Benjamin L. Stewart

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4 min read

Transitive vs. intransitive verbs

Transitive Verbs: Verbs That Need an Object

A transitive verb is like a bridge that needs both ends connected to make sense. It requires an object to complete its meaning. This object is called a direct object because it directly receives the action of the verb.

Key Points about Transitive Verbs:

  • They transfer action: The action of the verb passes from the subject to the object.

  • They answer “what?” or “whom?”: You can ask these questions after the verb to find the direct object.

  • They can be used in the passive voice: The direct object becomes the subject in the passive form.

Examples of Transitive Verbs

  • She eats an apple. (Direct object: apple)

  • They built a house. (Direct object: house)

  • The dog chased the cat. (Direct object: cat)

  • I wrote a letter. (Direct object: letter)

  • He kicked the ball. (Direct object: ball)

Intransitive Verbs: Verbs That Stand Alone

Intransitive verbs are independent – they don’t need an object to express a complete thought. They can stand alone and still convey meaning.

Key Points about Intransitive Verbs:

  • They don’t transfer action: The action of the verb doesn’t pass to a specific object.

  • They don’t answer “what?” or “whom?”: You can’t ask these questions after the verb.

  • They cannot be used in the passive voice: There’s no direct object to become the subject.

Examples of Intransitive Verbs

  • The sun shines.

  • The baby cried.

  • The birds sing.

  • She laughed.

  • He slept.

The Same Verb, Different Roles

Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on how they’re used in a sentence:

  • Transitive: The chef cooked the dinner. (Direct object: dinner)

  • Intransitive: The chef cooked for hours. (No direct object)

Identifying Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

To determine whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, ask yourself:

  1. Does the verb express an action that is done to something or someone else? If so, it’s likely transitive.

  2. Can you ask “what?” or “whom?” after the verb and get a sensible answer? If so, it’s definitely transitive.

  3. If the question sounds complete, then the verb is intransitive: Did she wake up? Did he leave? Did you finish? etc. If the question sounds incomplete, then it’s a transitive verb: Did you brush (your teeth)? Did she feed (the cat)? Did he walk (the dog)? There are exceptions, but see if this helps.

Verbs which are almost always intransive

  • Verbs of Motion or Position: arrive, come, go, fall, rise, sit, stand, stay, walk, run, swim, fly, etc.

  • Verbs of Existence or Occurrence: appear, disappear, exist, happen, occur, remain, seem, etc.

  • Verbs of Bodily Functions: breathe, cough, faint, sneeze, sleep, wake up, etc.

  • Verbs of Weather: rain, snow, thunder, etc.

It’s important to note that even these verbs can sometimes be used transitively in specific contexts or with figurative meanings. However, in their most common and literal sense, they are intransitive.

List of transitive and intransitive verbs

Transitive Verbs

  • Action Verbs

    • bring

    • buy

    • carry

    • catch

    • close

    • cook

    • create

    • cut

    • destroy

    • discover

    • draw

    • drink

    • drive

    • eat

    • explain

    • find

    • fix

    • give

    • have

    • hear

    • help

    • hit

    • hold

    • invent

    • kick

    • kill

    • know

    • learn

    • leave

    • like

    • love

    • make

    • meet

    • move

    • need

    • open

    • paint

    • play

    • push

    • put

    • read

    • receive

    • repair

    • ride

    • run

    • say

    • see

    • sell

    • send

    • shake

    • show

    • sing

    • solve

    • start

    • stop

    • study

    • take

    • teach

    • tell

    • throw

    • touch

    • turn

    • understand

    • use

    • visit

    • want

    • watch

    • wear

    • win

    • write

  • Mental Verbs

    • believe

    • consider

    • doubt

    • enjoy

    • forget

    • hate

    • imagine

    • know

    • like

    • love

    • remember

    • think

    • understand

    • want

Intransitive Verbs

  • Movement Verbs

    • arrive

    • come

    • dance

    • depart

    • fall

    • fly

    • go

    • jump

    • land

    • leave

    • move

    • rise

    • run

    • sit

    • stand

    • stay

    • swim

    • travel

    • walk

  • Other Verbs

    • agree

    • appear

    • become

    • belong

    • complain

    • cough

    • cry

    • die

    • disagree

    • disappear

    • exist

    • happen

    • laugh

    • lie (to be in a horizontal position)

    • listen

    • live

    • look

    • matter

    • occur

    • rain

    • seem

    • sleep

    • smile

    • sneeze

    • snow

    • talk

    • wait

    • work

Important Notes:

  • Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their usage in a sentence. Examples:

    • He plays the guitar. (transitive)

    • The children play outside. (intransitive)

    • She runs a marathon every year. (transitive)

    • He runs faster than anyone else. (intransitive)

  • Transitive verbs can take direct objects, while intransitive verbs cannot.

  • This list is not exhaustive. There are many other transitive and intransitive verbs in English.

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