1. Transitive/Intransitive Verbs
Module 4
Examples from:

2. A few definitions
Transitive – verbs that have subjects or objects that receive the action. They are either active or passive (this is usually called voice)
Intransitive – verbs that have no receiver of the action. They are either complete or linking.
Linking verbs – also called state-of-being verbs
(am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been); some others like seem, smell, grow depending on usage.

3. Transitive Active Verbs
These verbs have a direct object (noun/pronoun) that receives the action of the verb.
The hikers reached the mountain by nightfall.
What was reached?
They prepared their own meals that night.
What was prepared?
Last week the family painted the house.
What was painted?

4. Transitive Passive
In these sentences the subject of the sentence receives the action. Note that each sentence has a helping verb.
Yesterday Grandma was hit by a car.
What/who was hit?
My former classmates were seen at the reunion.
What/who were seen?
The lamp for the study was broken on the way home.
What/who was broken?

5. Intransitive Linking Verbs
These verbs link the subject to a predicate nominative or a predicate adjective.
The radio was my favorite gift at Christmas.
Note that the subject and object can be reversed without affecting the meaning of the sentence.
My favorite gift at Christmas was the radio.
Jay will be the winner of most games.
The meal tasted wonderful to everyone.
Note that tasted can also be a transitive verb.
The chef tasted the soup before serving it to customers.
What is being tasted?

6. Intransitive Complete
These are all the verbs that don’t fit into the other classifications. Generally, nothing is receiving action. They are often followed by a prepositional phrase.
Mother looked for her lost shoes.
The sea waves lapped at the levy.
There are many desserts for the party
Note that there is a pronoun that introduces the subject.
Many desserts are for the party. (sounds awkward)

7. Practice Directions Use the white boards and markers
Read each sentence.
Write which verb type you think is present (DON’T SHARE)!
When asked, hold up your board, so that I can see your answers.
Then I’ll reveal the correct answer and why.

8. We started our new lessons today.

9. We started our new lessons today
We started our new lessons today. Transitive active lessons is the direct object

10. The game started at noon.

11. The game started at noon
The game started at noon. Intransitive complete No receiver of the action

12. Mr. Paul is our math teacher.

13. Mr. Paul is our math teacher
Mr. Paul is our math teacher. Intransitive linking teacher is a predicate nominative

14. The relish tray was done by the two sisters.

15. The relish tray was done by the two sisters
The relish tray was done by the two sisters. Transitive passive tray is the receiver of the action and the subject

16. The meal is now complete.

17. The meal is now complete
The meal is now complete. Intransitive linking complete is the predicate adjective