英語動詞有限定（finite）和非限定（non-finite）兩類。
句子中的謂語動詞（predicative verb）是限定的；限定動詞受人稱（person）和數(shù)目（number）的限制。此外，還有時態(tài)（tense ）、語態(tài)（voice）和情態(tài)（mood）等。例如：
① Good leaders serve the people whole-heartedly.
② Jason is giving a public lecture.
③ Who did it?
④ I would appreciate it if you could do me a favour.
在句子中可以施展其他功能的動詞是非限定動詞；這些動詞具有一般動詞的許多特性，但沒有“人稱”和“數(shù)目”的限制。
非限定動詞分三種：不定式動詞（the infinitive）; 分詞（ the participle）; 動名詞（the gerund）; 分詞又分現(xiàn)在分詞（ the present participle）和過去分詞（the past participle）。
例如：
⑤ Tom found the prescribed text hard to read.
⑥ Helen has a smiling face.
⑦ Your written English is good.
⑧ Smoking is harmful to health.
⑤里的是不定式動詞；⑥里的是現(xiàn)在分詞；⑦里的是過去分詞；
⑧里的是動名詞。
非限定動詞及其短語，語法功能龐大，涉及下列五方面：
㈠ 當主語
不定式動詞和動名詞都可當句子的主語，取代名詞和代名詞。例如：
⑨ To swim in a warm day is joyful.
⑩ Swimming makes us hale and hearty.
㈡ 當補足語
可當主語的句子成分也可當補足語。例如：
● A good government's desire is serving the people.
● What is difficult is to hoodwink the public indefinitely.
同樣的，現(xiàn)在分詞與過去分詞也可充當接系動詞（the linking verb）的補足語。例如：
● The witness's evidence is quite convincing.
● At long last, John was fully convinced.
㈢ 當賓語
不定式動詞和動名詞都可充當及物動詞的賓語。例如：
● The baby wanted to drink milk.
● Janet suddenly stopped talking.
它們也可以成為介詞的賓語，但除了“except, but, about, than”之外，介詞的賓語多數(shù)是動名詞。
例如：
I am tired of repeating the same point.
Most of us desired nothing except to succeed.
Betty did nothing useful but talk（不帶“to”）。
That weak old man is about to die.
㈣ 當名詞修飾語
Don't disturb the sleeping dog.（現(xiàn)在分詞）
Can you remove the damaged machine?（過去分詞）
That is the only thing to do.（不定式動詞）
The sailors came in a fishing boat.（動名詞）
㈤ 當動詞修飾語
Walking along the road, he came across a friend.（現(xiàn)在分詞短語）
Extremely frightened, the picnickers fled.（過去分詞短語）
The athlete stopped to take a rest?（不定式動詞短語）
Peter came running.（動名詞）
句子中的謂語動詞（predicative verb）是限定的；限定動詞受人稱（person）和數(shù)目（number）的限制。此外，還有時態(tài)（tense ）、語態(tài)（voice）和情態(tài)（mood）等。例如：
① Good leaders serve the people whole-heartedly.
② Jason is giving a public lecture.
③ Who did it?
④ I would appreciate it if you could do me a favour.
在句子中可以施展其他功能的動詞是非限定動詞；這些動詞具有一般動詞的許多特性，但沒有“人稱”和“數(shù)目”的限制。
非限定動詞分三種：不定式動詞（the infinitive）; 分詞（ the participle）; 動名詞（the gerund）; 分詞又分現(xiàn)在分詞（ the present participle）和過去分詞（the past participle）。
例如：
⑤ Tom found the prescribed text hard to read.
⑥ Helen has a smiling face.
⑦ Your written English is good.
⑧ Smoking is harmful to health.
⑤里的是不定式動詞；⑥里的是現(xiàn)在分詞；⑦里的是過去分詞；
⑧里的是動名詞。
非限定動詞及其短語，語法功能龐大，涉及下列五方面：
㈠ 當主語
不定式動詞和動名詞都可當句子的主語，取代名詞和代名詞。例如：
⑨ To swim in a warm day is joyful.
⑩ Swimming makes us hale and hearty.
㈡ 當補足語
可當主語的句子成分也可當補足語。例如：
● A good government's desire is serving the people.
● What is difficult is to hoodwink the public indefinitely.
同樣的，現(xiàn)在分詞與過去分詞也可充當接系動詞（the linking verb）的補足語。例如：
● The witness's evidence is quite convincing.
● At long last, John was fully convinced.
㈢ 當賓語
不定式動詞和動名詞都可充當及物動詞的賓語。例如：
● The baby wanted to drink milk.
● Janet suddenly stopped talking.
它們也可以成為介詞的賓語，但除了“except, but, about, than”之外，介詞的賓語多數(shù)是動名詞。
例如：
I am tired of repeating the same point.
Most of us desired nothing except to succeed.
Betty did nothing useful but talk（不帶“to”）。
That weak old man is about to die.
㈣ 當名詞修飾語
Don't disturb the sleeping dog.（現(xiàn)在分詞）
Can you remove the damaged machine?（過去分詞）
That is the only thing to do.（不定式動詞）
The sailors came in a fishing boat.（動名詞）
㈤ 當動詞修飾語
Walking along the road, he came across a friend.（現(xiàn)在分詞短語）
Extremely frightened, the picnickers fled.（過去分詞短語）
The athlete stopped to take a rest?（不定式動詞短語）
Peter came running.（動名詞）