Table of Contents
What Are Intransitive Verbs?
Intransitive verbs are action verbs that do not require a direct object to complete their meaning. Unlike transitive verbs, which transfer their action to a noun or pronoun (the direct object), intransitive verbs can stand alone and still convey a complete idea. For example, in the sentence “He runs,” the verb “runs” does not act on an object; it simply describes what the subject is doing. Understanding intransitive verbs is essential for building clear and grammatically correct sentences in English.
Taking a Direct Object
To clarify the concept of direct objects: a direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object, while transitive verbs do.
Examples:
She kicked the ball.
- In this sentence, “kicked” is a transitive verb, and “the ball” is the direct object that receives the action of the verb.
He read the book
- Here, “read” is a transitive verb, and “the book” is the direct object that is being read.
They built a sandcastle
- In this case, “built” is a transitive verb, and “a sandcastle” is the direct object that is being built.
Identification
Identifying intransitive verbs is straightforward. You can look for verbs that do not have a direct object following them. A direct object answers the questions “what?” or “whom?” about the verb. If the verb can stand alone and convey a complete idea without needing an object, it is likely intransitive.
Example:
- Intransitive: “The baby cried.” (There is no object; the action is complete.)
- Transitive: “She kicked the ball.” (Here, “ball” is the object that answers the question “what?”)
Additional Examples:
- “The children laughed.” (No object is present; “laughed” is complete.)
- “He arrived early.” (The verb “arrived” stands alone without an object.)
How to Use Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs can be used in various ways in a sentence. While they may be accompanied by adverbs or prepositional phrases to provide more context, they will never require a direct object.
Examples of Usage:
- She sings beautifully.
(Here, beautifully is an adverb modifying sings.)
- They ran through the park.
(The phrase through the park gives more information about where they ran, but there is no direct object.)
Additional Examples:
- The dog barked loudly.
(The adverb loudly describes how the dog barked.) - He slept well last night.
(The phrase well last night describes the manner and time of his sleep.)
Transitive Verbs vs. Intransitive Verbs
The key difference between transitive and intransitive verbs lies in the presence of a direct object.
Transitive Verbs:
Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning. They transfer the action from the subject to the object.
Examples:
- She wrote a letter.
(Here, “letter” is the direct object receiving the action of writing.) - He played the guitar.
(The object guitar answers the question what?)
Intransitive Verbs:
Intransitive verbs do not require an object. The action is complete without needing to act upon anything.
Examples:
- The baby cried.
(There is no object needed; “cried” is a complete action.) - The train arrived.
(No object is present; arrived conveys the full idea.)
Summary Comparison:
| Transitive Verbs | Intransitive Verbs |
|---|---|
| Requires a direct object | Does not require a direct object |
| “She kicked the ball.” | “He sneezed.” |
| “They made a cake.” | “The sun shines.” |
Rules for Using Intransitive Verbs
No Direct Object:
Intransitive verbs do not have a direct object.
- Correct: She sleeps.” (No object required)
- Incorrect: She sleeps the whole day. (Misuse of direct object)
Followed by Modifiers:
They may be followed by adverbs or prepositional phrases but not direct objects.
He arrived early. (The adverb early modifies the verb.)
Cannot Be Passive:
Intransitive verbs do not have a passive form.
- He sneezed. cannot become “Was sneezed by him.”
Describing Actions or States:
Intransitive verbs often describe actions or states without involving objects.
- The sun shines.” (The action is clear without needing an object.)
Common Mistakes
Many learners confuse intransitive verbs with transitive verbs, leading to errors. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Confusing with Transitive Verbs:
- Incorrect: She danced the waltz. (Needs a direct object)
- Correct: She danced. (The verb stands alone.)
Using Direct Objects:
- Incorrect: He slept the whole day. (Misuse of direct object)
- Correct: He slept. (No direct object required.)
Neglecting Subject-Verb Agreement:
- Incorrect: The group were happy.
(The verb does not agree with the singular subject.) - Correct: The group was happy. (The verb agrees with the singular noun group.)
Overcomplicating Sentences:
- Incorrect: He ran very fast on the track. (Unnecessary adverb.)
- Correct: He ran on the track. (Clear and concise.)
Example Sentences with Intransitive Verbs
- The baby cried loudly.
- They arrived early for the meeting.
- The dog barked at the stranger.
- She laughed at the funny joke.
- He sneezed unexpectedly.
- The flowers bloomed in spring.
- She swam in the ocean.
- They waited patiently for their turn.
- The kids played outside until dark.
- He sat quietly in the corner.
Intransitive Verbs Cannot Be Used in Passive Voice
Intransitive verbs do not have direct objects, meaning there is nothing to turn into the subject of a passive sentence. The action is complete without affecting another object, making them incompatible with passive voice.
He slept peacefully. ✅
Was slept peacefully by him. ❌
They laughed at the joke. ✅
Was laughed by them at the joke. ❌
She cried during the movie. ✅
Was cried during the movie by her. ❌
The dog barked loudly. ✅
Was barked loudly by the dog. ❌
He danced gracefully. ✅
Was danced gracefully by him. ❌
The flowers bloomed in spring. ✅
Were bloomed in spring by the flowers. ❌
She swam in the ocean. ✅
Was swum in the ocean by her. ❌
They waited patiently for their turn. ✅
Were waited for their turn by them. ❌
The baby slept through the night. ✅
Was slept through the night by the baby. ❌
He sneezed suddenly. ✅
Was sneezed suddenly by him. ❌
Why Intransitive Verbs Are Important
Even if native speakers are unaware of the terms “transitive” or “intransitive” verbs, they use them correctly. However, grasping these concepts is helpful for discussing verbs, direct objects, and indirect objects, especially when learning or teaching a foreign language.
Key Point: A transitive verb requires an object to complete its meaning, while an intransitive verb only involves the subject and does not need an object.
Verbs That Can Be Transitive or Intransitive
Some verbs can function as both transitive and intransitive, depending on the context. Here’s how they work, along with examples:
1. Run
Transitive: She ran a marathon.
In this sentence, ran has the direct object marathon.
Intransitive: He ran yesterday.
Here, ran does not have a direct object.
2. Play
Transitive: They played a game.
Played takes the direct object game.
Intransitive: The children played for hours.
In this case, played does not require an object.
3. Eat
Transitive: She ate an apple.
Ate has the direct object apple.
Intransitive: He ate quickly.
Here, ate stands alone without an object.
4. Sing
Transitive: She sang a beautiful song.
Sang takes song as its object.
Intransitive: He sang loudly.
In this case, sang does not require an object.
5.Walk
Transitive: She walked the dog.
Walked takes dog as its object.
Intransitive: He walked for an hour.
In this case, walked does not require an object.
- Change
Transitive: He changed the tire.
Changed has the direct object tire.
Intransitive: She changed overnight.
Here, changed stands alone.
- Look
Transitive: She looked the word up.
Looked takes word as its object.
Intransitive: He looked around.
In this instance, looked does not have an object.
- Dance
Transitive: They danced the waltz.
Danced has the object waltz.
Intransitive: She danced gracefully.
Here, danced does not require an object.
- Grow
Transitive: They grew vegetables.
Grew takes vegetables as its object.
Intransitive: The plant grew quickly.
In this example, grew stands alone without an object.
- Drive
Transitive: He drove his car.
Drove has the direct object car.
Intransitive: She drove carefully.
Here, drove does not have an object.
- Help
Transitive: She helped her friend.
Helped takes friend as its object.
Intransitive: He helped.
In this case, helped does not require an object.
- Stop
Transitive: He stopped the car.
Stopped has the object car.
Intransitive: They stopped suddenly.
Here, stopped does not require an object.
- Fall
Transitive: The tree fell the branches.
Fell acts as transitive with branches as the object.
Intransitive: She fell.
In this case, fell stands alone.
- Call
Transitive: I called her yesterday.
Called takes her as the object.
Intransitive: He called out.
Here, called does not have an object.
- Bark
Transitive: The dog barked a warning.
Barked acts as a transitive verb with warning.
Intransitive: The dog barked loudly.
In this case, barked does not require an object.
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