verbs (transitive & intransitive )

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  • 8/9/2019 VERBS (Transitive & Intransitive )

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    What Is an Intransitive Verb? (with Examples)An intransitive verbis one that does not take a direct object. In other words, it is notdone to someone or something. It only involves the subject.

    The opposite of an intransitive verb is a transitive verb. A transitive verb can have adirect object. For example

    !e laughed."Laughedis an intransitive verb. It has no direct object. #ou cannot laugh something.$

    !e told a joke."Toldis a transitive verb. The direct object is a joke. #ou can tell something. #ou cantell a story, a lie, a joke, etc.$

    %emember, you can &nd the direct object of a verb by reading the verb and then asking'what(' "or 'whom('$. If this )uestion is not appropriate, then you*re probably dealingwith an intransitive verb. For example "verbs in bold$

    !e caughtthe bus after the party.

    "+ aught what( A the bus. This is a transitive verb. It has a direct object.$

    !e disappearedafter the party."+ -isappeared what( That doesn*t make sense. #ou can*t disappear something. Thisis an intransitive verb. It can*t take a direct object.$

    Examples of Intransitive Verbs!ere are some more examples of intransitive verbs

    very single person voted.

    The jackdaws roost in these trees.

    The crowd demonstrated outside the theatre."In this example, demonstratedis an intransitive verb. !owever, to demonstratecanbe used transitively too, e.g., He demonstrated a karate chop to the class.$

    Examples of Verbs Which Are Transitive and Intransitive/ome verbs can be transitive and intransitive. For example

    0el walks for miles."As walksis not being done to anything, this verb is intransitive.$

    !owever, compare it to this

    0el walsthe dog for miles"This time, walksdoes have a direct object "the dog$. Therefore, it is transitive. /omeverbs can be both intransitive and transitive, depending on the precise meaning.$

    !ere is another example

    The apes played in the woods."intransitive$

    http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/verb_definition.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/direct_object.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/subject.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/transitive_verbs.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/direct_object.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/subject.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/transitive_verbs.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/verb_definition.htm
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    The apes pla!edhide and seek in the woods."transitive$"+ played what( A hide and seek.$

    "ommon Intransitive Verbs!ere is a list of common intransitive verbs

    Intransitive Verb Comment

    to agree can also be transitive (e.g., to agree a point)

    to play can also be transitive (e.g., to play a tune)

    to run can also be transitive (e.g., to run a mile)

    to walk can also be transitive (e.g., to walk the dog)

    to eat can also be transitive (e.g., to eat a cake)

    to appear

    to arrive

    to belong

    to collapse

    to collide

    to die

    to demonstrate can also be transitive (e.g., to demonstrate a skill)

    to disappear

    to emerge

    to existto fall

    to go

    to happen

    to laugh

    to nest

    to occur

    to remain

    to respondto rise

    to roost

    to sit can also be transitive (e.g., to sit a child)

    to sleep

    to stand can also be transitive (e.g., to stand a lamp)

  • 8/9/2019 VERBS (Transitive & Intransitive )

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    to vanish

    Intransitive Verbs #o $ot %ave a &assive 'ormAs an intransitive verb cannot take a direct object, there is no passive form. Forexample

    /he fell."The verb fell"from to fall$ is intransitive.$

    /he was fallen."There is no passive version of to fall.$

    !ere is another example

    The event happened at 1 o*clock."The verb happened"from to happen$ is intransitive.$

    The event was happenedat 1 o*clock."There is no passive version of to happen.$

    ompare those two examples to one with a transitive verb

    The man baeda cake."The verb baked"from to bake$ is transitive.$

    A cake was baedby the man."#ou can have a passive version with a transitive verb.$

    http22www.grammar3monster.com2glossary2intransitive4verbs.htm

    Aaaaaargh! I don't understand transitive and intransitive verbs. I especially don't

    understand how sometimes the same verb can be one and sometimes the other.

    Please explain. I need to get at least an 86 on the qui next wee. "hans!

    Todd, you're in major luck. Yesterday I received a question from Lily aboutdirect and indirectobjects, and you should read that post first. After all, before you can ace transitive and

    intransitive verbs, you need to kno ho to spot a direct object.

    #uic rules$

    Transitive verbsare action verbs that require a direct object. The verb's action is

    transferred directly to the object, hich can be a noun, pronoun, phrase, or clause.

    !ind the direct objectby askin" %ub&ect (erb )hat*)hom+My dad is

    driving Fred to his friend's house. #y dad is drivin" hom$ !red. That's the direct object.

    Therefore, drive is a transitive verb.

    http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/passive_voice.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/intransitive_verbs.htmhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.htmlhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.htmlhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.htmlhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.htmlhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/passive_voice.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/intransitive_verbs.htmhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.htmlhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.htmlhttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/2010/10/direct-object-of-my-affection.html
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    Intransitive verbsdon't require a direct object. My dad goesto work every

    morning. #y dad "oes hat or hom$ That doesn't make sense, so there is no direct object.

    Therefore, "o is an intransitive verb. %In this sentence, the natural question is& #y dad "oes

    here$ here questions are ansered by prepositional phrases, such as 'to ork.'(

    "he tricy part$#any verbs can be either transitiveor intransitive, dependin" on conte)t.

    *. After we eatat my house, we can go outside.+intransitive

    After we eatour sandwiches, we can go outside. +transitive

    -. The truck runs on diesel gasoline.+intransitive

    My uncle runsa restaurant. +transitive

    . I'mreading.+intransitive

    I'm readingan article in TIME magazine aout sharks. +transitive

    #uic tip$/entences ritten in the passive voicealays contain a transitive verb. It makes

    sense hen you think about it. hen the riter uses thepassive voice, the subject is hidden

    and the focus is on the direct object. 0reak it don usin" the same %ub&ect (erb )hat*)hom+formula, and fill in the missin" subject.

    *. !achel was given detention.%The teacher( "ave hat$ 1etention +direct object. To

    hom$ 2achel +indirect object. /ince there is a direct object, "ive is a transitive verb.

    -. The all was hit "ast third ase.%The batter( hit hat$ The ball +direct object.

    To3!or hom$ e don't kno +no indirect object. /ince there is a direct object, hit is

    a transitive verb.

    http22snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com256762762verbs3intransitive3vs3

    transitive.html

    http://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/search/label/active%20voice%20vs.%20passive%20voicehttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/search/label/active%20voice%20vs.%20passive%20voicehttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/search/label/active%20voice%20vs.%20passive%20voicehttp://snarkygrammarguide.blogspot.com/search/label/active%20voice%20vs.%20passive%20voice