Download Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Transitive and Intransitive
It’s all about transfer of action to an object.
Handy Tip
•Since transitive/intransitive verbs
deal with whether or not action
passes from the subject to an
object, always start with labeling
the subject and verb in the
sentence.
Transitive Verbs
• express an action directed toward a person, a place, a thing, or an
idea (a.k.a., nouns)
• The action passes from the doer (the subject) to the receiver of the
action.
• The words that receive the action of transitive verbs  direct objects
 always nouns
• Transitive verbs can only be action verbs. Linking verbs are NEVER
transitive.
Transitive Verbs: Examples
• Derrick greeted the visitors.
• Derrick greeted whom? The action (greeted) passes
from the subject (Derrick) to the object (visitors).
• When will Felicia paint her room?
• Felicia will paint what? The action (will paint)
passes from the subject (Felicia) to the object
(room).
Intransitive Verbs
•express action or tell something about the
subject without the action passing to a
receiver, or object
•Intransitive verbs may be either action or
linking verbs.
Intransitive Verbs: Examples
• The train stopped.
• The train stopped what? There is nothing in the sentence to say
what the train stopped (i.e., there is no object). There is no
transfer of action.
• Last night we ate on the patio.
• We ate what? There is nothing in the sentence to say what we ate
(i.e., there is no object). We did not eat some “on the patio.” This
is a prepositional phrase telling where we ate, not what. There is
no transfer of action.
Transitive or Intransitive? Your Turn!
• 1) Label subject & verb. 2) Is the verb action or linking? If linking, it cannot be
transitive. If action, go on to step 3. 3) Say, “Subject, verb WHAT?” If there is a
noun that receives the action, it is transitive.
• The children play checkers.
• The children play quietly.
• Mr. Lopez is baking bread.
• Mr. Lopez is baking this afternoon.
• Have Roland and Tracy left their coats?
• Have Roland and Tracy left yet?
Transitive or Intransitive? Your Turn!
• The children play checkers.
• The children play WHAT? “Checkers” is a noun
telling what they play, so “play” is transitive.
• The children play quietly.
• The children play WHAT? “Quietly” is not a noun
and it is not what they play (it is how they play), so
“play” is intransitive.
Transitive or Intransitive? Your Turn!
• Mr. Lopez is baking bread.
• Mr. Lopez is baking WHAT? “Bread” is a noun and it
tells what he is baking, so “is baking” is transitive.
• Mr. Lopez is baking this afternoon.
• Mr. Lopez is baking WHAT? “This afternoon” is not
what Mr. Lopez is baking (it tells when), so “is
baking” is intransitive.
Transitive or Intransitive? Your Turn!
• Have Roland and Tracy left their coats?
• Roland and Tracy have left WHAT? “Coats” is a noun
and it tells what they left, so “have left” is
transitive.
• Have Roland and Tracy left yet?
• Roland and Tracy have left WHAT? “Yet” is not what
they left (it tells when), so “have left” is
intransitive.