Finite and non-finite verb
Finite verbs are marked for tense and agree with subjects ('I walk', 'she walks'). Non-finite verbs (infinitives, gerunds, participles) are not marked for tense or person and function as other parts of speech.
Real World
In newspaper headlines like 'PM to slash budgets' or 'Students facing debt crisis', non-finite verb forms ('to slash', 'facing') compress information into fewer words, which is why headlines rarely use full finite clauses.
Exam Focus
Identify whether the verb is finite or non-finite first, then explain the effect — non-finite forms often compress meaning or subordinate actions.
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