Intransitive Verbs

An intransitive verb is an action verb, but it does not have a direct object. The action ends or is modified by an adverb or adverb phrase rather than being transferred to some person or object.
The man decided against a plea bargain.

1. The subject (the man) did something (decided) a particular way (against).
He refused because of his immaturity, not his lack of contrition.

1. The subject (He) did something (refused) for a particular reason (because of his immaturity).
Alice complained bitterly.

1. The subject (Alice) did something (complained) to a particular degree (bitterly).

At the end of the Roaring '20s, the incarceration index rose slightly.

1. The subject (the index) did something (rose) in a particular direction (slightly). Intransitive Verb An intransitive verb is an action verb (that is, it is neither a linking verb nor an auxiliary verb) which does not have a direct object. The verb to go, however, is always intransitive. In most dictionaries the abbreviation v.i. means "verb, intransitive." Transitive: He runs a large corporation. (The verb runs has a direct object, corporation.) Intransitive: He runs around the block daily. (There is no direct object.) An intransitive verb has two characteristics. First, it is an action verb, expressing a doable activity like arrive, go, lie, sneeze, sit, die, etc. Second, unlike a transitive verb, it will not have a direct object receiving the action. Here are some examples of intransitive verbs: Huffing and puffing, we arrived at the classroom door with only seven seconds to spare.

Arrived = intransitive verb. James went to the campus cafe for a steaming bowl of squid eyeball stew. Went = intransitive verb To escape the midday sun, the cats lie in the shade under our cars. Lie = intransitive verb Around fresh ground pepper, Sheryl sneezes with violence. Sneezes = intransitive verb. In the evenings, Glenda sits on the front porch to admire her immaculate lawn. Sits = intransitive verb. Flipped on its back, the beetle that Clara soaked with insecticide dies under the refrigerator. Dies = intransitive verb A verb (such as laugh) that does not take a direct object or complement. Contrast with transitive verb. Examples and Observations:

"Autos honked. Trees rustled." "Sometimes imagination pounces; mostly it sleeps soundly in the corner, purring." "My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk." "Men blush less for their crimes than for their weaknesses and vanity."