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Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb requires an object to receive the action of the verb. Intransitive verbs do not require an object. The document provides examples of transitive verbs like "bring" and "kick" which require an object, as well as intransitive verbs like "run" and "cry" which do not. It notes some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on whether they act on an object in the sentence. To identify verb type, one must analyze whether an object is present or if an adverb or preposition follows the verb instead.

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Otto Hernandez
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333 views4 pages

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb requires an object to receive the action of the verb. Intransitive verbs do not require an object. The document provides examples of transitive verbs like "bring" and "kick" which require an object, as well as intransitive verbs like "run" and "cry" which do not. It notes some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on whether they act on an object in the sentence. To identify verb type, one must analyze whether an object is present or if an adverb or preposition follows the verb instead.

Uploaded by

Otto Hernandez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is a Transitive Verb?

A transitive verb is one whose action must be used in relation to an object,


and when using the verb, it only makes sense if the verb is transferring
action upon an object. That means the verb doesn’t sound good
or work on its own without an object.

Consider the verb to bring: The verb will not make sense if the action of
the verb is not acting on something, i.e. you have to
bring something or someone.
Simply saying  I bring will not make sense on its own, you must
bring something,  an object or a person or a feeling. That something or
someone – Joe, a book, your brother, a good mood – is the direct object of
the sentence, i.e. the thing that the verb is acting upon.

I bring (doesn’t make sense without an object).


I bring a book for Grandma (makes sense because of the direct
object, book).
I will bring my brother to the meeting.
 

Examples of Transitive Verbs


There are lots of examples of transitive verbs. They can be any verb
that fulfils the criteria of needing to confer action upon an object.
Consider these examples and see how the verb exerts action on an
object.

 I love
 Please carry the books for me.
 Can we buy these ones?
 Johnny kicked the ball.
 She didn’t take anything from the table.
 I will send the note for the doctor.
What is a Intransitive Verb?
As you might guess, an intransitive verb is one that does not need to transfer action on an
object in order to make sense.
Consider the verb to run. You can run without transferring the action of running on a direct
object.
How did you get here so quickly? I ran. (There is no need for a direct object).

Examples of Intransitive Verbs

As with transitive verbs, there are many examples of intransitive


verbs. They can be any verb that fulfills the criteria of not needing a
direct object to confer action upon:

It snowed.
We laughed.
He cried. He will probably cry again tonight.
We didn’t know.
They died.
When did they arrive?

Recognizing Transitive Verbs When You See Them


Unfortunately, it can sometimes be tricky to know if a verb is transitive because some verbs
aren’t only transitive or intransitive. Consider the verb to eat, and look at these examples:
I eat fried eggs for breakfast.
I eat quickly at breakfast.
In the first example, the verb eat is a transitive verb because the action has a direct object –
the fried eggs. However, the second example shows eat as an intransitive verb. There is no
action upon a direct object; quickly is an adverb describing the action of eating.
Other examples of verbs that are both transitive and intransitive include walk, drive,
read, and understand.
I walked.
I walked the dogs.
Daniel drives.
Daniel drives a large truck.
Barbara reads.
Barbara reads 10 books a month.
I understand.
I understand you.
So, to recognize a transitive verb, you must understand and be able to identify that it acts on a
direct object.

Recognizing Intransitive Verbs When You See Them

As mentioned above, many verbs can be transitive and intransitive,


so to recognize the type of verb it is, you must look at other parts of
the sentence. Consider the verb to sing, and look at these
examples:

 The birds sang the mating call.


 The birds sang.
 The birds sang
 The birds sang on the trees.
In the first example, sang (the past tense of sing) is a transitive verb.
The birds are conferring the action of singing on a direct object – the
mating call.

But sang is an intransitive verb in the other three examples. We


know this because the first example requires no direct object for the
action, the second example is followed by an adverb and the final
example is followed by a preposition.

Therefore, we can recognize an intransitive verb if it makes sense


on its own (without a direct object) or is followed by an adverb or
preposition.

Answers
1. She advised me to consult a doctor. (Transitive)
2. Let’s invite your cousins as well. (Transitive)
3. I waited for an hour. (Intransitive)
4. I received your letter in the morning. (Transitive)
5. I am going to send her some flowers. (Transitive)
6. He has changed a lot since he got married. (Intransitive)
7. Suddenly the child woke up. (Intransitive)
8. The loud noise woke me. (Transitive)
9. Let’s discuss your plans. (Transitive)
10. I heard a lovely song in the morning. (Transitive)
11. Can you lend me a few pounds? (Transitive)
12. The wind was blowing fiercely. (Intransitive)

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