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Professional online tutoring for students in Australia, Germany, USA, Canada, India, and UAE. Maths, English, and Science mastered from home.
From basic algebra to advanced calculus, tailored for global curriculum standards.
Explore SyllabusMastering communication, creative writing, and academic English for international success.
Explore SyllabusIn-depth Physics, Chemistry, and Biology sessions focused on conceptual clarity.
Explore SyllabusWe follow a hybrid model that integrates the best of Cambridge, IB, and Common Core standards to ensure students are competitive globally.
Ecksmiee Classes was founded on the belief that high-quality education should be accessible regardless of geography. Our tutors are experts in their fields, bringing years of classroom experience into a modern digital environment.
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Global Operations, Headquartered in India
+91 91122 47987
Professional online tutoring for students in Australia, Germany, USA, Canada, India, and UAE. Maths, English, and Science mastered from home.
From basic algebra to advanced calculus, tailored for global curriculum standards.
Explore SyllabusMastering communication, creative writing, and academic English for international success.
Explore SyllabusIn-depth Physics, Chemistry, and Biology sessions focused on conceptual clarity.
Explore SyllabusWe follow a hybrid model that integrates the best of Cambridge, IB, and Common Core standards to ensure students are competitive globally.
Ecksmiee Classes was founded on the belief that high-quality education should be accessible regardless of geography. Our tutors are experts in their fields, bringing years of classroom experience into a modern digital environment.
10k+
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98%
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Have questions about our trial sessions or pricing? Our team is ready to help you start your learning journey.
Global Operations, Headquartered in India
+91 91122 47987
Professional online tutoring for students in Australia, Germany, USA, Canada, India, and UAE. Maths, English, and Science mastered from home.
From basic algebra to advanced calculus, tailored for global curriculum standards.
Explore SyllabusMastering communication, creative writing, and academic English for international success.
Explore SyllabusIn-depth Physics, Chemistry, and Biology sessions focused on conceptual clarity.
Explore SyllabusWe follow a hybrid model that integrates the best of Cambridge, IB, and Common Core standards to ensure students are competitive globally.
Ecksmiee Classes was founded on the belief that high-quality education should be accessible regardless of geography. Our tutors are experts in their fields, bringing years of classroom experience into a modern digital environment.
10k+
Classes Taught
98%
Success Rate
Have questions about our trial sessions or pricing? Our team is ready to help you start your learning journey.
Global Operations, Headquartered in India
+91 91122 47987
Professional online tutoring for students in Australia, Germany, USA, Canada, India, and UAE. Maths, English, and Science mastered from home.
From basic algebra to advanced calculus, tailored for global curriculum standards.
Mastering communication, creative writing, and academic English for international success.
In-depth Physics, Chemistry, and Biology sessions focused on conceptual clarity.
We follow a hybrid model that integrates the best of Cambridge, IB, and Common Core standards to ensure students are competitive globally.
Ecksmiee Classes was founded on the belief that high-quality education should be accessible regardless of geography. Our tutors are experts in their fields, bringing years of classroom experience into a modern digital environment.
10k+
Classes Taught
98%
Success Rate
Have questions about our trial sessions or pricing? Our team is ready to help you start your learning journey.
Global Operations, Headquartered in India
+91 91122 47987
THE VERB: TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS A Verb is a word that tells or asserts something about a person or thing.
A Verb may tell us—
(1) What a person or thing does; as,
Herry laughs.
The clock strikes.
(2) What is done to a person or thing; as,
Herry is punished.
The glass is broken.
(3) What a person or thing is; as,
The dog is dead.
Chalk is brittle.
I feel happy.
Def — A Verb is a word used to tell or assert something about some person or thing.
A Verb often consists of more than one word; as,
The girls were dancing.
He has learnt his lesson.
The books have been found.
Now, read these sentences.
In sentence 1, the action denoted by the verb kicks passes over from the doer or subject boy to some Object football. The verb kicks is, therefore, called a Transitive Verb. (Transitive means passing over.)
In sentence 2, the action denoted by the verb laughs stops with the doer or Subject boy and does not pass over to an Object. The verb laughs is, therefore, called an Intransitive Verb
(Intransitive means not passing over.).
Def—A Transitive Verb is a Verb that denotes an action which passes over from the doer or Subject to an Object.
Def—An Intransitive Verb is a Verb that denotes an action which does not pass over to an object, or which expresses a state or being; as,
He ran a short distance. (Action) The baby sleeps. (State) . There is a flaw in this diamond. (Being)
Note: Intransitive Verbs expressing being take the same cases after them as before them.
Most Transitive Verbs take a single object. But such Transitive Verbs as give, ask, offer, promise, tell, etc., take two objects after them—an Indirect Object which denotes the person to whom something is given or for whom something is done, and a Direct Object which is usually the name of something; as,
His grandfather gave him (Indirect) a watch (Direct).
She told me (Indirect) a secret (direct).
Most verbs can be used both as Transitive and as Intransitive verbs. It is, therefore, better to say that a verb is used Transitively or Intransitively rather than that it is Transitive or Intransitive.
| Used Transitively | Used Intransitively |
|---|---|
| 1.The lady fought the thieves. | 1. Some people fight very fiercely. |
| 2.The shot sank the ship. | 2. The ship sank rapidly. |
| 3. Ring the bell, Sam. | 3. The bell rang loudly. |
| 4.The driver stopped the car. | 4. The car stopped suddenly |
| 5. They spoke the truth. | 5. They spoke haughtily. |
| 6. The horse kicked him. | 6. His horse never kicks. |
| 7.I feel a severe pain in my stomach. | 7. How do you feel? |
Note: Some Verbs, e.g., come, go, fall, die, sleep, lie, denote actions which cannot be done to anything; they can, therefore, never be used Transitively.
In such a sentence as ‘He killed himself ’ where the Subject and the Object both refer to the same person, the verb is said to be used reflexively.
Sometimes, though the verb is used reflexively, the Object is not expressed.
In the following examples the reflexive pronoun understood is put in brackets.
The bubble burst [itself].
The guests made [themselves] merry.
Please keep [yourselves] quiet.
With these words she turned [herself] to the door.
They feed [themselves] chiefly on rice.
These verbs may, however, be regarded as pure Intransitives without any reflexive force whatever.
Sometimes certain verbs can be used reflexively and also as ordinary transitive verbs; as,
Do not forget her name.
I forget her name.
Acquit yourself as man.
The magistrate acquitted him of the charge against him.
I enjoy myself sitting near the sea shore.
He enjoys good wealth.
He interested himself in his friend’s welfare.
His talk does not interest us.
Name the Verbs in the following sentences, and tell in each case whether the Verb is Transitive or Intransitive. Where the Verb is Transitive name the Object.
Write five sentences containing Transitive Verbs, and five containing Intransitive Verbs.
Intransitive Verbs Used as Transitives
When an Intransitive Verb is used in a causative sense it becomes Transitive.
| Intransitive | Transitive |
|---|---|
| 1.The baby walks | 1. He walks the baby. |
| 2.The boy ran down the street. | 2. The boy ran a needle into her finger (ran a needle = caused a needle to run). |
| 3.Birds fly | 3. They fly their kites (i.e., cause their kites to fly). |
A few verbs in common use are distinguished as Transitive or Intransitive by their spelling, the Transitive being causative forms of the corresponding Intransitive verbs.
| Intransitive | Transitive |
|---|---|
| 1.Many trees fall in the monsoon | 1. Woodmen fell trees. (Fell = cause to fall) |
| 2.Lie awake. | 2. Lay the luggage there. (Lay = cause to lie) |
| 3. Rise early with the lark. | 3. Raise your hands. (Raise = cause to rise) |
| 4. Sit here. | 4. Set the candle on the table. (Set = cause to sit) |
Some Intransitive Verbs may become Transitive by having a Preposition added to them; as,
All her friends laughed at (= derided) her.
She will soon run through (= consume) her forture.
Please look into (= investigate) the matter urgently.
They talked about (= discussed) the affair several times.
Sometimes the Preposition is prefixed to the Verb; as,
He overcame the enemy.
They bravely withstood the attack.
The River overflow its banks.
Intransitive Verbs sometimes take after them an Object akin or similar in meaning to the Verb. Such an Object is called the Cognate Object or Cognate Accusative.
He has fought a good fight.
She laughed a hearty laugh.
Raj dreamt a strange dream.
She sleeps the sleep of the just.
Let me die the death of the righteous.
Riona sighed a deep sigh.
Sam sang a sweet song.
She ran a race.
The noun used as a Cognate Object is in the Accusative Case.
The following are examples of partially Cognate Objects:
They ran a great risk (= they ran a course of great risk).
The students shouted applause (= the students shouted a shout of applause).
A noun used adverbially to modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb denoting time, place, distance, weight, value etc., is called an Adverbial Object or Adverbial Accusative, and is said to be in the Accusative Case adverbially; as,
He held the post ten years.
I can’t wait a moment longer.
They went home.
She swam a mile.
He weighs seven stone.
This watch costs nine hundred rupees.
There are a few Transitive Verbs which are sometimes used as Intransitive Verbs.
| Transitive | Intransitive |
|---|---|
| 1. He broke the glass. | 1. The glass broke. |
| 2. He burnt his fingers. | 2. He burnt with shame. |
| 3. Stop her from going. | 3. We shall stop here a few days. |
| 4. Open all the windows. | 4. The shop opens at five o’clock. |