Lesson 120 - 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 radio was my favorite gift at Christmas.

2. Jay will be the winner of the most games.

3. The meal tasted wonderful to everyone.

4. The furniture should be early American style for this room.

5. Gomer Pyle's favorite expression was "Golly!".

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The radio was my favorite gift at Christmas.

    - intransitive linking (gift is a predicate nominative)

2. Jay will be the winner of the most games.

    - intransitive linking (winner is a predicate nominative)

3. The meal tasted wonderful to everyone.

    - intransitive linking (wonderful is a predicate nominative)

4. The furniture should be early American style for this room.

    - intransitive linking (style is a predicate nominative)

5. Gomer Pyle's favorite expression was "Golly!".

    - intransitive linking (Golly is a predicate nominative)

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.