Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Look at these chunks:

I sleep, She slaps, They walk, He runs, She smells,Dara loves,They eat, She opens,He gives,They call,He appoints, He puts,She knocks

Transitive (verbs with object(s))

1.Mono-transitive verb: (one object)

He smokes cigarettes.

She learns a lesson.

He misses the bus.

• How many Mono-transitive verbs are there

 Di-transitive verb (with two objects)

He sends him a letter.

He passes her the salt.

She pays him a can of coke.

• How many Di-transitive verbs are there?

Not many but here are some common Di-transitive verbs:

Give, grant, hand, leave, take, teach, tell, throw, write, read, sell, send, show, feed, fetch, pay

•These verbs follow the construction of:

Subject+ Verb+ Sb+ Sth

2. Preposition construction: “to vs. for” (Refer to verbs with two objects, pp: 55)

3. Complex-transitive: (Object + Object Complement)

She elects Obama a president .

They appoint Dara a chairman.

He paints the wall white.

•Construction:

Subject+ V+ Object (Sth/Sb)+ Object Complement (Sb/Sth/Adjective)

His father names him Bora.

I prefer my coffee black. 

4. Cognate Verb (Object and same family)

e.g. He lives a happy life.

        She dies a bad death.

        She dances a beautiful dance.

Look at these chunks:

I go

I lay

I sleep

• Intransitive Verbs: (no objects)

I snore at night.

I walk to school.

• Why intransitive verbs cannot be in Passive Voice?

Look at here:

I eat rice. => Rice is eaten by me.

I sleep. => (What) ….