INTRANSITIVE
VERBS USED AS TRANSITIVE VERBS
A transitive
verb takes an object. An intransitive verb, on the other hand, does
not have an object.
Study the examples
given below.
The peon rang the
bell.
The peon rang what? The bell
The peon rang what? The bell
As you can see, here
the verb ‘rang’ has an object. Therefore, it is a transitive verb.
Now consider another
example.
·
The boy laughed loudly.
Here the verb
‘laughed’ does not have an object. Therefore, it is an intransitive verb.
When an intransitive
verb is used in a causative sense it becomes transitive.
Examples are given
below.
·
Intransitive: The dog walks.
·
Transitive: The man walks
the dog. (Here the verb ‘walks’ becomes transitive because it has an
object. The man causes the dog to walk.)
·
Intransitive: Birds fly in
the sky.
·
Transitive: The boys fly
their kites. (Here the verb ‘fly’ becomes transitive because it has an
object. The boys cause the kites to fly.)
Some common verbs are
distinguished as transitive or intransitive by their spelling.
Study the examples
given below.
·
Many trees fall in
a storm. (Here the verb ‘fall’ is intransitive. It does not have an object.)
·
Woodcutters fell trees.
(NOT Woodcutters fall trees. Fell means cause to fall.)
·
The doctor asked the
patient to lie still. (Here the verb ‘lie’ is intransitive.)
·
Lay the books on the table. (Lay means cause
to lie. Here the verb ‘lay’ is transitive.)
·
Rise with the lark. (Here the verb ‘rise’ is
intransitive.)
·
The teacher asked the
boys to raise their hands. (Here the verb ‘raise’ is
transitive because it has an object.)
