Please experts help me. How to differentiate between transitive and intransitive verbs.

Please give the answer as fast as possible because i have my SA - 2 exam of English on Monday.

A transitive verb is a verb that denotes an action which passes over from the doer or subject to an object.

Example: The mother fed the baby;

He filled up the form;

They enjoyed the party, etc.

An intransitive verb denotes an action which does not pass over to an object, or which expresses a state or being, such as:

He ran a long distance;

The balloon burst in the sky;

Please keep quiet, etc.


 

A matter needs to be noted here that 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. 


 

Hope this explanation helps you differentiate between both now!

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Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb, used with a direct object, transmits action to an object and may also have an indirect object, which indicates to or for whom the action is done. In contrast, an intransitive verb never takes an object.

Transitive verbs

A transitive verb takes a direct object; that is, the verb transmits action to an object.

  • He sent the letter. ( letter = direct object of sent)
    She gave the lecture. ( lecture = direct object of gave)

In these sentences, something is being done to an object.

A transitive verb can also have an indirect object that precedes the direct object. The indirect object tells to or for whom the action is done, although the words to and for are not used. In the following examples, notice the difference between the direct and indirect objects.

The direct object ( letter) receives the action ( sent). The indirect object ( Robert) is the person to whom the letter is sent.

  • He sent Robert the letter.

The direct object ( lecture) receives the action ( gave). The indirect object ( class) is the group to whom the lecture is given.

  • She gave her class the lecture.

Learn to recognize words that are direct and indirect objects of verbs. When these words are pronouns, they must be in the objective case.

Intransitive verbs

An intransitive verb does not take an object.

  • She sleeps too much.
    He complains frequently.

In these sentences, nothing receives the action of the verbs sleep and complain.

Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

She sings every day. (no object = intransitive)
She sings rock 'n' roll tunes. ( rock 'n' roll tunes receives the action of sings = transitive)

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