Transitive and intransitive verbs

The terms “transitive” and “intransitive” refer to whether or not verbs are followed by a stated direct objectin a sentence. A verb functioning as a transitiveverb will always have a direct object following it, as in these examples. SUBJECT VERB DIRECT OBJECT They sell books He loves her We spent a lot of money They watched a movie I was having a wonderful dream Most verbs in English function transitively, but some, such as “ache” and “comply,” only function intransitively—we cannot say “It aches me” or “They complied it,” for example. In addition, many verbs can function both transitively and intransitively. For example, with the verb “hurt,” we can say both “I hurt my foot” (transitive) and “My foot hurts” (intransitive). Often there is some difference in meaning or focus when the same verb has both transitive and intransitive meanings. Compare “We waited for you for an hour” (intransitive) and “We waited dinnerfor you for an hour” (transitive). Search

All Subjects • Noun: Person, Place, Thing, Idea, or Activity • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Verb: Word or Phrase Expressing Action or State of Being • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Pronoun: Word Used in Place of a Noun • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Modifiers: Adjectives, Adverbs, and Compound Modifiers • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Connecting Words and Phrases: Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections • • • • • • • Transitive and Intransitive Verbs A transitive verb, used with a direct object, transmits action to an object and may also have an indirect object, which indicates to or for whom the action is done. In contrast, an intransitive verb never takes an object. Transitive verbs A transitive verb takes a direct object; that is, the verb transmits action to an object. He sent the letter. ( letter = direct object of sent) She gave the lecture. ( lecture = direct object of gave) In these sentences, something is being done to an object. A transitive verb can also have an indirect object that precedes the direct object. The indirect object tells to or for whom the action is done, although the words to and for are not used. In the following examples, notice the difference between the direct and indirect objects. The direct object ( letter) receives the action ( sent). The indirect object ( Robert) is the person to whom the letter is sent. He sent Robert the letter. The direct object ( lecture) receives the action ( gave). The indirect object ( class) is the...

Level: elementary Clause structure All clauses in English have at least two parts, a noun phrase (subject) and a Noun phrase (subject) Verb phrase The children laughed. All the people in the bus were watching. But most clauses have more than two parts: Noun phrase (subject) Verb phrase Object, complement or adverbial John wanted a new bicycle. All of the girls are learning English. This soup tastes awful. Mary and the family were driving to Madrid. She put the flowers in a vase. The first noun phrase of a sentence is the subject. English clauses always have a subject: His father has just retired. He was a teacher. (NOT Was a teacher.) I'm waiting for my wife. She is late. (NOT Is late.) except for the imperative, which is used for orders, invitations and requests: Stop! Please come to dinner tomorrow. Play it again, please. If we have no other subject, we use there or it. We call this a There were twenty people at the meeting. There will be an eclipse of the moon tonight. It's a lovely day. It's nearly one o’clock. What's the subject? Verb patterns Different verbs have different patterns, so the structure of the clause depends on the verb. Transitive and intransitive verbs Most verbs in English are either transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb has the structure noun + verb + noun: Noun (subject) Verb Noun (object) John wanted a new bicycle. Transitive verbs need an object. Common transitive verbs are: bring buy enjoy like make take want wear An intransitive verb has...

• Overview • Main Parts of Speech • Sentence Structure and Types of Sentences • Run-On Sentences and Sentence Fragments • Parallel Construction • Relative, Restrictive, and Nonrestrictive Clauses • Comparisons • Verb Tenses • Verb Forms: "-ing," Infinitives, and Past Participles • Subject-Verb Agreement • Transitive and Intransitive Verbs • • • • • • • • • Noun–Pronoun Agreement • Articles • Count and Noncount Nouns • Conjunctions • Modifiers • Prepositions A transitive verb is a verb that requires an object to receive the action. Example: Correct: The speaker discussed different marketing strategies in the video. Incorrect: The speaker discussed in the video. The verb "discuss" requires an object ("different marketing strategies"). It is necessary to state what the speaker discussed. Example Sentences Some other examples of transitive verbs are "address,""borrow,""bring,""discuss,""raise,""offer,""pay,""write,""promise," and "have." The instructor addressed the student’s question. Miriam borrowed the methodology book from her classmate because she forgot her copy. Can you bring your copy of the textbook to our study group meeting? Donovan gave the gift to his sister. The committee members will raise money for the new project. Direct and Indirect Objects A transitive verb can take more than one object. Donovan gave his sister a laptop. In this sentence, there is an indirect object, "his sister," and a direct object, "a laptop." However, there is another way to say this sam...

• Home • Blog • Grammar • What’s the Difference Between “Transitive” and “Intransitive” Verbs? What’s the Difference Between “Transitive” and “Intransitive” Verbs? powered by Language Tool Verbs can be transitive, intransitive, or both. We’ll go over what this means and provide examples. Do you know the difference between these two types of verbs? Quick Summary on Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs • The difference between transitive and intransitive verbs is that transitive verbs require a direct object to express a complete thought, whereas intransitive verbs do not. • A direct object is a noun or pronoun that is acted on by the verb and answers the questions “whom?” or “what?” • In the following sentence, conveyed is an example of a transitive verb and a message is the direct object. ○ She conveyed a message. • Rise is an example of an intransitive verb. ○ The sun rises every morning and sets every night.• Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. ○ She opened the door. (Transitive) ○ The door opened abruptly. (Intransitive) Verbs are a complex and vital part of speech. There are several categories of verbs, but we’ll be going over two in particular: transitive and intransitive verbs. The verb “open” can be transitive and intransitive. Verbs and Direct Objects—What You Need To Know Before diving into the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs, there are two things you need to be familiar with— verbs and direct objects. Verbs are words that express...

Eliminate grammar errors and improve your writing with our free AI-powered grammar checker. Try for free What Is a Transitive Verb? | Examples, Definition & Quiz Published on January 19, 2023 by A transitive verb is a direct object (e.g., a received a letter,” the direct object is necessary for the statement to make sense. In contrast, an runs”). Some verbs can be classed as either transitive or intransitive, depending on how they are used. Examples: Transitive verbs in a sentenceKatarina raised her hand. We gave Kevin a voucher for his birthday. Anthony borrowed a book from the library. • • • • • • How are transitive verbs used in sentences? Transitive verbs follow the same rules as most other verbs (i.e., they must follow In sentences containing transitive verbs, the direct object usually comes immediately after the verb. Objects can be nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases (i.e., a noun or pronoun along with all relevant modifiers, such as Examples: How to use transitive verbs • I will carry. • I will carry the grocery bags. • Tanya is examining. • Tanya is examining an old manuscript. Ditransitive verbs A ditransitive verb is a type of transitive verb that takes two objects: a direct and an indirect object. An indirect object indicates the person or thing that receives the direct object. The indirect object normally comes before the direct object. When it instead comes afterward, it becomes a Examples: Direct and indirect objectsEmily sent her pen pal a letter last week. Ch...

MENU MENU • • • • • • • • • • • Verbs & Verb Tenses • • • • • • • • • • • Adjective Clauses • • • • Articles (a/an/the) • • • • • Making Questions • • • • Word Differences • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Common Mistakes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Intermediate • Upper-Intermediate • Advanced • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Transitive Verbs A transitive verb is a verb that can have an object. For example, the verb kick. Sandra kicked the ball. ( subject)+( verb)+( object). The object of the verb kick in the above sentence is the ball. Transitive verbs like kick are common in English. They describe actions that can be done to something. For example, • She bought the cake. • She caught the ball. • He has found a problem. • He will take a train. • He is reading a letter. Hint: Think of ' transitive' as a verb that can be 't ransferred' an object. If it can take an object, it can be used as a transitive verb. Intransitive Verbs An intransitive verb is a verb that cannot have an object. For example, the verb sleep. People sleep. ( subject)+( verb). In this example, there is only a subject (the person doing the action) and a verb. There is no object. Here are some other examples of intransitive verbs: • cry • die • fall • smile • walk Identifying Intransitive and Transitive Verbs To know if the verb in a sentence is transitive, you need to see if the verb has an object in the sentence. To do that, ask What the subject did with t...