THE VERB ( 7 )

CHAPTER-16
1. Transitive and Intransitive verbs
167. A Verb is a word that states something about a person or thing;as,
>) Rama laughs.
>) The dog is dead.
>) Boys run quickly.
168. Read the following sentences :->) The policeman arrested the thief.
>) The Arab wounded the soldier.
>) The boys are eating their food.
In the first of these sentences,the action denoted by the Verb (arrested) passes
over from the
Subject or doer (policeman) to some object(thief).The Verb arrested
is,therefore,called a
Transitive Verb.( Transitive means passing over.)
NOTE:-- If you can provide a resonable answer to the question,What? or Whom?
after a Verb, the Verb is Transitive.
A Transitive Verb is a Verb that denotes an action which passes over from
the Subject or doer to something or somebody else called the Object.
169. Now read the following sentences :--1). Silence is golden. }
2). Sita seems happy.} (State)
3). The boy sleeps. }
4). The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. (Action)
In these cases the action of the Verb does not pass over from the doer or
Subject to an Object.The action (or state) is represented as complete in itself. The
action stops with the doer.The Verbs is,seems,sleeps,rises, and sets are,therefore
,called Intransitive Verbs.
NOTE:--Intransitive means not transitive,i.e.,not passing over.
An Intransitive Verb is a Verb that denotes a state or an action that is complete
in itself,It
does not pass over to an Object.

NOTE:--An Intransitive Verb expressing being takes the same case after it as before
it;as,
>) It was she(not her) who won the first prize.
170. Some Transitive Verbs(ask,give,offer,promise,tell,etc.),take two Objects after
them:-(1) An Indirect Object which denotes the person to whom something is given or
for whom
something is done,and
(2) A Direct Object which is usually the name of some thing.
*) Usually the Indirect Object ,if it is short,comes before the Direct Object as shown
below:-No. Subject+Verb

Indirect Object

1)
2)
3)

He gave
me
He taught
his sons
The teacher
us
told
4)
The Principal
us
promised
5)
He offered
me
6)
Will you buy
me
7)
Can you spare
me
8) You should buy
yourself
9) Will you make
me
10) Can you get
me

Direct Object
an apple.
English.
a story.
a holiday.
some money.
a few apples?
a few minutes?
a new hat.
a cup of tea?
a dozen eggs?

*) These sentences can be rewritten with the Direct Object first,followed by a

Preposition to or
for and the Indirect Object.
No. Subject+Verb

Direct Object

1).
2).
3)

an apple
English
a story

to
to
to

a holiday

to

us.

to
for

me.
me?

He gave
He taught
The teacher
told
4). The principal
promised
5). He offered
6). will you buy

some money
a few apples

Preposition Direct Object

me
his sons.
us.

7).
8).
9).
10).

Can you spare

You should buy
Will you make
can you get

a fewminutes
a new hat
a cup of tea
a dozen eggs

for
for
for
for

me?
yourself.
me?
me?

171. There are some Verbs which, without any change of form,can be Transitive or
Intransitive according to the sense; as,
>) Transitive
1). He walks his horse everyday.
2). The horse drew the cart.
3). The driver stopped the train.
4). He flew his kite every day.
5). He floated the boat.
6). The chaprasi rang the bell.
7). He moves the table

>) Intransitive
1). The horse walks.
2). He drew near me.
3). The train stopped suddenly.
4). The boy's kite flew.
5). The boat floated.
6). The bell rang.
7). the earth moves.

172. An Intransitive Verb may become Transitive when combined with a

Preposition;as,
1). They laughed at her
2). No one relies on her word.
3). He looked at the sun.

1) He looked into the matter.

2) We talked about the affair.
3) He carried out my orders.

173. Some Intransitive Verbs take after them an Object similar in meaning to the
Verb.Such an Object is called a Cognate Object.
1). He lived a virtuous life.
2). They fought a brave fight.
3). The boys ran a race.

1) he died a glorious death

2). She laughed a hearty laugh.
3) Sita sang a sweet song.

174. Some Transitive Verbs can be used Intransitively;as,

>) Transitive

>) Intransitive

1). He eats bread.

2). The girl broke the glass.
3). He burnt his hands.
4). The wind shook th house.
5). They opened the door.

1). We eat to live.

2). The glass broke.
3). He burnt with rage.
4). The earth shook.
5). The door soon opened.

( 2 ).VERBS OF INCOMPLETE PREDICTION

175. An Intransitive verb which makes complete sense,is said to be a verb of

Complete Prediction;as,
1). Birds fly.
2). Snakes hiss.

1). Lions roar.

2). Men sleep.

1). The boy laughs.

2). The baby weeps.

176. Many intransitive (and some Transitive) Verbs make no sense as predicates
unless they are followed by a Noun.Adjective ,or some part of another verb,such
verbs are called verbs of Incomplete Prediction are to be, seem,become,appear,etc.
>) Now take the sentences:-*) The boys seems.
It does not make complete sense .The Intransitive Verb seems requires some
such word as
sad,tired,happy,cheerful to make the sense complete.The sentence,
" The boy seems tired,or sad, or happy,or cheerful" makes complete sense.
The word or phrase used to complete a sense in a sentence is called the
Complement.
177. The Complement to Intransitive verbs may be in six different forms;as,
(Noun, Noun clause, Pronoun, Adjective, Participle [present, past], gerund,
prepositional phrase, infinitive, adverb, adverbial phrase)
1) A horse is a useful animal.
2) The truth is what it appears.
3) This book is mine.
4) My dog has gone mad.
5) The story is interesting.
6) The city looks destroyed.
7) Seeing is believing.
8) That book is of no use.
9) This house is to let
10) The baby has fallen asleep
11) They are in the room.

(Noun)
(Noun clause)
(Pronoun)
(Adjective)
(Present participle).
(Past participle)
(Gerund)
(Prep.with Obj. ie a Prepositional Phrase)
( Infinitive)
(Adverb)
(Adverbial phrase)

178. A Transitive Verb ,which does not make complete sense by mentioning
its Object,but requires some Complement to be added after the Object,is
called Factitive; as,
1). The loss filled them with grief.
2). They set the prisoners free.
In these sentences the verbal idea is contained in the words "filled
with grief" and "set free", as may be seen by writting them thus---->) The loss grieved them.
>) They freed the prisoners.

179. The Compliment of a factitive Verb may take the following six forms:-1). They made bali captain. (Noun)
2). The judge set him free. ( Adjective)
3). We found Sita still singing. ( Participle)
4). Her story filled us with horrer. ( Prep .with Obj.)
5). He liked his enemy to be punished. (Infinitive)
6). We found the baby asleep.(Adverb)
180. When the Complement comes after an Intransitive Verb,it is called a Subjective
Complement
,because it refers to the Subject.
When the Complement comes after a Transitive verb,it is called an Objective
Complement,because it refers to the Object.
Exercise 46. Say whether the Verbs in the following sentences are Transitive or
Intransitive.
If the verb is Transitive name the Object :-1). The Arab wounded the French soldier.
2). I carry the book.
3). Time changes all things.
4). I met a funny little man.
5). The policeman arrested the thief.
6). The children are dancing.
7). The policeman is whistling.
8). He rejoices.
9). He killed a snake.
10). The soldier shot the robber.
11). We took shelter under a tree.
12). I drink tea five times a day.
13). The officer laughed loudly.
14). Birds fly in the air.
15). He ran a mile.
16). The fire burns brightly.
17). Tell the truth.
18). The sun rises in the east.
19). Cocks crow in the morning.
20). I could not catch the train.
Exercise 47. Point out the Direct and Indirect Objects in each of the following
sentences:-1). He gave me a book.

2). He asked me a question.

3). She told me a secret.
4). He charged me five rupees.
5). Father promised us a radio set.
6). He offered me no advice.
7). The guide showed us the way.
8). He lent me ten rupees.
9). The farmer sold me a horse.
10). He refused me the load of a book.
11). He taught me sanskrit.
12). Will you buy me some mangoes.
13). can you spare me a few minutes.
14). You should buy yourself new shoes.
15). Will you make a cup of tea?
16). can you get me a dozen pens?
Exercise 48. Rewrite each of the above sentences using the Direct Object
first,followed by the
Indirect Object.
Exercise 49. Pick out the Subjective and Objective Complements in each of the
following
sentences:-1). Time is money.
2). He became a great soldier.
3). She looke miserable.
4). Her father has fallen ill.
5). They became poor.
6). We grew rich.
7). You will be an officer.
8). She seems very delicate.
9). He is called an inspector.
10). He appears cheerful.
11). He was appointed Governer.
12). The earth is round.
13). Honey tastes sweet.
14). The sky grew dark.
15). They made him king.
16). They chose him their leader.
17). She called her lover a liar.
18). The jury found him guilty.
19). We named her Kamla.
20). Exercise has made her body strong.
21). We found the peon asleep.
22). The news left him disappointed.
23). I consider the book useful.

24). This plot filled us with terror.

25). I like a thief to be punished.