1. Transitive Or Intransitive
Action Verbs
Transitive Or Intransitive

2. Transitive Verbs
A transitive verb moves or transfers the action of the verb to a noun or pronoun in the predicate.
Ex. 1 My uncle repairs radios.
The transitive verb is repairs, and repairs is transferring action to radios.
Ex. 2 The boy threw the ball.
The transitive verb is threw, and threw is transferring action to the ball.

3. Direct Objects
The object (noun or pronoun) in the predicate to which the action of the verb is directed.
Answers the question Whom? or What? after the action verb.
Ex. 1 The family planted flowers.
Planted What?
DO= flowers
Ex. 2 They planted a garden by the fence.
DO= garden

4. Intransitive Verbs Ex. Colby claps loudly when the actors perform.
If your sentence does not have a direct object…
the verb is intransitive.
All this means is that there is NO action being transferred
Ex. Colby claps loudly when the actors perform.
Claps What?
Claps Whom?

5. Indirect Objects
A noun or pronoun located between the verb and direct object. It indirectly receives the action of the verb. The indirect object tells
To Whom or For Whom? or
To What or For What?
**These questions MUST be asked after located the DO
Ex. 1 The waiter gave her a plate.
To whom?
IO= her
Ex. 2 Pam left the waiter a tip.
For Whom?
IO= waiter

6. Important!!! The indirect object is never in a prepositional phrase…
Ex. Vinnie made some lasagna for us.
You would like to say that “us” is the IO, but “for us” is a prepositional phrase! Therefore “us” CANNOT be the IO.