English: Verbs And Types

Verbs and types:

Verbs are words that express action or state of being, and they are an essential part of a complete sentence.

There are three types of verbs:

Action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs.

Action verbs:

• Action verbs are words that express action (ex: give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have, own, etc.).
• Action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

Transitive Verbs:

• A transitive verb always has a noun that receives the action of the verb. This noun is called the direct object.
• Ex: Laurissa raises her hand.
• The verb is raises. Her hand is an object receiving the verb's action. Therefore, raises is a transitive verb.
• Transitive verbs sometimes have indirect objects, which name the object to whom or for whom the action was done.
• Ex: Jantzen gave Becky the pencil.
• The verb is gave. The direct object is the pencil.
• What did he give? the pencil.
• The indirect object is Becky.
• To whom did he give it? to Becky.

Intransitive Verbs:

• An intransitive verb never has a direct or indirect object. Although an intransitive verb may be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase, there is no object to receive its action.
• Ex: Laurissa rises slowly from her seat.
• The verb is the word, rises. The words, slowly from her seat, modify the verb. But there is no object that receives the action.

Transitive Or Intransitive:

To determine whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, follow these two steps:

1) Find the verb in the sentence.

Examples:

i. Dustin will lay down his book. What is the action? will lay

ii. His book will lie there all day. What is the action? will lie

2) Determine whether the verb has a direct object. Ask yourself, "What is receiving the action of the verb?"

If there is a noun receiving the action of the verb, then the verb is transitive. If there is no direct object to receive the action, and if the verb does not make sense with a direct object, then it is intransitive.

Examples

1. Dustin will lay down his book.

[Dustin will lay down what? his book.] Since the verb can take a direct object, it is transitive.

2. His book will lie there all day.

[His book will lie what? nothing.]

It does not make sense to "lie something." Since the verb does not make sense with a direct object, it is intransitive.

Note: Some verbs can be transitive in one case but intransitive in another.

Intransitive: Becky walked to school. (No direct object)

Transitive: Becky walked the dog to school. (The direct object is the dog)