Recognising Transitive

and Intransitive Verbs

 Verbs

Verbs tell us what someone or something is doing.

eat walk sit fly

Verbs can be classified as:

Transitive
or
Intransitive.
 Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs need a direct object to make complete
sense.

I enjoyed the party. She caught the fish.

S V O S V O

Subject, verb and object.

 TOP TIP!
Transitive verbs are always followed by an object that
receives the action of the verb.

Transitive verbs
transfer their actions

She caught the fish.

 Transitive Verbs
These verbs are all transitive.

want She wants an ice cream.

thank He thanked his parents.
carry I carried the bags.
bring She brought a gift.
send We sent flowers.
 Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs can’t have a direct object.

They arrived. They sat.

S V S V

Subject and verb, but no object.

 Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs can be followed by an
adverbial phrase.

We arrived.
We arrived in silence.
We arrived after the other guests.
We arrived in a vintage car.
We arrived with only seconds to spare.
 Intransitive Verbs
Some verbs can only be intransitive.

It is not possible for a direct object to follow these verbs.

For example:

agree We agree.
fall We fall.
sleep We sleep.
 TOP TIP!
Intransitive verbs cannot be used to make a sentence
in the passive voice.

The accident happened on the motorway.

The accident was happened on the motorway.

 Transitive or Intransitive
Some verbs can be transitive or intransitive.
For example:
object

Rosa eats cereal for breakfast.

transitive

Rosa always eats before leaving for school.

intransitive
 Transitive or Intransitive
More examples:

object

My dad runs the Marathon every year.

transitive

My dad runs twice a week.

intransitive
 Transitive or Intransitive?
Click on an answer:

1 This child is happy. transitive intransitive

2 The cat will lick up the milk. transitive intransitive

3 I coughed. transitive intransitive

4 We slept. transitive intransitive

5 My parents are teachers. transitive intransitive

6 My brother polished his shoes. transitive intransitive

 Tricky Verbs
lay – vs – lie in the present tense.

meaning: to place; to put meaning: to recline; to rest

horizontally

requires a direct object does not require a direct

object

I am laying the book on

the table. The cat is lying down.

TRANSITIVE INTRANSITIVE
 Tricky Verbs
lay – vs – lie in the past tense.
This is where it gets tricky – the past tense of lie is lay, which
remains an intransitive verb!

lay lie

laid lay
(past tense) (past tense)

requires a direct object does not require a direct object

I laid the book down. The cat lay in the mud after the rain
 Tricky Verbs

lay – vs – lie in the present perfect.

lay lie

laid lain
(past participle) (past participle)

requires a direct object does not require a direct object

I have laid the book down. The cat has lain in the mud for hours.
 Tricky Verbs
lay lie
meaning: to recline; to rest
meaning: to place; to put
horizontally
This verb is transitive.
This verb is intransitive.
For example: For example:

Present: I am laying the and Present: The cat is lying down.

book on the table.
Past: The cat lay in the mud
Past: I laid the book down. after the rain.

Present Perfect: I have laid Present Perfect: The cat has

the book down. lain in the mud for hours.
 Watch out for…
lay
meaning: to produce an egg
This verb may be transitive or
intransitive.
For example:
and
Present: The hens lay eggs.
The hens lay well.
Past: The hen laid three eggs.
Present Perfect: The hen has
laid an egg every day this week.
lie
meaning: to not tell the truth
This verb is intransitive.
For example:
Present: I lie about my age.
Past: Yesterday I lied about
my age.
Present Perfect: I have lied
about my age.
 Another Tricky Verb!
drink
meaning: to swallow a liquid
This verb may be transitive or intransitive.

For example:
Present: She drinks the milk.
She drinks.

Past: She drank the milk.

She drank in the silence.

Present Perfect: She has drunk milk every day this week.

Note: drunk is only used with the auxiliary verb ‘have’

 Other Tricky Verbs
seat sit
meaning: to provide a seat for meaning: to sit oneself
someone else This verb is generally
This verb is transitive. intransitive.

For example: For example:

Present: The theatre seats 400 Present: I am sitting on the
people. and chair.

Past: The theatre sat 400 people.
Present Perfect: The audience
have been seated by the theatre
staff.
Past: Yesterday I sat on the
chair.
Present Perfect: I have sat on
that chair before.
Which verbs require a direct object to
make sense?

transitive verbs intransitive verbs

 What can follow an
intransitive verb?

an adjectival phrase an adverbial phrase

 The verb ‘eat’ is:

transitive intransitive

both transitive and

intransitive
Which type of verb cannot be used in
a passive form?

transitive intransitive