Finite verbs, tense and aspect
Distinguish a sentence's finite verb from a gerund, participle or infinitive, then preserve its timeline.
What you will tackle
- Distinguish finite verbs from gerunds, participles and infinitives
- Complete clause structures with appropriate finite verbs
- Maintain tense and aspect according to context and chronology
A verb-like form may not anchor a clause
‘The team measuring the samples’ lacks a finite main verb. ‘The team is measuring the samples’ has the finite auxiliary is. A gerund can act as a noun (‘Measuring takes time’), an infinitive can name a purpose (‘to measure’), and a participle can modify a noun. Identify each form's role.
Let chronology determine aspect
Simple past locates a finished past event. Past perfect (‘had measured’) can mark completion before another past reference point. Present perfect links a past event or period to the present. Do not introduce a perfect tense merely because a sentence sounds formal; the surrounding timeline must justify it.
Build your notes, then practise
Work on paper before opening an explanation. Guided tasks provide a starting point; independent tasks remove the scaffolding; application tasks ask you to justify a method or interpretation in context.
Guided practice
Guided 1
Repair ‘The scientist analysing the results carefully’ as a complete sentence in the present progressive. Identify the finite and nonfinite parts.
Show a starting hint
A finite auxiliary can complete a progressive verb phrase.
Compare with the explained answer
- The existing analysing is a participle and does not supply tense by itself.
- Add is: ‘The scientist is analysing the results carefully.’
- Is is finite; analysing is the participle used with it.
Answer / response criteria: ‘The scientist is analysing the results carefully.’ Finite: is; participle: analysing.
Guided 2
Choose and explain the tense: ‘The archive has held workshops since 2020’ versus ‘The archive held one workshop in 2020.’
Compare with the explained answer
- Has held is present perfect, connecting a past starting point to a period continuing to the present.
- Held is simple past for a specified completed event.
- The supplied time expressions support the different meanings.
Answer / response criteria: Both are grammatical with different time meanings.
Independent practice
Independent 1
Choose a suitable form: ‘By the time the exhibition opened in May, the staff ____ all the labels.’ Options: had checked, checking, to check. Explain the timeline.
Compare with the explained answer
- The checking was completed before the specified past opening.
- Had checked expresses that earlier completion.
- Checking and to check do not supply the finite verb needed here.
Answer / response criteria: had checked.
Independent 2
Complete: ‘By 2019, the team ____ the survey; since then, it ____ three follow-ups.’ Use complete, conduct in suitable forms and explain the reference points.
Compare with the explained answer
- The completion precedes the past reference point, so had completed.
- Since then links the follow-ups to the present, so has conducted.
- The finite auxiliaries establish the tense/aspect of each phrase.
Answer / response criteria: had completed; has conducted.
Application practice
Application 1
Revise ‘Collecting samples to reveal a trend’ into two different complete sentences: one treating collecting as the subject and one describing a team's purpose. Explain the roles.
Compare with the explained answer
- As a gerund subject: ‘Collecting samples reveals a trend.’
- As a purpose infinitive: ‘The team collects samples to reveal a trend.’
- Reveals and collects are finite; collecting is a noun-like gerund in the first, and to reveal expresses purpose in the second.
Answer / response criteria: Both revisions are grammatical with different structures and meanings.
Application 2
A museum record needs to distinguish a finished 2022 restoration from exhibitions continuing up to now. Write two sentences using simple past and present perfect accurately.
Compare with the explained answer
- Use a specified past date for the completed restoration.
- Use a period extending to the present for the exhibitions.
- Do not imply the restoration itself is still continuing.
Answer / response criteria: For example: ‘The museum restored the painting in 2022. It has displayed the work regularly since then.’
What can you explain now?
A museum record needs to distinguish a finished 2022 restoration from exhibitions continuing up to now. Write two sentences using simple past and present perfect accurately.
Compare with the explanation
For example: ‘The museum restored the painting in 2022. It has displayed the work regularly since then.’
Explain the reasoning before comparing. This review records your self-assessment rather than an official score or mastery decision.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Source and review status
Core coverage follows the detailed SAT skills in Appendix B of the September 2026 framework. The conditional School Day Essay is separate. The framework is maintained rather than issued as an annual subject syllabus.
Original teaching and explained self-check practice are available. Independent subject-specialist review and difficulty calibration remain pending; this is not an exam-board endorsement or a mastery certificate.
Official source specification / guide