A verb is an action that the subject does in a
sentence.
Read the following
sentences.
Hari laughs.
The clock strikes.
A verb is also what is
done to the object in a sentence; as, Hari is scolded.
The window is broken.
What a person or
thing is; as, the cat is dead. Glass is
brittle.
I am sorry.
It is defined as: a word
used to tell or assert something about some person or thing.
A Verb often consists of
more than one word; as, The girls were singing.
I have learnt my lesson. The
watch has been found.
Read these sentences: -
1. The boy kicks the
football.
2. The boy laughs loudly.
In sentence 1, the action
denoted by the verb kicks passes over from the doer or subject boy to some
Object football. The verb kicks is, therefore, called a Transitive Verb.
(Transitive means passing over.)
In sentence 2, the action
denoted by the verb laughs stops with the doer or Subject boy and does not pass
over to an Object, The verb laughs is, therefore, called an Intransitive Verb.
(Intransitive means not passing over.)
Def.- A Transitive Verb
is a Verb that denotes an action which passes over from the doer or Subject to
an object.
Def.- An Intransitive
Verb is a Verb that denotes an action which does not pass over to an object, or
which expresses a state or being ; as, He ran a long distance. (Action) The
baby sleeps. (State) There is a flaw in this diamond. (Being)
Note.- Intransitive Verbs
expressing being take the same cases after them as before them.
Most Transitive Verbs
take a single object. But such Transitive Verbs as give, ask, offer, promise,
tell, etc., take two objects after them - an Indirect Object which denotes the
person to whom some thing is given or for whom something is done, and a Direct
Object which is usually the name of some thing, as,
His father gave him
(Indirect) a watch (Direct).
He told me (Indirect) a
secret (Direct).
Most verbs can be used
both as Transitive and as Intransitive verbs. It is, therefore, better to say
that a verb is used Transitively or Intransitively rather than that it is
Transitive or Intransitive.
Used Transitively
1. The ants fought the
wasps.
2. The shot sank the
ship.
3. Ring the bell,
Rama.
4. The driver stopped the
train.
5. He spoke the
truth.
6. The horse kicked the
man.
7. I feel a severe pain in my head.
Used Intransitively
1. Some ants fight very
fiercely.
2. The ship sank rapidly.
3. The bell rang loudly.
4. The train stopped suddenly
5. He spoke haughtily.
6. This horse never
kicks.
7. How do you feel?
Note.-Some Verbs, e.g.,
come, go, fall, die, sleep, lie, denote actions which cannot be done to
anything ; they can, therefore, never be used Transitively.
In such a sentence as The
man killed himself ' where the Subject and the Object both refer to the same
person, the verb is said to be used reflexively.
Sometimes, though the
verb is used reflexively. the Object is not expressed. In the following
examples the reflexive pronoun understood is put in brackets:- • The bubble
burst [itself]. • The guests made [themselves] merry, • Please keep
[yourselves] quiet. • With these words he turned [himself] to the door.
The Japanese feed
[themselves] chiefly on rice.
These verbs may, however,
be regarded as pure Intransitives without any reflexive force whatever.
Certain verbs can be used
reflexively and also as ordinary transitive verbs; as, • Do not forget his
name. • I forget his name. • Acquit yourself as man.
The magistrate acquitted
him of the charge against him. • I enjoy myself sitting alone. • He enjoys good health. • He interested
himself in his friend's welfare. • His
talk does not interest me.
A few verbs in common use
are distinguished as Transitive or Intransitive by their spelling, the
Transitive being causative forms of the corresponding Intransitive verbs.
Intransitive
1. Many trees fall in the
monsoon.
2. Lie still.
3. Rise early with the
lark.
4. Sit there.
Transitive
1. Woodmen fell trees.
(Fell = cause to fall)
2. Lay the basket there.
(Lay = cause to lie)
3. Raise your hands.
(Raise = cause to rise)
4. Set the lamp on the
table. (Set = cause to sit)
Some Intransitive Verbs
may become Transitive by having a Preposition added to them ; as, All his
friends laughted at (= derided) him. He will soon run through (= consume) his
fortune. Please look into (= investigate) the matter carefully.
We talked about (=
discussed) the affair several times. . I wish for (= desire) nothing more. The
Police Inspector asked for (= demanded) his name.
Sometimes the Preposition
is prefixed to the Verb; as, Shivaji overcame the enemy. He bravely withstood the attack. The river overflows its banks.
Intransitive Verbs
sometimes take after them an Object akin or similar in meaning to the Verb.
Such an Object is called the Cognate Object or Cognate Accusative. (Latin
Cognatus, akin.)
• I have fought a good
fight.
• He laughed a hearty
laugh.
• I dreamt a strange
dream.
• He sleeps the sleep of
the just.
• Let me die the death of
the righteous.
• She sighed a deep sigh.
• She sang a sweet song.
He ran a race.
• Aurangzeb lived the
life of an ascetic.
The noun used as a
Cognate Object is in the Accusative Case.
The following are
examples of partially Cognate Objects:- He ran a great risk (= he ran a course
of great risk). The children shouted
applause (= the children shouted a shout of applause).
A noun used adverbially
to modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb
denoting time, place, distance,
weight, value etc, is called an Adverbial Object or Adverbial
Accusative, and is said to be in the Accusative Case adverbially; as,
• He held the post ten
years.
• I can't wait a moment
longer.
• He went home.
• He swam a mile.
• He weighs seven
stone.
• The watch cost fifty
rupees.
There are a few
Transitive Verbs which are sometimes used as Intransitive Verbs.
Transitive
1. He broke the
glass.
2. He burnt his
fingers.
3. Stop him from
going.
4. Open all the
windows.
Intransitive
1. The glass broke.
2. He burnt with shame.
3. We shall stop here a
few days.
4. The show opens at six o'clock.
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