2.2.2.3   Transitive verbs and Intransitive verbs

 

                        Verbs are also classified by other criteria, such as transitive verbs and intransitive verbs. A
                        transitive verb is a verb that takes one or more direct objects: He eats fish. An intransitive verb
                        does not have a direct object: He died. 

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                2.2.2.3.1   Transitive verb

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                      2.2.2.3.1.1   Complete transitive verb
 

                                          The transitive verb that takes one or more direct objects to convey a complete meaning
                                          in the sentence. The sentence pattern of complete transitive verbs is: S + V + O.
 

• George eats fish.

• They are watching TV.

• He speaks Chinese.
  
                 2.2.2.3.1.2   Incomplete transitive verb
                              
                                 The incomplete transitive verb needs an object complement in addition to a direct object
                                     to complete the sentence. The sentence structure of incomplete transitive verb is:
                                     S + V + O + OC. For example:
   

• I found the story interesting. (the story = object; interesting = object complement)

• They named their child Peter. (their child = object; Peter = object complement)

• The coach appointed him the team captain. (him = object; the team captain = OC)
  
                                     Incomplete transitive verbs include:
   

• feel, hear, look at, listen to, notice, observe, perceive, see, smell, watch, bid, have, let, make, appoint, elect, name, find, consider, choose, command, count, declare, deem, expect, imagine, intend, judge, know, like, order, prefer, request, require, select, suppose, take, think, understand, want, wish…
  
                 2.2.2.3.1.3   Dative verb
                              
                                     Some transitive verbs need two objects: one direct object, another indirect object, to
                                     carry a complete sentence. These are called dative verbs. Between the two objects, the
                                     direct object refers to things, and the indirect object refers to people. For example:
   

• Mary gave Stephen a book.

• Mary gave a book to Stephen. (a book = direct object; Stephen = indirect object)

• If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank. (Woody Allen)                             

• If only God would give some clear sign to me!... (some clear sign = direct object; me = indirect object)
   

    # Grammarians also call the indirect object “the dative case.”
 

                2.2.2.3.2   Intransitive verb

                      2.2.2.3.2.1   Complete intransitive verb

                                          These verbs do not take objects and object complements.
 

• Jenny has arrived.

• Horses run.

• My heart aches.

                

                      2.2.2.3.2.2    Incomplete intransitive verb
                            

                                          Though these verbs do not take objects, they must have subject complements to
                                          complete the sentence.
 

• He looks tired. (tired = subject complement)

• She is a nurse. (a nurse = subject complement)

• The weather is getting cold. (cold = subject complement)

 

                                           Incomplete intransitive verbs include:

 

• look, is, are, am, get, grow, seem, keep, smell, prove, turn out, appear, continue, come…

                        

                      2.2.2.3.2.3    Intransitive verb + preposition + object

                                           Some intransitive verbs use a preposition to bring out an object. For example:
 

• He laughed at his own clumsiness.

• She pointed at the map.

• Peter is sitting in a chair.

     

    #  Some grammarians call this ‘preposition + object’ as ‘supplement.’)