|
Depending on the type of object they take, verbs may
be transitive, intransitive, or linking.
The meaning of a transitive verb is
incomplete without a direct object, as in the following
examples:
- INCOMPLETE
- The shelf holds.
- COMPLETE
- The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers.
- INCOMPLETE
- The committee named.
- COMPLETE
- The committee named a new chairperson.
- INCOMPLETE
- The child broke.
- COMPLETE
- The child broke the plate.
An intransitive verb, on the other hand,
cannot take a direct object:
- This plant has thrived on the south windowsill.
The compound verb "has thrived" is intransitive and takes no direct object in this sentence. The prepositional phrase "on the south windowsill" acts as an
adverb describing where the plant thrives.
- The sound of the choir carried through the cathedral.
The verb "carried" is used intransitively in this sentence and takes no
direct object. The prepositional phrase
"through the cathedral" acts as an adverb describing
where the sound carried.
- The train from Montreal arrived four hours late.
The intransitive verb "arrived" takes no
direct object, and the noun phrase "four
hours late" acts as an adverb describing when the
train arrived.
- Since the company was pleasant and the coffee both plentiful and
good, we lingered in the restaurant for several hours.
The verb "lingered" is used intransitively and takes no direct object.
The prepositional phrase "in the restaurant for several
hours" acts as an adverb modifying
"lingered".
- The painting was hung on the south wall of the reception
room.
The compound verb "was hung" is used intransitively and the
sentence has no direct object. The
prepositional phrase "on the south wall of the
reception room" acts as a adverb describing where the
paint hung.
Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on their context in the
sentence. In the following pairs of
sentences, the first sentence uses the
verb transitively and
the second uses the same verb intransitively:
- transitive
- According to the instructions, we must leave this goo
in our hair for twenty minutes.
In this example, the verb "leave" takes a
direct object, the noun phrase "this
goo".
- intransitive
- We would like to stay longer, but we must leave.
In this example, the verb "leave" does not
take a direct object.
- transitive
- The audience attentively watched the latest production
of The Trojan Women.
In this example, the verb "watch" is used transitively and takes the noun phrase "the latest production of The Trojan
Women" as a direct object.
- intransitive
- The cook watched while the new dishwasher surreptitiously picked
up the fragments of the broken dish.
In this example, the verb "watched" is used intransitively and takes no direct object.
- intransitive
- The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star
get into her helicopter.
Here the verb "moves" is used as an
intransitive verb and takes no direct object.
- transitive
- Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of
the attic to the other.
In this sentence "moves" is used as a transitive verb and takes the noun phrase "all the boxes
and trunk" as a direct object.
| 
