Friday, August 7, 2015

What is the difference between an intransitive and a transitive verb?

A transitive verb takes a direct object, a word or word group  that completes the meaning of the verb by naming a receiver of the action.  Transitive verbs usually appear in the active voice, with the subject doing the action and a direct object receiving the action. Active-voice sentences can be transformed into passive voice, with the subject receiving the action instead.  Active Voice:  The early bird sometimes catches the early worm.  Passive Voice:  The early bird is sometimes caught by the early bird.  The direct object of a transitive verb is sometimes preceded by an indirect object, a noun or pronoun telling to whom or for whom the action of the sentence is done.  Ex.:  You show (to) me a hero, and I will write (for) you a tragedy.  The direct object of a transitive verb is sometimes followed by an object complement, a word or groups of words that completes the direct object's meaning by renaming or describing it.  Ex.:  Love makes all hard hearts gentle.  Intransitive verbs take no objects or complements.  They may or may not be followed by adverbial modifiers.  Ex.:  Money talks.  Nothing receives the actions of talking in the sentence, so the verb is intransitive.  Intransitive verbs are often followed by adverbial modifiers.  Note:  A dictionary can tell you whether a verb is intransitive or transitive.  Some verbs have both transitive and intransitive functions.  Transitive:  Sandra flew her Cessna over the canyon.  Intransitive:  A bald eagle flew overhead.  In the first example, flew has a direct object that receives the action: her Cessna. In the second example, the verb is followed by an adverb (overhead), not a direct object.

No comments:

Post a Comment