Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
11/19/08
Transitive Verbs are action verbs that direct action from the performer of the action to the receiver. The receiver is a noun or a pronoun.
Ex: John made the sandwich.
Helpful Hint: Find the verb in the sentence. Say the verb, followed by the question what and/or who. If the question can be answered with a noun or pronoun in the sentence, then you have a transitive verb. For example, in the sentence "John made the sandwich," we say the verb "made" and ask the question what (made what) - the answer sandwich is a noun in the sentence, so made is a transitive verb in that sentence. |
To Avoid Confusion: There will be sentences where the answer to the verb question is a prepositional phrase. Even though there are nouns in prepositional phrases, the entire phrase is not a noun. If the answer to the verb question is a prepositional phrase, the verb is intransitive. Ex: The bird flew through the window. the verb is flew flew what? answer -- through the window "through the window" is a prepositional phrase, so flew is intransitive in this sentence. True, window is a noun but cannot accurately answer the question flew what (flew window - doesn't work). |
Intransitive Verbs express action or tell something about the subject of the sentence but does not direct action toward another noun or pronoun.
Ex: The alarm beeped loudly. ( beeped what - beeped loudly. Loudly is not a noun, so the verb is intransitive.)
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