Question

How do you identify transitive and intransitive verbs?

Answer 1

Hint:A verb is a word that describes an action being taken place in a sentence by a subject. In simpler words, a verb is an action word. Example: Mary ran all the way to her school. In the given sentence, the verb ‘ran’ describes the action by Mary. We will learn to identify transitive and intransitive verbs in the complete answer below.

Complete answer:
Let us discuss what are transitive and intransitive verbs and how to identify them.

Transitive verbs are the verbs that have an object. Their action is transferred from the subject to the object. Transitive verbs can be both active or passive. Some transitive verbs have one object, while some have two objects. Example: He kicked the ball.
Example: Miah sang the song.
Transitive verbs don't provide full information if they are alone.
Example: Maddy climbed up the highest cliff.
Vs.
Example: Maddy climbed.

Intransitive verbs are without an object. Their action is not transferred from the subject to something else. Example: She cried. Example: He fainted.
Example: Our car broke down.
Intransitive verbs make sense even when they are alone. Example: ran.

We identify transitive and intransitive verbs simply on the basis of the presence of a direct object. Example: Ryan complained to the teacher. (Presence of object, therefore transitive verb). The object teacher takes up the action of the verb ‘complaint’.
Example: Ryan complains frequently. (Absence of object, therefore intransitive verb). There is no object present to take up the action of the verb ‘complaint’.

Note:All verbs in a sentence have a subject that is, the person or thing that "does" the action. The real difference between intransitive and transitive verbs lies in the fact that whether or not they have an object that is, the person or thing that "gets" the action.