Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

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What is a transitive verb?

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A transitive verb is an action verb that requires one or more objects to complete its meaning. For example, in the sentence 'She kicked the ball,' 'kicked' is a transitive verb because it has an object, 'the ball.'

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What is an intransitive verb?

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An intransitive verb is an action verb that does not require an object to complete its meaning. For example, in the sentence 'He sleeps,' 'sleeps' is an intransitive verb because it does not have an object.

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Identify the verb: 'The orchestra performed one of Mozart's symphonies last night.' Is it transitive or intransitive?

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Transitive. The verb 'performed' has an object, 'one of Mozart's symphonies.'

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Identify the verb: 'Mrs. Lombard grades papers very harshly for grammar errors.' Is it transitive or intransitive?

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Transitive. The verb 'grades' has an object, 'papers.'

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Identify the verb: 'Trey napped in the hammock since it was a beautiful sunny day.' Is it transitive or intransitive?

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Intransitive. The verb 'napped' does not have an object.

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Identify the verb: 'Bianca painted the bookshelf with beige and green paint.' Is it transitive or intransitive?

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Transitive. The verb 'painted' has an object, 'the bookshelf.'

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Identify the verb: 'The volcano erupted with a violent explosion.' Is it transitive or intransitive?

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Intransitive. The verb 'erupted' does not have an object.

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What is an example of a sentence with a transitive verb?

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An example is 'She read the book.' The verb 'read' is transitive because it has the object 'the book.'

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What is an example of a sentence with an intransitive verb?

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An example is 'The dog barked loudly.' The verb 'barked' is intransitive because it does not have an object.

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Can a verb be both transitive and intransitive?

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Yes, some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on how they are used in a sentence. For example, 'He runs' (intransitive) vs. 'He runs a marathon' (transitive).