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1. What is a transitive verb? 2. What is an intransitive verb? 3. Incomplete Verbs 1. What is a transitive verb? A transitive verb can be followed by an object. An intransitive verb cannot be followed by an object. A transitive verb requires an object in the form of a noun to complete its meaning. This object answers to the questions "who(m)or what." Example: The students write composition. What do the students write? Compositions. Asif loves Nasreen. Who (m) does Asif love? Nasreen. Formula: Subject + Verb + Object. Transitive / Intransitive verbs Verbs which don't have an object are called intransitive. Some verbs can only be intransitive (disagree). In addition they cannot be used in the Passive Voice e.g. smile, fall, come, go. For example: # David disagreed. - intransitive. Verbs that have an object are called transitive verbs e.g. eat, drive, give. For example: * David gave her a present. Some verbs can be transitive or intransitive e.g. sing For example: * Xavier Nadu sings. - intransitive. * Xavier Nadu sings pop songs. - transitive. 2. What is an intransitive verb? An intransitive verb is one that does not require an object to complete its meaning. The sentence may end with the verb, an adjective, or an adverb.The questions one may ask with these forms are "when, where, how, or why? Example: The children sat. The children sat at 7.30 pm. The children sat at the table. The children sat quietly. The children sat because their mother told them to. Try asking questions based on the underlined words. Write them in the blamk spaces here. ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Depending on the type of object they take, verbs may be transitive, intransitive, or linking. The meaning of a transitive verb is incomplete without a direct object, as in the following examples: INCOMPLETE The shelf holds. COMPLETE The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers. INCOMPLETE The committee named. COMPLETE The committee named a new chairperson. INCOMPLETE The child broke. COMPLETE The child broke the plate. An intransitive verb, on the other hand, cannot take a direct object: This plant has thrived on the south windowsill. The compound verb "has thrived" is intransitive and takes no direct object in this sentence. The prepositional phrase "on the south windowsill" acts as an adverb describing where the plant thrives. The sound of the choir carried through the cathedral. The verb "carried" is used intransitively in this sentence and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "through the cathedral" acts as an adverb describing where the sound carried. The train from Montreal arrived four hours late. The intransitive verb "arrived" takes no direct object, and the noun phrase "four hours late" acts as an adverb describing when the train arrived. Since the company was pleasant and the coffee both plentiful and good, we lingered in the restaurant for several hours. The verb "lingered" is used intransitively and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "in the restaurant for several hours" acts as an adverb modifying "lingered." The painting was hung on the south wall of the reception room. The compound verb "was hung" is used intransitively and the sentence has no direct object. The prepositional phrase "on the south wall of the reception room" acts as a adverb describing where the paint hung. Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on their context in the sentence. In the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the verb transitively and the second uses the same verb intransitively: transitive According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes. In this example, the verb "leave" takes a direct object, the noun phrase "this goo." intransitive We would like to stay longer, but we must leave. In this example, the verb "leave" does not take a direct object. transitive The audience attentively watched the latest production of The Trojan Women. In this example, the verb "watch" is used transitively and takes the noun phrase "the latest production of The Trojan Women" as a direct object. intransitive The cook watched while the new dishwasher surreptitiously picked up the fragments of the broken dish. In this example, the verb "watched" is used intransitively and takes no direct object. intransitive The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star get into her helicopter. Here the verb "moves" is used as an intransitive verb and takes no direct object. transitive Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of the attic to the other. In this sentence "moves" is used as a transitive verb and takes the noun phrase "all the boxes and trunk" as a direct object. Most verbs can be both intransitive and transitive depending on the sentence. Intransitive: He runs around the block daily. (There is no direct object.) Transitive: He runs a large corporation. (The verb runs has a direct object, corporation.) Among transitive verbs there are three sub-types: monotransitive verbs have only a direct object, ditransitive verbs have a direct object and an indirect or benefactive object. Complex-transitive verbs have a direct object and an object attribute. . . . * monotransitive: He bought a book. * ditransitive: He gave her the book. * complex-transitive: She found the book interesting. To determine whether a verb is transitive, ask whether the action is done to someone or something. Does the subject act upon someone or something? Or put another way, does someone or something receive the action of the verb. If it does, then the verb is transitive and the person or thing that receives its action is the direct object. Both transitive and intransitive verbs are action verbs. 3. Incomplete Verbs There are three types of incomplete verbs: i. being verbs – also called linking or copulative verbs to be, seem, become, taste, smell, sound, feel TIP: Some of these verbs can also be used transitively. If in doubt, substitute a form of to be for the verb. If the sentence still makes sense, the verb is being used as a copulative verb: ii. auxiliary verbs – also called helping verbs be, have, shall, will, do, and may. He could have gone earlier. iii. semi-auxiliary verbs must, can, ought, dare, need. You must not go. You dare not go. 1. Roads (were) a slushy mess on Monday along parts of the East Coast. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: linking verb 2. Thousands of families and businesses (had) no electricity following a deadly snow and ice storm. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 3. In Virginia, about 126,000 electricity customers (are) living without power. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: auxiliary verb 4. Even without the computer trouble, rain (would have kept) the space shuttle from launching. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 5. At his sentencing, West neither (apologized) nor attributed his behavior to his drinking problem. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: intransitive verb 6. It (seemed) difficult for police to find the man suspected in a cafe robbery. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: linking verb 7. Officials (blamed) the storm for at least 17 deaths along its path across the southern Plains. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 8. Dozens of lawsuits, billions of dollars and an incalculable public outcry (can) make a difference. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: auxiliary verb 9. Philip Morris (continues) its court fight to prevent the __________ from regulating tobacco. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 10. Elian Gonzalez's grandmothers (arrived) in Cuba without the child they had hoped to bring home. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: intransitive verb 11. Before he (could finish) the project, Bill had to contact an expert in pesticide-use management. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 12. Holding his nose to block out the smell, Evan (made) his way through the butcher’s work area. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 13. The book that Tim sent to his brother (has been) under his desk for six months a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: intransitive verb 14. After a slow start, the team (finished) with its best record ever. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: intransitive verb 15. The class's ideas (sounded) much more sophisticated than the substitute teacher expected. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: linking verb 16. The man (grew) tired of the constant questions from reporters. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: linking verb 17. (Do) you know whom to contact in case of an emergency? a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: auxiliary verb 18. The golfer listed in the paper as the leader (decided) to drop out of the tournament. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 19. It was those two boys who (pulled) the fire alarm. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: transitive verb 20. She wanted to speak with whoever (was) responsible for her poodle’s awful haircut. a. transitive verb b. intransitive verb c. linking verb d. auxiliary verb Answer: linking verb |