What are transitive and intransitive verbs?

DEFINITION:

A transitive verb is a verb that takes one or more objects in a clause, whereas an intransitive verb takes no objects.

Transitive Verb

A transitive verb requires one or more objects to make sense because this kind of verb describes an action happening to something. That “something” is known as the direct object of the verb.

Let’s look at an example sentence.

I took the money.

In this example, if you ask yourself what the verb took acted upon (What is the thing that was taken?), the answer is money. If the money received the action, then it is the direct object of the verb. Therefore, in this case, took is a transitive verb.

Notice the sentence with the verb took does not make any sense if we take out the object money.

~~I took.~~

Intransitive Verb

An intransitive verb does not describe an action that happens to someone or something, so it does not require an object to compete the meaning of the clause.

I slept soundly.

Here in this example, slept is the verb that describes the action of the subject I. The word soundly is an adverb that describes how the action was done. There is no object which the verb acted upon. So, slept is an intransitive verb because it can complete the idea of the sentence or clause without an object.

In fact, we can shorten the sentence even further and it still makes sense.

I slept.

Quick Tip

Some intransitive verbs appear to be transitive verbs when they are modified by prepositional phrases.

You might see some “things” after a verb and assume that the verb is transitive, but it is important to distinguish between an object of a verb or an object of a preposition.

I ran into the room.

It looks like room might be the object of the verb ran. However, room is the object of the preposition into.

In cases like these, determine if the verb affects something or someone by asking yourself “What received that action of the verb?” If the answer is “nothing” then the verb is intransitive.

Ambitransitive Verbs

It is true that verbs can be categorized as transitive or intransitive, but some verbs can be both transitive or intransitive depending on how they are used. These verbs are ambitransitive verbs.

The verb cook is an ambitransitive verb depending on how it is used.

I cook at home.

Home is the object of the preposition at. It is not the object of the verb cook. (i.e. It is not the thing that is cooked.) In this sentence, cook is an intransitive verb.

I cook dinner at home.

Dinner is the direct object of the verb cook. It is the thing that is cooked. Here, the verb cook is transitive.

Learn more about different types of verbs

Learning about different kinds of verbs can enhance your understanding of English.

Let us know what you think!

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