LESSON 2: TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS

One set of terms used to describe verbs is transitive and intransitive.

• Transitive verbs convey a sense of action and the sentence identifies whom or what the subject addresses.
• Transitive verbs convey a sense of action and the sentence identifies whom or what the subject addresses. 

Tom kicked the ball. 

 

 

The verb is kicked. 

The verb conveys a sense of action, and the sentence reveals what Tom kicked.

The principal punished him. 

 

 

The verb is punished. 

The verb conveys a sense of action, and the sentence indicates whom the principal punished. 

 

 

 

An action verb can be transitive or it can be intransitive. 


Consider the following examples.

I parked the car. 

 

The verb conveys a sense of action, and the sentence indicates what I parked. 

The verb is transitive.

I parked bravely. The verb conveys a sense of action, but the sentence indicates how I parked. The verb is intransitive.

I parked yesterday. The verb conveys a sense of action, but the sentence indicates when I parked. The verb is intransitive.

I parked there. The verb conveys a sense of action, but the sentence indicates where I parked. The verb is intransitive. 

 

 

 

Some sentences convey a complete thought utilizing only a subject and a verb. 


Consider the following example.

Birds fly.

 

The sentence constitutes a complete thought, one that must have teased the imaginations of dreamers for centuries.

 

"Birds fly. Why, oh why, can't I?" 

The verb conveys a sense of action, but does not require an object. 

 

The verb is intransitive because it is not necessary to relate the subject's action to an object. 

 

Transitive verbs have objects; intransitive verbs do not have objects.

The verb be is intransitive because the verb does not convey a sense of action.

The words is, am, are, was, were, and been are forms of the verb be.


The following sentences are composed with intransitive verbs that convey a sense of state, do not convey a sense of action, and do not require an object.

 

 

 

• Thomas is slovenly.
• I am hungry.
• Malaysians are generous.
• Summer was short.
• The students were rowdy.
• We have been there. 

Archaically, some people used the verb be to express present tense.

Example: I be going to the circus.


We now use the verb am.

Example: I am going to the circus.


The following sentence causes some controversy.

The sentence is correct. Why is the sentence correct?

It is I.

The prounoun I is nominative case.

The prounoun me is objective case.

The verb is, a form of the verb be, does not take an object, and therefore, the pronoun cannot be in the objective case.


Casual conversation produces, It's me, but that is not grammatically correct.