Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

 

 

Transitive and Intransitive verbs:

 

 

Transitive Verbs:

 

Transitive verbs are action verbs that require a direct object to complete their meaning.

 

The direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb.

 

For example, in the sentence I ate a sandwich,

the transitive verb is ate, and the direct object is a sandwich.

 

Without the direct object, the sentence would not make complete sense.

 

Here are a few more examples of transitive verbs:

 

She threw the ball.

 

He painted the house.

 

They bought a car.

 

 

 

Intransitive verbs:

 

Intransitive verbs, on the other hand, do not require a direct object to complete their meaning.

 

They simply describe an action or state of being.

 

Intransitive verbs can be followed by adverbs, prepositions, or phrases that provide additional information, but they do not take a direct object.

 

Here are some examples of intransitive verbs:

 

The bird flew away.

 

She laughed loudly.

 

He fell down the stairs.

 

It’s worth noting that some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on how they’re used in a sentence.

 

For example, the verb run can be transitive in the sentence She ran the marathon,

or intransitive in the sentence He runs every day.

 

The key is to look for a direct object – if there isn’t one, the verb is likely intransitive.

 

 

Run

Intransitive: I like to run in the park.

Transitive: She ran the marathon in under three hours.

 

 

Cook

Intransitive: The chef is cooking in the kitchen.

Transitive: She cooked a delicious meal for her family.

 

 

Sing

Intransitive: The birds are singing in the trees.

Transitive: She sang a beautiful song at the concert.

 

 

Dance

Intransitive: They love to dance together.

Transitive: She danced the tango with her partner.

 

 

Play

Intransitive: The children are playing in the yard.

Transitive: She played the guitar for the audience.

 

 

Remember that the context of the sentence is important in determining whether a verb is transitive or intransitive.

 

 

 

 

click here What is a Verb?

click here The Basic forms of The English verb

click here Finite and non- finite forms of the Verbs

click here Regular and Irregular Verbs

click here What is a Pronoun? The Functions of the English pronouns.

click here What is a Noun? How to use it?