Transitive and Intransitive verbs

Kinds of Verbs The writer needs to understand 2 kinds of verbs: transitive verbs, intransitive verbs.

What are transitive verbs? Transitive verbs take objects. That is, these verbs carry the action of a subject and apply it to an object. They tells us what the subject (agent) does to something else (object). Examples: He bought a shirt. (agent) (did something) (object- answers the question "what?") She brushes her hair every hour. Marina will lose the race. Note that the transitive verb can take any tense.

What are intransitive verbs? Intransitive verbs do not take an object; they express actions that do not require the agent's doing something to something else. Examples: Tom danced. The intransitive verb "danced" is a complete action by itself and does not require a direct object to receive the action. They ran down the road. They ran, but they do not run "something" in this sentence. The sentence contains no object. Jack fell on the rocks in the alley. Tip: Some verbs can function as both transitive and intransitive verbs. Example: intransitive: She dances. transitive: She dances the rhumba. http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/eduweb/grammar/course/speech/1_3b.htm