Intransitive And Transitive Verbs Worksheet

Mastering Transitive and Intransitive Verbs: A Comprehensive Worksheet and Guide

Understanding the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs is crucial for mastering grammar and writing clear, concise sentences. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed explanation of both verb types, accompanied by a practice worksheet to solidify your understanding. Whether you're a student brushing up on grammar basics or an aspiring writer looking to refine your skills, this resource will equip you with the knowledge and practice you need.

What are Transitive and Intransitive Verbs?

Verbs are the action words in a sentence. They describe what the subject is doing. However, not all verbs behave the same way. The key difference lies in whether the verb transfers its action to a direct object.

• Transitive Verbs: A transitive verb requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The action of the verb transits or passes over to the receiver of the action. Think of it as the verb "giving" something to the object.

  Example: The dog chased the ball. (The action of "chasing" is transferred to the "ball" – the direct object.)

• Intransitive Verbs: An intransitive verb does not take a direct object. The action of the verb does not pass to another element in the sentence. The meaning is complete without an object.

  Example: The sun shone brightly. (The verb "shone" is complete; there's no object receiving the action of shining.)

Identifying Transitive Verbs: The Direct Object Test

The easiest way to identify a transitive verb is to look for a direct object. Ask yourself: "What?" or "Whom?" after the verb. If you can answer the question, you have a transitive verb.

Let's look at some examples:

• She wrote a letter. (What did she write? A letter. "Letter" is the direct object.)
• The bird sang a beautiful song. (What did the bird sing? A beautiful song. "Song" is the direct object.)
• They built a house. (What did they build? A house. "House" is the direct object.)

Identifying Intransitive Verbs: The Absence of a Direct Object

Intransitive verbs don't take direct objects. If you ask "What?" or "Whom?" after the verb, and you can't find an answer, the verb is likely intransitive.

Here are some examples:

• The baby cried. (What did the baby cry? There's no direct object.)
• The leaves fell. (What did the leaves fall? There's no direct object.)
• He sleeps soundly. (What does he sleep? There's no direct object.)

Verbs That Can Be Both Transitive and Intransitive

Some verbs can function as both transitive and intransitive verbs, depending on the context of the sentence. This makes it crucial to analyze the sentence carefully.

Consider the verb "run":

• Transitive: She runs a successful business. (What does she run? A business. "Business" is the direct object.)
• Intransitive: He runs every morning. (He runs – there's no direct object receiving the action of running.)

Other examples include verbs like: read, write, sing, play, work, walk, swim.

Understanding Other Sentence Elements: Indirect Objects and Objects of Prepositions

To further solidify your understanding, let's briefly touch upon indirect objects and objects of prepositions, which can sometimes be confused with direct objects.

• Indirect Objects: These receive the action indirectly. They answer the questions "To whom?" or "For whom?" Indirect objects are always used with transitive verbs.

  Example: He gave her a flower. ("Her" is the indirect object; "flower" is the direct object.)

• Objects of Prepositions: These follow prepositions (e.g., to, from, with, on, in). They are not direct objects.

  Example: She sat on the chair. ("Chair" is the object of the preposition "on"; "sat" is an intransitive verb.)

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Worksheet: Practice Exercises

Now, let's put your knowledge to the test! The following exercises will help you identify transitive and intransitive verbs in various sentences.

Part 1: Identify the Transitive Verbs and their Direct Objects

1. The chef prepared a delicious meal.
2. The students read the assigned chapters.
3. The artist painted a stunning landscape.
4. The team won the championship.
5. The birds built a nest in the tall tree.
6. The children played a lively game.
7. The author wrote a bestselling novel.
8. The gardener planted colorful flowers.
9. The company hired several new employees.
10. The musician composed a beautiful symphony.

Part 2: Identify the Intransitive Verbs

1. The sun sets in the west.
2. The river flows swiftly.
3. The baby sleeps peacefully.
4. The leaves fall gracefully.
5. The wind blows strongly.
6. The birds sing melodiously.
7. The rain poured heavily.
8. The dog barked loudly.
9. The cat purred contentedly.
10. The flowers bloomed beautifully.

Part 3: Identifying Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Context

For each sentence, identify the verb and state whether it is transitive or intransitive. If it is transitive, identify the direct object.

1. The dog chased its tail.
2. The children laughed heartily.
3. She speaks fluent French.
4. He plays the guitar.
5. The rain stopped abruptly.
6. They built a magnificent castle.
7. The old clock chimed noon.
8. The birds flew south for the winter.
9. She wrote a heartfelt letter to her friend.
10. He works diligently at his job.

Part 4: Sentence Construction

Create one sentence with each of the following verbs used as a transitive verb and one sentence with the same verb used as an intransitive verb:

1. Run
2. Write
3. Sing
4. Play
5. Walk

Answers and Explanations

Part 1: Transitive Verbs and Direct Objects:

1. prepared (transitive), meal (direct object)
2. read (transitive), chapters (direct object)
3. painted (transitive), landscape (direct object)
4. won (transitive), championship (direct object)
5. built (transitive), nest (direct object)
6. played (transitive), game (direct object)
7. wrote (transitive), novel (direct object)
8. planted (transitive), flowers (direct object)
9. hired (transitive), employees (direct object)
10. composed (transitive), symphony (direct object)

Part 2: Intransitive Verbs:

All verbs in this section are intransitive because they do not take a direct object.

Part 3: Transitive/Intransitive Verb Identification:

1. chased (transitive), tail (direct object)
2. laughed (intransitive)
3. speaks (transitive), French (direct object)
4. plays (transitive), guitar (direct object)
5. stopped (intransitive)
6. built (transitive), castle (direct object)
7. chimed (intransitive)
8. flew (intransitive)
9. wrote (transitive), letter (direct object)
10. works (intransitive)

Part 4: Sentence Construction (Examples):

These answers will vary, but ensure the verb's function changes from transitive to intransitive. Here's one possible set of answers:

1. Run (Transitive): She runs a marathon every year. Run (Intransitive): He runs every morning.
2. Write (Transitive): He writes novels. Write (Intransitive): She writes beautifully.
3. Sing (Transitive): The choir sang a beautiful anthem. Sing (Intransitive): The birds sing sweetly.
4. Play (Transitive): The children played a game of tag. Play (Intransitive): The musicians play in the orchestra.
5. Walk (Transitive): They walk their dog daily. Walk (Intransitive): We walk for exercise.

Conclusion

Understanding the nuances of transitive and intransitive verbs is essential for grammatical accuracy and effective communication. Through consistent practice and application, you can master this important grammatical concept and improve your writing significantly. Remember to always analyze the sentence structure to determine the verb’s function and the presence or absence of a direct object. This worksheet serves as a valuable tool in honing your skills and deepening your comprehension of verb types. Keep practicing and you’ll become proficient in identifying transitive and intransitive verbs with ease!