3.7: TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS

Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs

Verb Type	Definition	Structure	Examples
Transitive Verb	A verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The action is transferred to something or someone.	Subject + Verb + Direct Object	• She reads books. • I bought a car. • They love pizza.
Intransitive Verb	A verb that does not require a direct object. The action does not transfer to anyone or anything.	Subject + Verb	• The baby smiled. • Birds fly. • He arrived yesterday.

Quick Test: Ask "What?" or "Whom?"

Transitive: You can ask "what?" or "whom?" after the verb and get an answer (the direct object).

• She reads what? → books ✓
• I bought what? → a car ✓
• He called whom? → his mother ✓
• We will meet whom? → the manager ✓

Intransitive: You cannot ask "what?" or "whom?" and get a meaningful answer.

• The baby smiled what? → No answer ✗
• Birds fly what? → No answer ✗

Verbs That Can Be Both Transitive and Intransitive
Transitive Use (with direct object)	Intransitive Use (without direct object)
She sings songs.	She sings beautifully.
I read the newspaper.	I read every day.
He writes novels.	He writes for a living.
They run a business.	They run every morning.
We grow vegetables.	Children grow quickly.

Common Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Common Transitive Verbs (Always require a direct object)

Common Intransitive Verbs (Never take a direct object)

bring - She brought a gift. buy - I bought a new phone. carry - He carried the boxes. catch - They caught the ball. find - We found the keys. get - She got a promotion. give - He gave a speech. have - They have three children. hear - I heard the news. help - Can you help me? like - I like coffee. love - They love music. make - She makes jewelry. need - We need help. put - Put it on the table. see - Did you see that movie? take - Take your time. tell - Tell me a story. want - I want pizza. watch - We watched the game.

agree - I agree with you. appear - He appeared suddenly. arrive - They arrived late. come - Come here! cry - The baby is crying. die - The plant died. disappear - The sun disappeared. exist - Dragons don't exist. fall - Leaves fall in autumn. go - Let's go! happen - What happened? laugh - Everyone laughed. lie - The dog lies on the floor. listen - Listen carefully. live - She lives in Paris. occur - The accident occurred yesterday. remain - Please remain seated. rise - The sun rises in the east. sit - Sit down, please. sleep - He sleeps soundly. smile - She smiled. stand - Stand up! wait - Wait here. walk - We walked for hours.

Important Note

Some intransitive verbs can be followed by prepositional phrases (like "in Paris" or "on the floor"), but these are NOT direct objects. The preposition creates an indirect relationship rather than a direct one.

Common Verbs That Can Be Both Transitive and Intransitive
Verb	Transitive Example	Intransitive Example
begin	She began the project.	The meeting begins at 9 AM.
break	He broke the vase.	The glass broke easily.
change	I changed my mind.	Things change over time.
close	Please close the door.	The store closes at 8 PM.
continue	They continued the discussion.	The rain continued all day.
cook	She cooks dinner every night.	He cooks well.
drive	I drive a Honda.	She drives carefully.
end	Let's end this argument.	The movie ends at 10 PM.
fly	He flies planes.	Birds fly south in winter.
grow	We grow tomatoes.	Children grow quickly.
improve	He improved his skills.	Her health improved.
move	Move your car, please.	We're moving next month.
open	Open the window.	The store opens at 9 AM.
play	She plays the piano.	The children play outside.
read	I read the newspaper.	I read every day.
run	They run a business.	They run every morning.
sing	She sings songs.	She sings beautifully.
start	Start the car.	The class starts at 10 AM.
stop	Stop the noise!	The bus stopped.
study	I study English.	I study at the library.
turn	Turn the page.	The car turned left.
wash	Wash your hands.	This fabric washes well.
write	He writes novels.	He writes for a living.