Transitive & Intransitive Verbs

1. Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs have objects. 

• Cats like milk.
• Mother gave the cat some fresh milk.

Transitive Verbs are divided into three groups.

(i) Mono-transitive 

Some transitive verbs have only one object. They are Mono-transitive. 

• A man is calling you.
• Do you know the man? 

(ii) Di-transitive 

Some transitive verbs have two objects. They are Di-transitive. Of the two objects, one is direct object, and the other is indirect object. 

• The man showed me a bag. 
• Give me a pen. 

(iii) Ambi-transitive 

Some verbs can function both as transitive and intransitive. They are Ambi-transitive.

• He reads in class 6. 
• He reads a book. 

2.  Intransitive Verbs 

Intransitive verbs do not have objects. 

• Cats mew.
• Dogs bark.

Important Rules: 

Every Transitive Verb has a direct object [which is a noun, pronoun or gerund]. 

• Cows eat grass.
• Dogs like meat. 

If a transitive verb has a direct object and an indirect object, the indirect one is placed before the direct object.

• He gave me a rose. 

If you put the indirect object after the direct object, you need to put a preposition before the indirect object.

• He gave a rose to me. 

Transitive verbs can be used in passive form. 

• Grass is eaten by cows.
• Meat is liked by dogs. 

Intransitive verb does not have any object. 

• Cows moo.
• Dogs bark. 

Intransitive verbs are not used in passive form.