction. Quirk et al. 1992: 995 state that “since the non-finite clauses lack tense markers and modal auxiliaries and frequently lack a subject and a subordinating conjunction, they are valuable as a means of syntactic compression.” To conclude, finite clauses can also be changed into the non-finite clauses by omitting the subject, tense, and sometimes also the subordinate conjunction. The omission will make the sentences more condense. 20 The following is the example of changing the finite clause into the non-finite clauses. 37 a. Finite: The police hope that they will solve the crime soon. b. Non-finite: The police hope to solve the crime soon Graver, 1981: 158. In 37b, the subordinating conjunction that, the subject they and the tense will are omitted, to-infinitive is used instead. The non-finite clause in 37b operates as a noun clause. As it is stated before, subordinate clauses are classified into three types according to their syntactic functions; namely adjective clauses, adverbial clauses, and noun clauses. Those three types of clauses can occur either in finite clauses or non-finite clauses. Since the focus of the study is on the non-finite clauses only, detailed explanation about the three types of non-finite subordinate clauses will be elaborated as follows. 1 The Non-finite Adjective Clauses Azar, in her book entitled Understanding and Using English Grammar uses the term adjective phrases to refer to the non-finite adjective clauses. Azar 1989: 257 states that the term phrase is used because it is actually a group of words that does not have a subject and a verb. The subject and verb of the adjective clauses have been omitted in the process of changing the finite adjective clauses to the non-finite forms. Further, Azar 1989:257 states that adjective clauses can be changed into the adjective phrases with the same meaning if they are introduced by subject pronoun who, which, or that. It means that the clauses are able to be 21 reduced into the non-finite forms only when the relative pronoun introducing them functions as the subject of the subordinate clauses. If the relative pronoun refers to the object of the clauses, the clauses cannot be changed into the non-finite forms. The forms of the non-finite verbs that can be used to introduce the non-finite adjective clauses are –ing participle, -ed participle, and to-infinitive. a -Ing Participle -Ing participle is used in two different conditions. The first is when the adjective clauses have progressive meaning Swan, 1988: item 455. It means that the verbs in the clauses are be + V-ing. The way to change them into the non-finite forms is by omitting the relative pronoun and the be form of the verb Azar, 1989: 257. 38 a. Finite: The man who is driving the bus is my brother. b. Non-finite: The man driving the bus is my brother Hewings, 2001: 148. Another example is presented as follows. 39 a. Finite: The men who were working on the site were in some danger. b. Non-finite: The men working on the site were in some danger Swan, 1988: item 455. The following is another example of the non-finite clauses using –ing participle. 40 a. Finite: The boys who are being chosen for the team are under 9. b. Non-finite: The boys being chosen for the team are under 9 Hewings, 2001: 146. 22 The non-finite clause in 40b has passive meaning. Being followed by past participle can indicate progressive aspect Quirk et al., 1992: 1265. The second condition is when the clauses do not have a be form in the verb. The way to change them into the non-finite form is by deleting the relative pronoun and change the verb into the -ing form Azar, 1989: 257. 41 a. Finite: The thieves took two mail bags that contained registered letters. b. Non-finite: The thieves took two mail bags containing registered letters Graver, 1981: 199. The following is another example. 42 a. Finite: The road that joins the two villages is very narrow. b. Non-finite: The road joining the two villages is very narrow Murphy, 1987: 186. -Ing participle, which is also called as present participle, can be used when the verbs in the clauses expresses a habitual or continuous action Thomson and Martinet, 1986: 84. b –Ed Participle -Ed participle clauses are usually the reduction of clauses in which the verbs are in the passive voice Close, 1977: 94. The adjective clauses in the passive form are reduced into the non-finite clauses using –ed participle by omitting the relative pronoun and the be form of the verbs. 43 a. Finite: The man who was injured in the accident was taken to hospital. 23 b. Non-finite: The man injured in the accident was taken to hospital Murphy, 1987: 186. c To-infinitive The finite adjective clauses can also be transformed into the non-finite clauses using to-infinitive. The to-infinitive can be used to replace either subject or object pronoun and verb Thomson and Martinet, 1986: 222. 44 a. Finite: The thing that you should do is what everyone else is doing. b. Non-finite: The thing to do is what everyone else is doing Close, 1977: 98. The to-infinitive can also be used to reduce the adjective clauses in the passive form. The following is the example. 45 a. Finite: There are still many obstacles that must be overcome. b. Non-finite: There are still many obstacles to be overcome Close, 1977: 98. From sentences 44b and 45b, it can be inferred that the relative pronoun and modal are omitted when changing the finite adjective clauses into the non-finite adjective clauses using to-infinitive. 2 The Non-finite Noun Clauses In the non-finite noun clauses, -ed participle cannot be used as the first word of the clauses. Close 1977: 96 states that –ed have to be preceded by –ing. Therefore, there are only two forms of the non-finite verbs to introduce the non- finite noun clauses, that is, -ing form and to-infinitive. 24 a –Ing Form The -ing form that functions like a noun is called a gerund Feigenbaum,

1985: 239. One of the characteristics of gerund is that it can be replaced by it.