THE VERB PHRASE

TRANSITIVE VERB
• A verb phrase using a transitive verb has to have A DIRECT OBJECT.

What do you think of the following sentences?

1.This girl likes.

2.Kate hugged the baby.

Can you mention some verbs used as transitive verbs?

• Kate hugged the baby.
S P do

VP transitive verb + dO
dO NP
#TASK 1
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES,
THEN ANALYZE THEM IN TERMS OF FUNCTION.

1.The dog found a bone.

2.She broke the rules.
3.The milkman sells bread.
 INTRANSITIVE VERB
• An intransitive verb is a class of verb which DOES
NOT TAKE AN OBJECT.
• Ken snores.
S P

VP intransitive verb
#TASK 2
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES,
THEN ANALYZE THEM IN TERMS OF FUNCTION.

1.The baby cried.

2.The dog barked.
3.She smiled.
Compare these following sentences.

(7a) Ken snores very loudly.

S P A

(7b) The baby cried in the night.

S P A

The adverbial (A) in (7a) has the form of an adverb phrase (AdvP).
The adverbial (A) in (7b) has the form of a prepositional phrase (PP).
#TASK 3
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES,
THEN ANALYZE THEM IN TERMS OF FUNCTION.

1.The baby slept.

2.The baby slept soundly.
3.The baby slept in the pram.
4.The dog snarled quite menacingly.
 DITRANSITIVE VERB
• A ditransitive verb requires TWO OBJECTS (Direct Object &
Indirect Object).

• Ray told the children a story.

S P iO dO

Ray told a story to the children

• Sue gave a jumper to Oxfam.
S P dO iO
VP ditransitive verb + iO + dO
iO NP
dO NP

VP ditransitive verb + dO + iO
dO NP
iO PP
#TASK 4
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES,
CLASSIFYING THE VERBS.

1.Sally showed the children the pictures.

2.The children screamed hysterically.
3.Ken gave the cake to the children.
4.She patted the dog on the head.
 INTENSIVE VERB (RELATIONAL, LINKING, OR
COPULAR)

An intensive verb = BE, SEEM, APPEAR, BECOME, LOOK,

etc.
Transitive verbs function as the SUBJECT COMPLEMENT (Sc).

1. Sally became a doctor. (NP = sC)

2. George is in the garden. (PP = Sc)
3. Sue seems unhappy. (AP = Sc)
• AP (AdvP) + A
• sC

• PP P (+NP)
• A
• iO
• sC
VP intensive verb + sc
sC NP or PP or AP
#TASK 5
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES
AND ANALYZE THEM IN TERMS OF FUNCTION.

1.The man is a teacher.

2.The queen waved to the crowd.
3.The statue is by the pond.
4.Sue paid the money to the cashier.
5.The answer seems clear.
 COMPLEX-TRANSITIVE VERB

• THE COMPLEMENT relates to THE OBJECT, not the subject.

• The complement is called an OBJECT COMPLEMENT (oC).

The voters elected Mary president.

S P dO oC
Kate thought John a fool.
S P dO oC
• PP P (+ NP)
• A
• iO
• sC
• oC

AP (AdvP) + A
Sc
oC

• VP complex-transitive verb + dO + oC
• dO NP
• sC NP or PP or AP
 PREPOSITIONAL VERB
• A prepositional verb requires PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE such as glance, lean,
refer = glance at, lean on, refer to.

• Sally leant on the table.

• The children glanced at the pictures.
• refer to
• deal with

• The function of the prepositional phrase is PREPOSITIONAL OBJECT (pO).

• PP P (+ NP)
• A
• iO
• sC
• oC
• pO
• VP prepositional verb + pO
• pO PP
#TASK 6
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES
AND ANALYZE THEM IN TERMS OF FUNCTION.

1.The baby played in the playpen.

2.Kate dealt with the problems.
3.Sally danced on the table.
 IMPERATIVE
• Imperative is used to give COMMANDS or
INSTRUCTIONS.

Close the door!

Beat the eggs lightly.
#TASK 7
DRAW TREES FOR THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES
AND ANALYZE THEM IN TERMS OF FUNCTION.

1.She rode a donkey at the seaside.

2.This verb is intensive.
3.Shut the door.
4.Actually she rose a donkey.
5.She gave the medicine to the baby.