non-finite clauseと聞いてピンとこない高校生は英文法を全く知らないのと同じだ。致命的な知識不足だ。英文法を一から勉強しなおした方がいい。
Clauses: finite and non-finite
Grammar > Words, sentences and clauses > Clauses and sentences > Clauses: finite and non-finite English Grammar Today から
Finite clauses
Finite clauses must contain a verb which shows tense. They can be main clauses or subordinate clauses:
Is it raining? (main: present)
I spoke to Joanne last night. (main: past)
We didn’t get any food because we didn’t have enough time. (main: past; subordinate: past)
Non-finite clauses
Non-finite clauses contain a verb which does not show tense. We usually use non-finite verbs only in subordinate clauses.
We usually understand the time referred to from the context of the main clause.
We often use a non-finite clause when the subject is the same as the subject in the main clause:
I had something to eat before leaving. (I had something to eat before I left.)
After having spent six hours at the hospital, they eventually came home.
Helped by local volunteers, staff at the museum have spent many years sorting and cataloguing more than 100,000 photographs.
He left the party and went home, not having anyone to talk to.
The person to ask about going to New Zealand is Beck.
You have to look at the picture really carefully in order to see all the detail.