What is the Difference Between Transitive and Intransitive Verbs?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between transitive and intransitive verbs lies in their ability to take a direct object or not.
- Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their action. In other words, these verbs need an object to make sense in a sentence. For example, in the sentence "The director buys his lunch," the verb "buys" is transitive because it requires the direct object "his lunch" to make sense.
- Intransitive verbs do not require a direct object to make sense. These verbs can stand alone without needing an object to complete their action. For example, in the sentence "Nadira ran to hide," the verb "ran" is intransitive because it does not require an object to make sense.
Many verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on the context. For instance, the verb "grow" is transitive in the sentence "My daughter is growing quickly" (requiring the direct object "daughter"), but it is intransitive in the sentence "I grow zucchini in my garden".
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Transitive and Intransitive Verbs? Comparative Table: Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs
Comparative Table: Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs
The difference between transitive and intransitive verbs lies in their requirement for a direct object to complete their meaning. Here's a table summarizing the differences:
Feature | Transitive Verbs | Intransitive Verbs |
---|---|---|
Direct Object | Requires a direct object to complete its meaning | Does not require a direct object to complete its meaning |
Sentence Structure | Transitive verbs often have a subject, verb, and object in a sentence | Intransitive verbs usually have a subject and verb in a sentence, and sometimes additional prepositional phrases or adverbs |
Examples | - John ate all of his dinner (dinner is the direct object) | - The patient's health deteriorated quickly (no direct object) |
Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on the context and whether they have a direct object or not.
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- Active Voice vs Passive Voice
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