Transitive Verb Examples are one of the key components in sentence construction. Unlike intransitive verbs, which don’t need a direct object, transitive verbs require one or more objects to fully complete their meaning. These verbs are essential for adding clarity, providing more details, and creating engaging sentences. Whether you’re a student learning the nuances of grammar or a professional looking to refine your writing, understanding how transitive verbs work is crucial.
In this article, we’ll explore 60+ transitive verb examples, their usage, and how they help form complete and meaningful sentences. You’ll also learn about the different types of transitive verbs, how to identify them, and common rules to keep in mind when using them.
What Are Transitive Verbs?
A transitive verb is a verb that requires one or more objects to receive the action of the verb. The object (or objects) in a sentence tells us who or what is affected by the action. These objects typically answer the questions “What?” or “Whom?” about the verb.
Examples:
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She kicked the ball.
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Verb: kicked
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Direct Object: ball
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The verb “kicked” transfers the action to the object “ball,” making it transitive.
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He wrote a letter.
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Verb: wrote
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Direct Object: letter
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The verb “wrote” takes the object “letter,” completing the meaning of the sentence.
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Without a direct object, a transitive verb would leave the sentence incomplete. For instance, “She kicked” leaves us wondering what she kicked.
Types of Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs come in various forms. Depending on how many objects they require to make sense, we categorize them into different types. Here’s an overview of the key types of transitive verbs:
1. Monotransitive Verbs
Monotransitive verbs are the most common type of transitive verbs. They require only one direct object to complete the action.
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Examples:
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She reads a book.
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He bought a car.
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They played football.
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In these sentences, the action is transferred from the verb to the direct object.
2. Ditransitive Verbs
Ditransitive verbs take two objects: a direct object and an indirect object. The direct object receives the action, while the indirect object indicates to whom or for whom the action is done.
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Examples:
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She gave him a gift.
Direct Object: gift
Indirect Object: him -
They sent us a letter.
Direct Object: letter
Indirect Object: us -
He told her a story.
Direct Object: story
Indirect Object: her
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3. Complex Transitive Verbs
Complex transitive verbs require a direct object and an object complement. The object complement provides more information about the direct object.
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Examples:
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They elected him president.
Direct Object: him
Object Complement: president -
She considered the project a success.
Direct Object: project
Object Complement: success -
He named his dog Max.
Direct Object: dog
Object Complement: Max
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4. Prepositional Transitive Verbs
Prepositional transitive verbs require a prepositional phrase to complete their meaning. The prepositional phrase often serves as the object.
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Examples:
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She agreed on the proposal.
Prepositional Phrase: on the proposal -
He relied on his friends.
Prepositional Phrase: on his friends -
They apologized for their mistake.
Prepositional Phrase: for their mistake
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5. Phrasal Transitive Verbs
Phrasal transitive verbs consist of a verb combined with one or more particles, like prepositions or adverbs. These verbs still require an object to complete the meaning.
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Examples:
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She looked up the word.
Verb: looked up
Object: word -
He turned off the lights.
Verb: turned off
Object: lights -
They put on their coats.
Verb: put on
Object: coats
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60+ Transitive Verb Examples
Here’s a comprehensive list of 60+ transitive verb examples to give you a better understanding of how these verbs function in sentences:
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Accept
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She accepted the invitation to the party.
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Answer
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He answered the phone when it rang.
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Bake
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She baked a cake for the party.
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Bring
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Please bring your homework to class.
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Build
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They built a new house by the lake.
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Buy
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I bought a new pair of shoes.
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Call
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He called his friend to confirm the plans.
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Carry
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She carried the groceries to the car.
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Catch
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He caught the ball during the game.
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Clean
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They cleaned the house before the guests arrived.
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Close
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She closed the door quietly to avoid waking anyone.
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Cook
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He cooked dinner for the family.
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Cut
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She cut the paper with a pair of scissors.
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Deliver
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The mailman delivered the package to my door.
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Design
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The artist designed a beautiful painting for the gallery.
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Dig
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He dug a hole in the backyard for the new tree.
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Draw
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She drew a portrait of her grandmother.
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Drink
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He drank a glass of water after the workout.
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Eat
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They ate the pizza in less than ten minutes.
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Explain
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The teacher explained the new concept to the students.
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Finish
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I finished my book last night.
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Fix
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He fixed the broken chair.
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Follow
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She followed the recipe exactly.
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Give
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He gave her a gift for her birthday.
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Grab
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She grabbed the keys from the table.
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Hear
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I heard a strange noise in the middle of the night.
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Hit
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He hit the ball with a bat.
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Hold
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She held the baby in her arms.
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Invite
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They invited their friends to the wedding.
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Kick
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He kicked the soccer ball across the field.
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Know
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I know the answer to your question.
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Leave
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She left the book on the table.
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Lend
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Can you lend me a pen?
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Lose
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He lost his keys somewhere in the house.
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Make
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She made a delicious pie for dessert.
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Move
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They moved the couch into the living room.
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Offer
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He offered her his seat on the bus.
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Paint
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She painted the walls a soft blue.
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Play
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He played the piano beautifully at the concert.
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Read
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She read the letter aloud to everyone.
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Return
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They returned the book to the library.
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Sell
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He sold his car last week.
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Send
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She sent an email to her professor.
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Show
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He showed the new students around the school.
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Take
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I took the umbrella to the office.
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Teach
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She taught the children how to draw.
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Tell
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He told me the news this morning.
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Wash
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She washed the dishes after dinner.
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Write
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He wrote a letter to his grandmother.
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Watch
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We watched a movie last night.
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Buy
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They bought a new house in the city.
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Call
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She called her friend to make plans.
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Cut
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He cut the vegetables for the salad.
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Clean
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We cleaned the windows before the guests arrived.
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Deliver
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The courier delivered the package to our office.
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Explain
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She explained the rules of the game to the children.
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Give
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He gave her a compliment on her dress.
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Make
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She made a beautiful birthday card for her mom.
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Offer
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He offered me his coat because I was cold.
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Send
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She sent an invitation to all her friends.
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Uses of Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs aren’t just essential for forming complete sentences; they also serve several important functions in both writing and speaking. Here are some of the primary uses of transitive verbs:
1. Action on an Object
Transitive verbs describe actions that are performed on specific objects, making the sentence more detailed and informative. Without the object, the action would be incomplete.
2. Clarifying the Action
By including a direct object, transitive verbs provide clarity to the action. This makes the meaning of the sentence more precise and specific.
3. Expanding Information
Transitive verbs allow you to add more information to a sentence. They help describe actions and events in greater detail by telling us what is being acted upon.
4. Forming Passive Voice
Transitive verbs are crucial for forming passive voice sentences, where the object of the sentence becomes the subject. This shift in focus allows for more flexibility in sentence structure.
5. Creating Questions
Transitive verbs help form questions that seek to identify the object of an action. This allows for deeper inquiry in conversations and written texts.
6. Constructing Commands
Transitive verbs are often used in imperative sentences to give commands or instructions. These commands can include a direct object to specify the action.
7. Expressing Needs or Desires
In sentences involving transitive verbs, it’s possible to express specific needs, desires, or preferences by identifying the objects being acted upon.
8. Reporting Speech
Transitive verbs play an important role in reporting speech or thoughts, especially when those speech acts involve specific objects.
Rules for Using Transitive Verbs
When using transitive verbs, it’s important to keep in mind a few key rules:
1. Transitive Verbs Must Have an Object
A transitive verb needs a direct object to complete its meaning. Without the object, the sentence is incomplete or unclear.
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Example: “She reads” is incomplete—”She reads a book” makes the meaning clear.
2. Objects Answer “What?” or “Whom?”
The direct object of a transitive verb answers the questions “What?” or “Whom?” about the verb.
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Example: “He kicked the ball.” (“What did he kick?” – the ball)
3. Placement of the Object
The direct object typically follows the transitive verb in sentence structure.
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Example: “They watched the movie.” (“The movie” is the object following the verb “watched.”)
4. Transitive Verbs Can Form Passive Voice
Transitive verbs can be used to form the passive voice, where the direct object becomes the subject of the sentence.
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Example: “The book was read by her.”
5. Some Verbs Can Be Both Transitive and Intransitive
Some verbs can function as both transitive and intransitive verbs, depending on whether they take a direct object.
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Example: “He runs a marathon” (transitive) vs. “He runs every day” (intransitive).
How to Identify Transitive Verbs
Identifying a transitive verb in a sentence is a simple process if you follow a few key steps. Understanding how to spot these verbs will help you improve your writing and grammar skills. Here are some tips to help you identify transitive verbs:
1. Look for an Object
A transitive verb requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The object is the recipient of the action.
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Example: “She reads a book.”
The verb “reads” requires the object “book” to complete the sentence’s meaning.
2. Ask “What?” or “Whom?”
You can confirm whether a verb is transitive by asking “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb. If the answer is a noun or pronoun, the verb is transitive.
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Example: “He kicked the ball.”
Ask: “What did he kick?” The answer is “the ball,” confirming that “kicked” is a transitive verb.
3. Check for Sentence Completeness
A transitive verb will make a sentence complete when it has a direct object. If the sentence feels incomplete or lacks meaning, it likely needs an object.
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Incomplete: “She reads.” (What does she read?)
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Complete: “She reads a book.” (The object “a book” completes the action.)
4. Identify Passive Constructions
If a sentence can be transformed into the passive voice while still making sense, the verb is likely transitive.
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Example:
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Active: “The chef cooked dinner.”
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Passive: “Dinner was cooked by the chef.”
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In this case, the verb “cooked” is transitive because it allows the sentence to be changed into the passive voice.
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5. Look for Direct Object Indicators
The direct object usually follows the verb in a sentence. It can be a noun or a pronoun and typically answers “What?” or “Whom?” about the verb.
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Example: “They watched the movie.”
The direct object “movie” follows the verb “watched,” showing it’s transitive.
Common Mistakes with Transitive Verbs
Even seasoned writers make mistakes with transitive verbs. To help avoid common errors, here are some points to keep in mind:
1. Omitting the Object
A common mistake is omitting the object after the transitive verb, which leaves the sentence incomplete.
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Incorrect: “She kicked.”
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Correct: “She kicked the ball.”
The verb “kicked” is incomplete without the object, which is necessary for the sentence to make sense.
2. Confusing Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Some verbs can function as both transitive and intransitive verbs, depending on the sentence context. It’s important to understand when to use them transively and intransitively.
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Example:
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Transitive: “She reads a book.” (Object: book)
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Intransitive: “She reads every day.” (No object)
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Make sure you recognize when the verb requires an object and when it doesn’t.
3. Misplacing the Object
In English sentences, the object of a transitive verb typically follows the verb. Misplacing it can confuse the meaning or make the sentence sound unnatural.
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Incorrect: “They watched the movie together.”
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Correct: “They watched together the movie.”
(While both can be technically correct, the first example sounds more natural.)
4. Using Non-Transitive Verbs as Transitive
Not all action verbs are transitive. Some action verbs do not take an object. For example, “run,” “sleep,” or “arrive” do not require a direct object.
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Example:
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Correct: “She sleeps peacefully.” (Intransitive)
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Incorrect: “She sleeps a bed.” (No object for the verb “sleeps”)
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Transitive Verbs in Active and Passive Voice
Transitive verbs can be used in both active and passive voice. The main difference between the two is the focus of the sentence: whether the subject is performing the action (active) or receiving it (passive).
1. Active Voice
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action on the object.
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Example:
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“The teacher explained the lesson.”
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“She kicked the ball.”
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In both of these examples, the subject is actively performing the action, and the object is receiving it.
2. Passive Voice
In passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. This shifts the focus from the subject to the object.
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Example:
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Active: “The teacher explained the lesson.”
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Passive: “The lesson was explained by the teacher.”
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In passive constructions, the action is still being performed on the object, but the object now takes the subject position.
3. Why Use Passive Voice?
Passive voice can be useful for various reasons:
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To focus on the action rather than the subject.
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To make the sentence sound more formal.
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When the subject performing the action is unknown or unimportant.
However, it’s important to use passive voice sparingly to avoid awkward sentence structures.
How Transitive Verbs Impact Sentence Structure
Transitive verbs influence the overall structure of a sentence. Understanding their role is essential for effective communication. Here are a few ways transitive verbs impact sentence structure:
1. Sentence Completeness
A transitive verb requires a direct object to form a complete sentence. Without an object, the sentence often feels incomplete.
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Incomplete: “He painted.” (What did he paint?)
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Complete: “He painted the fence.”
2. Clarity
By specifying what or whom the action is being done to, transitive verbs provide clarity. This makes the meaning of the sentence more precise.
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Example: “He caught the ball” clearly indicates what action was performed (caught) and what was affected by it (ball).
3. Variations in Sentence Types
Transitive verbs also allow for a variety of sentence types, such as affirmative, negative, interrogative, and passive constructions.
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Affirmative: “She reads the book.”
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Negative: “She does not read the book.”
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Interrogative: “Does she read the book?”
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Passive: “The book is read by her.”
These variations add flexibility and versatility to sentence structures.
Conclusion
Transitive verbs are essential for clear and effective communication. Whether you are writing or speaking, understanding how these verbs function will help you form complete and precise sentences. By using 60+ transitive verb examples in your practice, you can master the art of using action verbs that require an object to convey specific meaning.
Remember, transitive verbs bring action, clarity, and structure to your language. With practice, you’ll be able to use them effortlessly in both active and passive constructions, allowing you to elevate your writing and communication skills.
