Page 52 - Basic English Grammar Student Textbook short

Study Section 10: Advanced Verbs

10.1 Connect

Today we are going to transitive and intransitive verbs. Don’t let the words get you down. A
transitive verb is a verb that ONLY MAKES sent if it exerts its action on something else like an
object. In intransitive verb makes sense without an object, but kind of leaves you hanging. For
example, John threw. That’s an intransitive verb. The problem is we don’t know what he threw.
So to give a bit more meaning to the sentence, we can write, John threw the rock. Now we know
what he threw (the object, the rock). See if you can figure this out….

10.2 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

All action verbs are either transitive or intransitive.
Transitive Verbs

An action verb that is transitive expresses an action toward a person or thing (its object). The
action of a transitive verb is carried over from the doer (the subject) to its receiver (the direct
object).

Hannah wrote a letter. The letter was written by Hannah.
David threw the ball. The ball was thrown by David.

Intransitive Verbs
An action verb is intransitive does not require an object to complete its action. Intransitive verbs do not have an
object. The action of an intransitive verb stays with the subject; the action is not carried over to a receiver. The
subject completes the action itself.

NOTE: Some action verbs are always transitive; some are always intransitive. Some action verbs can be either
transitive or intransitive depending on its usage.
Transitive Intransitive

The pilot flies his private jet. Birds fly.

The pilot flew the airplane. The bird flew over the fence.

The pastor sang a hymn. The woman sings.

Practice 10A: Transitive vs. Intransitive vs. Linking. Type T if the verb is transitive and I if intransitive.
1. A t e a c h lo c at io n , t h e w o r k e rs c o n s t r u c t e d a m ee ti n g te n t.
2. Bill y S u n d a y ’ s re v i v a l m ee ti n g s w e re a u n it e d e ff o rt o f m a n y b e l i e v e r s .
3. A g r o u p o f p eo p l e we r e r es p o n s i b l e f o r a l l t h e d e ta i l s o f t h e m ee ti n g s .
4. M r. S u n d ay h a d b e e n a b as e b a l l s t a r .
5. P e o p le f ro m d if fe re n t b a c k g ro u n d s ac c e p t e d C h r is t a s S a v io r .
6. T h e t ru t h o f t h e g o s p e l t r an s f o r m e d e n t ir e f a m il ie s an d c it ie s .

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