Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb is a type of action verb that always needs a...

• subject to perform the action.

• direct object to receive the action.

• prepositional phrase to explain where.

• linking verb to connect ideas.

Answer explanation

A transitive verb is an action verb that transfers its action to a noun or pronoun, called the direct object. An intransitive verb does not require a direct object to express a complete thought.

In the sentence 'Maria kicked the soccer ball,' which word is the direct object?

• Maria

• kicked

• soccer

• ball

Answer explanation

The direct object is 'ball' because it answers the question 'kicked what?'. The direct object receives the action of the transitive verb 'kicked'.

To check if the verb in 'She baked cookies' is transitive, which question is the most helpful to ask?

• She baked where?

• She baked why?

• She baked what?

• She baked when?

Answer explanation

Transitive verbs have a direct object that answers the question 'what?' or 'whom?' after the verb. Asking 'She baked what?' leads to the answer 'cookies,' which is the direct object.

Which sentence below follows the simple Subject-Verb (S-V) pattern of an intransitive verb?

• My cat naps.

• My cat chased the mouse.

• My cat wants food.

• My cat brought me a toy.

Answer explanation

The sentence 'My cat naps' contains only a subject ('cat') and an intransitive verb ('naps'). The other sentences all contain direct objects ('mouse', 'food', 'toy'), making their verbs transitive.

True or False: The verb 'is' in 'The sky is blue' is a transitive verb because 'blue' follows it.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The verb 'is' is a linking verb, not a transitive action verb. It connects the subject 'sky' to a subject complement 'blue,' which describes the subject, rather than transferring action to a direct object.

Which sentence has both a direct object and an indirect object?

• My dad built a birdhouse for me.

• My dad built me a birdhouse.

• My dad is a good builder.

• The birdhouse is in the backyard.

Answer explanation

This sentence is ditransitive. 'Birdhouse' is the direct object (what he built), and 'me' is the indirect object (for whom he built it). Option A uses a prepositional phrase instead of an indirect object.

The verb 'read' can be transitive or intransitive. In which sentence is 'read' used as a transitive verb?

• I like to read before bed.

• My little sister can't read yet.

• He read the entire book in one night.

• They read quietly in the library.

Answer explanation

In this sentence, 'read' is transitive because it has a direct object, 'the entire book,' which answers the question 'read what?'. In the other sentences, 'read' is used intransitively without an object.

Fill in the blank to correctly show a transitive verb with its objects: The coach taught _____.

• patiently and kindly

• after school

• because he loves baseball

• the team a new play

Answer explanation

This completes the sentence with an indirect object ('the team') and a direct object ('a new play'). The verb 'taught' is used transitively here, transferring the action to its objects.

Choose the words that make the verb 'runs' transitive: My older brother _____.

• very fast

• in the morning

• a successful online business

• every single day

Answer explanation

Here, 'runs' means 'operates' or 'manages,' and 'a successful online business' is the direct object receiving the action. The other options are adverbs or phrases that modify an intransitive 'runs' (meaning to move fast).

Your friend wants to test if the verb in 'The chef prepared the meal' is transitive by rewriting it in the passive voice. Which sentence is the correct passive form?

• The meal was delicious.

• The chef was prepared by the meal.

• The meal was prepared by the chef.

• The meal prepared the chef.

Answer explanation

To make a sentence passive, the direct object ('the meal') becomes the new subject. The original subject ('the chef') becomes the object of the preposition 'by'. This test proves 'prepared' is a transitive verb.