Lesson 116 - Parts of the Sentence - Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

View lesson on Daily Grammar

 

Transitive verbs are verbs that have subjects or objects that receive the action. They are either active voice or passive voice.  

 

Transitive active verbs are the verbs in sentences with a direct object. The subject is the doer and the direct object is the receiver of the action.

 

Example: 

The boy kicked the ball.   

 

Transitive passive verbs have the subject receiving the action with the doer in a prepositional phrase or omitted in the sentence. The verb in the transitive passive voice always has is, am, are, was, were, be, being, or been as an auxiliary or helping verb.

 

Examples: 

The ball was kicked by the boy. 

The ball was kicked hard.

Intransitive verbs have no receiver of the action. They are classified as intransitive complete or intransitive linking. 

 

Intransitive linking are sentences with a predicate nominative or predicate adjective. 

 

Examples: 

The girl is Mary. (predicate nominative) 

The girl is cute. (predicate adjective) 

 

Intransitive complete are all the verbs that don't fit one of the other kinds of transitive or intransitive verbs. 

 

Examples: 

The bell rang suddenly. 

The girl knitted all evening. (There is no receiver of the action.) 

They were here. (no action or predicate nominative or predicate adjective)

 

Instructions: Tell whether the verbs in the following sentences are transitive active, transitive passive, intransitive linking, or intransitive complete.

1. The stadium roared with the cheers of the fans.

2. Bill was the captain of the ship.

3. A new dress will be needed for the dance.

4. Did Rulon forget his new title?

5. Chris has a new digital camera!

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The stadium roared with the cheers of the fans.

    - intransitive complete (no receiver of the action)

2. Bill was the captain of the ship.

    - intransitive linking (captain - predicate nominative)

3. A new dress will be needed for the dance.

    - transitive passive (passive voice, dress receives the action, doer omitted)

4. Did Rulon forget his new title?

    - transitive active (title receives the action and is the direct object)

5. Chris has a new digital camera!

    - transitive active (camera receives the action and is the direct object)

Next Lesson
 

For your convenience, all of our lessons are available on our website in our lesson archive. Our lessons are also available to purchase in an eBook and a workbook format.