Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007

Transitive and intransitive verbs
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech

Definition: the word ’transitive’ is from Latin trans meaning ’across’. A transitive verb is one that moves across to an object. A verb that does not have (move across to) an object is therefore in-(not)transitive.

Before studying transitive and intransitive verbs, students should know:

• the definition and function of the object

• the difference between a direct and an indirect object

• the distinction between an object and a complement

Some verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, according to whether or not they have an object in a given sentence.

For example:

Transitive: We bought an ice-cream.

The verb bought moves across to its object, an ice-cream.

Intransitive: I hope you don’t snore tonight.

A verb such as snore cannot take an object. You cannot snore something!

Did you wash this morning?

There is no object, so in this sentence the verb wash is intransitive.

but Did you wash your face this morning?

Here the object is ’your face’ so the verb wash is transitive.

Remember, the trick is to ask ’what?’ after the verb. If you have an answer, that answer is an object.

16.2 Activities: transitive and intransitive verbs

1. Students take turns to give a sentence that has a transitive verb.

2. Students are given a list of verbs which they enter into two columns, labelled Transitive and Intransitive.

a. walk

b. send

c. wonder

d. sell

e. groan

f. collide

g. dissect

h. destroy

i. peep

j. hesitate

3. Students choose verbs from those below to write two sentences for each, one transitive and one intransitive.

a. choose

b. sing

c. draw

d. play

e. investigate

f. meet

g. paint

h. imagine

i. jump

4. Select (mark or list) the transitive verbs in the following passage.

We saw this horrible shape. It was getting closer! We dropped our tools and ran. The shape was following us. Ben shouted, ’I can hear a motor.’ I heard that sound too, but I did not stop to look.

We reached the house, grabbed the door handle and tugged the heavy wooden door open. Just then, the dark shape covered us and moved on. It was just the shadow of an aeroplane! We don’t see aeroplanes here very often.

Answer: saw, dropped, was following, hear, heard, reached, grabbed, tugged, covered, see

5. In two minutes, students think of as many verbs as they can, that can be both transitive and intransitive.

Checklist: transitive and intransitive verbs

Students should now be able to:

• give the meaning of (a) a transitive verb and (b) an intransitive verb

• select and classify transitive and intransitive verbs from a sentence or passage

• recognise verbs that can be of either kind