Did you realize that some verbs are to act with an object? These are called transitive verbs and are significant for connecting actions to their targets in sentences. Let’s explore what transitive verbs are and how they work.
What is a Transitive Verb?
A transitive verb is an action verb that must have a direct object to make sense. It means they need something (a noun or pronoun) to act upon. For example, in the sentence “She kicked the ball,” the verb “kicked” is transitive because it acts on the object “ball.”
Examples of Transitive Verbs:
- Give: “He gave her a gift.”
- Make: “They made a cake.”
- Tell: “She told him a story.”
Now, we will know why transitive verbs are so important.
Why Are Transitive Verbs So Important?
These verbs establish a connection between the action of a verb and its object. Without a direct object, the meaning can feel incomplete. For example, “He reads” does not convey what he reads, but if “He reads a book,” it is clear that the transitive verb connects “reads” to “book.”
Identifying Transitive Verbs
You can test transitive verbs by asking if the verb needs an object. If yes, then it is transitive.
One test to determine whether a verb is transitive or not:
Ask the questions “what?” or “whom?“ after the verb. So, if one of the answers to those questions you will find in the verb, it means it is a transitive verb. To illustrate this further, here are a few examples:
- She read a book.
- Ask: She read what?
- Answer: a book.
- In this sentence, “read“ is a transitive verb because it acts directly on the object “book.”
- He kicked the ball.
- Ask: He kicked what?
- Answer: the ball.
- Here, “kicked“ is transitive since it transfers the action to the object “ball.”
- They built a house.
- Ask: They built what?
- Answer: a house.
- In this case, “built“ is a transitive verb because it has the object “house.”
Examples of Transitive Verbs in real life
You probably use transitive verbs in your daily life without even thinking about it:
- At Work: “The manager approved the project.” (“approved” requires an object)
- At Home: “We watched a movie together.” (“watched” requires an object)
- In Conversations: “He fixed the car.” (“fixed” requires an object)
Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs
Transitive Verbs
Intransitive Verbs
Don’t confuse transitive verbs with intransitive verbs. Intransitive verbs don’t need an object. For example, in “She sleeps,” the verb “sleeps” is intransitive because it doesn’t act on an object. On the other hand, “She sleeps soundly” the verb “sleeps” is also intransitive but includes additional information.
By understanding transitive and intransitive verbs, you can create more transparent and effective sentences.
