Transitive Verbs, Intransitive Verbs,

Direct Objects, and Indirect

Objects

Action Verbs

• Express physical or mental activity

Run, Ponder, Think, Throw, Contemplate

Transitive Verb

• A transitive verb is an action verb that has a direct object—a word that tells who or what receives the action of the verb• She trusts her friend.

• Zora Neale Hurston wrote the book.

• Elsa froze the city.

Intransitive Verb

• An intransitive verb is an action verb that does not have an object that tells who or what receives the action of the verb.• The audience applauded.

• The train stops here.

The Same Verb May be Transitive or Intransitive Depending on its Function

• Amelia swam the channel.

• Amelia swam for hours.

• Belinda weeds the garden.

• Belinda weeds every day.

Are the following verbs transitive or intransitive?

• I studied my geometry notes for an hour.

• Luis also studied for an hour.

• We are planting some dahlias.

• They should bloom in about six weeks.

• The strong winds died down.

• We quickly packed a lunch for our trip to the seashore.

• The sunlight sparkled on the splashing surf.

The Direct Object of a Verb

• The direct object is a noun, pronoun, or word group that tells who or what receives the action of a transitive verb or shows the result of that action. Remember that a transitive verb is always an action verb.

• To find the direct object, ask “What?” or “Whom?” of the transitive verb.

• I took my little sister to see a movie. (Took whom? sister)

• She had already seen it four times. (Seen what? it)

A Direct Object May Precede the Subject and Verb

• What remarkable tricks the illusionist performed. (Performed what? Tricks).

A Direct Object is Never Found in a Prepositional Phrase

• Tom was driving in his car. [Car is part of the prepositional phrase in his car. The sentence has no direct object]

• Tom was driving his car. [Driving what? Car is the direct object]

Identify the Direct Objects in the Following Sentences

• I borrowed my parents’ new camera.

• First, I loaded the film into the camera.

• Then, I set the shutter speed.

• I focused the camera on a distant object.

• I could read the shutter speed in the viewfinder.

• A flashing red light signals an incorrect setting.

Indirect Object

• An Indirect Object is a noun, pronoun, or word group that often appears in sentences containing direct objects. An indirect object tells to whom or to what (or for whom or for what) the action of a transitive verb is done.• Molly read us her report. [Molly read the report to whom? Us]

• They feed the horses some oats. [They fed the oats to what? Horses]

• Joan left you a message. [Joan left the message for whom? You]

• Carly knitted her pet Doberman a sweater. [Carly knitted a sweater for what? Doberman]

If the word to or for is used, the noun or pronoun following it is part of a prepositional

phrase and cannot be an indirect object.

• Jeff wrote a note to me. [Me is part of the prepositional phrase to me and cannot be an indirect object]

• Jeff wrote me a note. [Wrote a note to whom? Me is the indirect object].

Identifying Direct and Indirect Objects

• Last summer, Leroy told us his plans for the future.

• He wants a place on the U.S. Olympic swim team.

• Of course, his goal demands hours of practice.

• Such intense training could cost him his social life.

• However, we all understand and give him much encouragement and support.

• Maybe we’ll see Leroy at the next Olympics!