Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

What are Transitive and Intransitive Verbs?

Transitive and intransitive verbs are two categories of verbs in English that are distinguished by how they take or do not take a direct object in a sentence.

Transitive Verbs:
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning or make the sentence grammatically correct. In other words, a transitive verb acts on or affects something or someone, and that something or someone is the direct object of the verb. For example, in the sentence “She ate the cake,” the verb “ate” is transitive because it acts on the direct object “the cake.” The action of eating is directed towards the cake.

Examples of transitive verbs:
He read a book.
They built a house.
She loves her dog.

Intransitive Verbs:
An intransitive verb is a verb that does not require a direct object to complete its meaning. It can stand alone in a sentence and still make sense. Intransitive verbs typically describe an action that is complete in itself without affecting anything else. For example, in the sentence “She slept peacefully,” the verb “slept” is intransitive because it doesn’t require a direct object. The action of sleeping is self-contained.

Examples of intransitive verbs:
They laughed loudly.
He runs every morning.
The birds sing beautifully.

It’s important to note that some verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively, depending on the context. For example:
“She runs” (intransitive) simply means she is engaged in the action of running.
“She runs a marathon” (transitive) means she is participating in and completing the action of running a marathon.

How to Identify a Transitive Verb

Identifying a transitive verb is relatively straightforward. A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning or make the sentence grammatically correct. Here are the steps to identify a transitive verb in a sentence:

Identify the verb: First, locate the main verb in the sentence. This is the action word that describes what is happening in the sentence. Examples of verbs include “eat,” “read,” “build,” “love,” and “sing.”

Ask “what” or “whom” after the verb: After identifying the verb, ask the questions “what” or “whom” to the verb. For example, ask, “What did the subject (the doer of the action) do?” or “Whom did the subject affect with the action?”

Check for an answer: If the question “what” or “whom” can be answered with a specific noun or pronoun, then the verb is transitive. This noun or pronoun is the direct object of the verb.

Here are some examples:
Sentence: “She ate the cake.”
Verb: “ate”
Question: “She ate what?” Answer: “the cake”
Verdict: “ate” is a transitive verb because it has a direct object, “the cake.”
Sentence: “He read a book.”
Verb: “read”
Question: “He read what?” Answer: “a book”
Verdict: “read” is a transitive verb because it has a direct object, “a book.”

Common Transitive Verbs

Here is a table of some transitive verbs commonly used that are useful to you.

Transitive Verbs Examples

Let’s delve into transitive verb examples that are beneficial to learn.

• Alice admires her friend’s relationship.
• Kevin read a book to prepare for his exam.
• Joy bought a new laptop bag.
• The lovers hugged tightly to each other.
• She has eaten three bananas.
• Suddenly, they entered Kevin’s room.
• He writes a letter to his family.
• The doctor completed his patient visit.
• Hailey drove the truck.
• She tries to design her new house.
• Tosca watched a stand-up show with her family.
• She pushed the car when her car broke.
• She sent an emergency text.
• The student was able to solve math problems.
• When he returned, he tempted his friends to hang out with him.
• My father fixed the car.
• The mother tries to teach her son how to behave in public.
• The baby kicked the ball.
• He used to paint the wall.
• My grandfather cooked dinner.
• They constructed their fence.
• She threw her ex-boyfriend’s photographs into the trash.
• She carried their suitcases for help.
• He built a house.
• Kevin photographed a memory.
• The children plant three trees every spring.
• She packs her belongings due to moving to the house.
• She mended a broken table.
• The mother praises her son.
• The dog played with a toy.
• My grandmother baked frozen cookies.
• They handed their friends the car.
• The baby likes to pet the cat.
• She published her academic journal on the Internet.
• The father supports his sons to win the baseball match.
• The baby tasted the soup.
• Sally recites a poem before sleeping.
• Theo creates new spaces to discover himself.
• Our project group discussed new methods that can solve the problems.
• Emma brought the bag to me, which I liked.

How to Identify an Intransitive Verb

Identifying an intransitive verb indicates the complete action of the sentence. An intransitive verb is a verb that doesn’t require a direct object to complete its meaning or make the sentence grammatically correct. Here are the steps to identify an intransitive verb in a sentence:

Identify the verb: First, locate the main verb in the sentence. This is the action verb that completes its meaning without a direct or indirect object. Examples of verbs include “run”, “sleep”, “dance”, and “swim.”
Ask “what” or “whom” after the verb: After identifying the verb, ask the questions “what” or “whom” to the verb. For example, ask, “What did the subject (the doer of the action) do?” or “Whom did the subject affect with the action?. If there is not a meaningful answer, the verb is likely intransitive in the sentence.

Here are some examples:
Sentence: “She can jump very high.”
Verb: “jump”
Question: ” Jump what?” Answer: “Jump does not provide a meaningful answer.”
Verdict: “jump” is an intransitive verb because the action of jumping is complete on its own in the sentence.
Sentence: “The baby cried.”
Verb: “cry”
Question: “Cry what?” Answer: “Cry does not provide a meaningful answer.”
Verdict: “cry” is an intransitive verb because the action of crying is complete on its own in the sentence.

Common Intransitive Verbs

Here is a table of some intransitive verbs commonly used that are useful to you.

Intransitive Verbs Examples

Let’s delve into intransitive verb examples that are beneficial to learn.

• I sleep early.
• We laughed a lot.
• She runs every weekend to be healthier.
• The airplane arrived on time.
• He cried during the movie.
• They jumped over the wall.
• The couple danced joyfully.
• My grandmother swims every morning.
• John disappeared suddenly after the threats.
• The sun shines sparkly.
• She waited for the bus.
• After the breakup, she talked for hours.
• Conan apologized for the mistakes.
• The baby sneezed loudly due to having summer allergies.
• It happened suddenly.
• She sings for hours.
• The dog smiles lovably at the award treat.
• The volcano erupted after the earthquake.
• The baby grows fast.
• During the pandemic, many people died.
• The tree’s leaves fall during the fall.
• Wood materials float in the water.
• The bird flies through the sky.
• Do skinwalkers exist in this century?
• The flight accident occurred yesterday.
• While walking, the baby stumbled on the pavement.
• We whispered secretly.
• The criminal hesitated before speaking.
• My auntie complains about her financial problems.
• The sun appears in the morning.
• Without the sun, the world will perish.
• The suspects have escaped.
• The moon glows in the sky.
• The flight departed late.
• Prices are rising gradually.
• The twilight emerged from the clouds.
• The old apartment remains among the sky castles.
• The magician made the teddy bear vanish.
• Sally sighed for hours.
• The old man barely breathes while running.
• Our dog barks loudly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

What is the main difference between transitive and intransitive verbs?

The main difference is that a transitive verb should be used with a direct or indirect object, whereas an intransitive verb is a complete sentence without a direct or indirect object.

Can a verb be both transitive and intransitive?

Sure, a verb can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on the sentence. For example, sleep can be a transitive verb (e.g., he sleeps with his dogs every day) or an intransitive verb ( e.g., she sleeps loudly) in terms of a sentence.

Why is it important to understand transitive and intransitive verbs?

Understanding these verb types is essential to improve constructing grammatically correct sentences. Additionally, it can have a crucial role in ensuring that sentences are clear, meaningful, and grammatically correct properly. When writing or speaking in English, it also helps to choose the right words.

What are examples of transitive verbs?

Examples of transitive verbs include read, write, kick, love, and paint as these verbs typically require a direct or indirect object to convey a complete meaning.

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