What Are Transitive Verbs?
Transitive Verbs are the words which need a direct object to complete the action (of verb) upon that direct object. Without the direct Object the sentence seems incomplete and irrelevant. Transitive verbs are always followed by a noun or an object, on which the action is being performed or is meant to be performed. After going through examples given below, we will be easy to identify Transitive Verbs in a sentence.
> Wash the car.
> Lilly send me a nice greeting card.
> She left the door opened.
> They bought a new car.
> He is moving the table.
Go through the sentences one by one-
> Wash the car.
The verb in the above sentence is easily identifiable- ‘wash’. Would it make any sense to say just ‘wash’? No! It would be incomplete and the listener will remain confused; therefore, there must be an object on which the action is to be performed. In this case that object is ‘the car’.
Therefore, ‘wash’ is a Transitive Verb and ‘car’ is the Direct Object on which the verb is performed.
In the above sentence ‘send’ is the Transitive Verb and ‘greeting card’ is the Direct Object; since, the object Greeting card is being send (verb).
What did she left open?- The door!
Therefore, the Transitive Verb in the above sentence is ‘left’ and the direct object is ‘door’.
Transitive Verb- bought and the Direct Object is ‘New car’.
Transitive Verb in the above sentence is ‘moving’ and the direct Object is ‘table’.
All the above verbs in the sentences are Transitive because they are followed by an object which receives the action.
The verb which transfers action on an Object is called Intransitive Verb. It always has an Object to perform the action upon. Without a Direct Object the Transitive Verb becomes obsolete; having an incomplete or no meaning at all. Consider the sentence-
The verb in the subject is easily identifiable- carries.
What did he carry? The burden! So, in this case the object is ‘burden’; since it is the object on which the action is being performed.
Now, just for instance think of a sentence without the object, as given below-
Does the above sentence makes sense or does it looks incomplete? The above sentence seems incomplete as the object on which the verb- carries; being performed is missing.
Therefore the sentence to be meaningful, the verb- ‘carries’ has to be followed by a Direct Object- the burden. Therefore, ‘carries’ is the Transitive Verb, as it cannot stand alone without an Object.
Take, refuse, carry, paint, kick, want, send, write, buy, make, leave, show, ask, clean, collect, define, destroy, scold, slam, accept, appreciate, avoid, build, bother, vacate, wake, wear, warm, throw, threaten, unload, twist, unlock, open, close, shake, grab, save, gather, embrace, encourage, entertain, discover, beat, believe, bend, comfort, contradict etc.
There could be numerous more examples of Transitive Verbs. Think about them and form new sentences using Transitive Verbs.
More Examples of Transitive Verbs
Below we will go through some more example sentences having Transitive Verbs-
Note- The Tense Form of the verb is to be chosen based on the time of the action being performed. i.e. take, took, taken etc can be used as Transitive Verbs, depending on the statement.
In all the above sentences the verb cannot stand alone without an object. Therefore it is a Transitive Verb.
Complex Transitive Verbs are the verbs having two objects unlike the Transitive Verbs which take a single object. For Ex-
In the sentence ‘bought’ is a Transitive Verb which refers to the object ‘a car’. Now go through another sentence-
The above sentence has two objects- ‘her’ and ‘a car’.
The object immediately following the Transitive Verb is called the Indirect Object. In which case ‘her’ becomes the Indirect Object of the above sentence. The above sentence therefore has-
Some More Examples of Complex Transitive Verbs/Transitive Verbs With Two Objects
There are few verbs that can be used as Transitive Verbs with single object as well as with Double Objects. Verbs that can be used with Double Objects are- ask, owe, lend, tell, make, sell, buy, offer, promise and give.
Below we will go through some more example sentences having Transitive Verbs with two objects-
In all the above sentences the Transitive Verb is followed first by the Indirect Object and then the Direct Object.
All the above sentences can also be written with the Direct Object immediately after the Transitive Verb, but in that case we have to place the prepositions ‘to’ and ‘for’ before the Indirect Object. The above sentences are rewritten below; this time the Direct Object is written first followed by the Indirect Object.
Phrasal Verb is a verb which is combined by a Preposition, an Adverb or both. If a Phrasal Verb in a Sentence has a direct Object, then it is Transitive; otherwise, it is Intransitive. Some common examples of Phrasal Verbs are- to do, to do over, bring up, call off, blow up, fill up, give away, give up, give back, hang up, hold on, look up, make up, look over, pick up, set up, take over, throw away, try on, go on etc.
Below given are some examples of Phrasal Verbs as Transitive Verbs-
The following points must be kept in mind before zeroing in on Transitive Verbs-
1) Transitive Verbs are action Verbs.
Transitive Verbs are always Action Verbs; that is, they always perform an action. For ex- sell, buy, give, kick, beta, open, close etc.
2) Transitive Verbs are always followed by a Direct Object, on which the action is intended.
If the verb is followed by a Direct Object on which the action is being performed, then the verb is Transitive Verb. For Ex-
In the above sentences – kicked, swiped and drove; respectively are Transitive Verbs as they are followed by a Direct Object on which the action (Verb) is performed.
3) If there is no Direct Object then the Verb becomes Intransitive (which we will discuss in next Chapter).
If there is no Direct Object on which the action is being performed, then the Verb is an ‘Intransitive Verb’. For Ex-
The above sentences don’t have a Direct Object so, kicked, sold, played are Intransitive Verbs.
MCQ Exercises/Worksheets/Activities on Transitive Verbs with Answers:
Choose the correct answer from the choices given with every question. Read the question and the sentences given carefully and choose the options those are correct. It should be kept in mind that the verbs not having a Direct Object are Intransitive. Check your Answers with the answers provided in the end of the exercise.
1) In the sentence ‘The train has arrived’;
2) In the statement- ‘I will solve this equation’.
3) In the sentence- ‘The dog barked.’
4) She dropped her phone while talking.
5) In the sentence-‘Please don’t laugh.’
6) In the sentence- ‘Open the box’
7) In the sentence- ‘The rain is falling’
8) In the sentence-‘She swam in the river.’
9) In the sentence-‘Complete your homework.’
10) In the sentence ‘He behaves politely’
11) He can ride any bike.
12) In the sentence-‘Ride the horse’.
13) In the sentence- ‘Rocky unlocked the door for him.’
14) “He blew up the project because of a silly mistake”
In the above sentence-
15) In the sentence-‘He gave the book to his friend’
b)’Book’ is the Direct Object
Answers– 1)b, 2)a, 3)b,c, 4)a,b, 5)c, 6)b, 7)a, 8)b, 9)a,c, 10)c, 11)a,b, 12)a, 13)a,c, 14)a, 15)a,b,c
Complex Transitive Verbs Exercises/Worksheet/Activities with Answers:
For the sentences given, choose the true statement from the choices provided. Check your answer with the answers provided in the end of the exercise.
1) He sold him the car.
2) He asked her for a leave.
3) What is the Indirect Object in the sentence: ‘She made a bouquet for him.’
4) ‘She sold her car to the dealer.
5)’ He offered a pen to her’.
The sentence can also be correctly written as
6) Rocky has lend some money to Oliver.
7) The manager promised me a raise.
8) ‘She told the children a good story.’
What is the Indirect Object in the above sentence?
9) ‘They bought a tent house for the children.’
What is the Direct Object in the above sentence-?
10)’ He owes money to the contractor.’
What is the Complex Transitive Verb in the above sentence-?
Answers– 1)a,b,c, 2)b, 3)c, 4)a,b,c, 5)a, 6)a,b,c, 7)b, 8)a, 9)a, 10)c
Phrasal Verbs Exercises/Worksheet/Activities With Answers:
Complete the following sentences with appropriate Phrasal Verbs from the choices give. Verify your answers with the answers provided in the end of the exercise.
1) I was asked to __________ the matter during weekly meeting.
2) The government _________ the curfew after two days.
3) Authorities are __________ new schools under the ‘Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan’.
4) He was ___________ the bottle when it slipped.
5) He _________ all his money to charity.
6) They __________ the unnecessary things.
7) He _________ the book to her.
8) The bank ________ his assets.
9) They _______ their chance to win.
10) Never _________ the money thrown at you.
Answers- 1)b, 2)b, 3)b, 4)b, 5)a, 6)b, 7)a, 8)b, 9)a, 10)b
Related Information:
Verb
Regular Verb
Irregular Verb
Subject-Verb Agreement
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Intransitive Verbs
Nonfinite Verb
Finite Verb
Stative Verb
Dynamic Verb
Auxiliary Verb
Lexical Verb