INTRODUCTION
In English grammar, verbs are vital in conveying action, states, or occurrences. They form the backbone of a sentence, allowing us to express our thoughts and ideas effectively.
Verbs can be classified into various categories, and one crucial classification is based on their transitivity. Transitive and intransitive verbs help us understand how the action or occurrence is connected to the sentence’s subject and object.
In this article, we will delve into the detailed explanations of transitive and intransitive verbs, providing a comprehensive understanding of their usage and examples along the way.
A. TRANSITIVE VERBS
A transitive verb requires a direct object to complete its meaning in a sentence. It conveys an action performed by the subject and received by the thing. The thing serves as the receiver of the action and is often placed after the verb. Here are five examples of transitive verbs:
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She ate an apple. In this sentence, “ate” is the transitive verb, and “an apple” is the direct object. Eating is performed by “she,” and “an apple” receives the action.
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He painted a beautiful picture. In this example, “painted” is the transitive verb, and “a beautiful picture” is the direct object. The subject “he” acts like a painting, and the thing “a beautiful picture” receives the action.
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They built a new house. “built” is the transitive verb, and “a new house” is the direct object. The subject “they” acts as a building, and the thing “a new house” receives the action.
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The teacher explained the lesson. In this sentence, “explained” is the transitive verb, and “the lesson” is the direct object. The subject, “the teacher,” acts explaining, and the thing “the lesson”, receives the action.
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We read an interesting book. In this example, “read” is the transitive verb, and “an interesting book” is the direct object. The subject “we” acts as reading, and the thing “an interesting book” receives the action.
B. TRANSITIVE VERBS:
Intransitive verbs do not require a direct object to complete their meaning. They express an action or state that does not transfer to an entity. Here are five examples of intransitive verbs:
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The birds flew. In this sentence, “flew” is the intransitive verb. It conveys the action performed by the birds without requiring an object. The verb itself is sufficient to express the complete idea.
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She laughed. Here, “laughed” is the intransitive verb. It represents the action performed by “she” without needing an object. The verb itself conveys the complete meaning.
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They danced all night. In this example, “danced” is the intransitive verb. It describes the activities carried out by “they” without requiring an object. The verb “danced” completes the meaning of the sentence.
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The flowers bloomed. In this sentence, “bloomed” is the intransitive verb. It conveys the action performed by the flowers without the necessity of an object. The verb itself gives the whole idea.
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The sun rises in the east. Here, “rises” is the intransitive verb. It represents the action carried out by the sun without requiring an object. The verb “rises” completes the meaning.
