6th Grade: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

6th Grade: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

To understand what transitive and intransitive verbs are, it's first necessary to understand what the object of a verb is.

Take a look at these two simple sentences:

My mother likes tea.

My mother laughed.

Examples Explained...

• 'My mother' is the subject in both sentences. In the first sentence 'like' is the verb and 'tea' is its object. As a result, 'like' is a transitive verb because it has an object.

• In the second sentence, the verb is 'laughed.' It has no object and is therefore an intransitive verb.

So, we have the following definitions:

A transitive verb has an object.

An intransitive verb has NO object.

Transitive Verbs

• it ALWAYS has an object (which can be a noun/pronoun)

• the transitive verb transfers (or sends) the action to the direct object

• examples:

• You added the totals incorrectly.

• Please carry the books for me.

• Tom sold his house.

• He sold it.

Intransitive Verbs

• it NEVER has an object

• it does NOT need to transfer action on an object in order for the sentence to make sense

• examples:

• The man appeared.

• I sneezed.

• You study hard.

• Mrs. Shells laughed very loudly.

Many verbs can be transitive and intransitive, so to recognize the type of verb it is, you must look at other parts of the sentence.

Ex.:

I walked.

I walked the dogs.

Joseph drives.

Joseph drives a large truck.

Multiple Choice

Transitive verbs have a direct object

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Intransitive verbs have no direct object.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Verbs can change between transitive and intransitive depending on the context of the sentence.

• True

• False

• Wait, what?

• Mrs. Shells this is too hard.

Multiple Choice

Dad cooked hamburgers and hot dogs.

• Transitive

• Intransitive

Multiple Choice

The workmen have been painting for hours.

• Intransitive

• Transitive

Multiple Choice

Is the verb in this sentence transitive or intransitive?

I walked to the park yesterday morning.

• Transitive

• Intransitive

Multiple Choice

His friend Deborah baked him a chocolate cake.

• Transitive

• Intransitive

Poll

Rate your understanding on today's lesson:

• I understand and can work on this topic! 😄

• I sort of understand and can try to do practice work. 😏

• I sort of understand but I need more examples before I do any work. 🥴

• I don't understand at all! 😰