Intransitive Verbs
In the previous video we learned about transitive verbs. Transitive verbs, were verbs that take a direct object. The opposite of transitive verbs are intransitive verbs. And intransitive verbs do not take a direct object or cannot take a direct object. So let's actually look at a few examples here of intransitive verbs.
To see how they're different from those verbs, those transitive verbs that take a direct object. So, here we have she arrived early. She is the subject, arrived is the verb. And I said a moment ago that intransitive verbs are those verbs that cannot take a direct object.
But, you may be thinking, wait a second there's a word over here, early. So is that early the direct object? Well, we're modifying or we're describing how she arrived. And when we're describing or modifying a verb. We are using an adverb. A direct object has to be a noun.
So here we simply have a verb with an adverb. There is no direct object. Think of it this way, did she do anything to something? Did she hit the ball? That is, did something receive the verb? She arrived the train station, nope.
Because you do not say that in English, because arrive does not take a direct object. So you will not have she arrived, followed by some noun. That noun would be the direct object, but because intransitive verbs do not take direct objects. There's no noun following it, and hence we simply have she arrived early.
We could even have just, she arrived. Which interestingly enough, is basically as simple as a sentence can get. A subject alone, such as she, is not a sentence. Arrived, is not a sentenced, a verb. But if you have, she arrived, that is you have this intransitive verb, it doesn't need anything else.
You have a sentence. You have a subject and a verb. Now let's move on to the next one. The man fell. Man is the subject. Fell is the verb.
As I said a moment ago that's all we need for a sentence. Is a subject and a verb, if that verb is intransitive. Because we don't need anything over here. Intransitive verb doesn't do anything to anything. It simply stands on its own. And it can oftentimes refer to that which came before.
What fell, oh, the man. So it refers simply to the subject. Look below. The bomb exploded. What exploded? Well, what exploded is the bomb. That answers the question.
We can see therefore that exploded is an intransitive verb. If you say the man exploded the building. Which you really wouldn't say in English. But then you would have the building, a noun, and that would be the direct object. But because exploded here is an intransitive verb, it's happening to the subject.
The subject exploded. The bomb exploded. In this case. And hence, we have an intransitive verb, have a sentence. Just to repeat one more time. An intransitive verb, does not take a direct object.
Read full transcriptTo see how they're different from those verbs, those transitive verbs that take a direct object. So, here we have she arrived early. She is the subject, arrived is the verb. And I said a moment ago that intransitive verbs are those verbs that cannot take a direct object.
But, you may be thinking, wait a second there's a word over here, early. So is that early the direct object? Well, we're modifying or we're describing how she arrived. And when we're describing or modifying a verb. We are using an adverb. A direct object has to be a noun.
So here we simply have a verb with an adverb. There is no direct object. Think of it this way, did she do anything to something? Did she hit the ball? That is, did something receive the verb? She arrived the train station, nope.
Because you do not say that in English, because arrive does not take a direct object. So you will not have she arrived, followed by some noun. That noun would be the direct object, but because intransitive verbs do not take direct objects. There's no noun following it, and hence we simply have she arrived early.
We could even have just, she arrived. Which interestingly enough, is basically as simple as a sentence can get. A subject alone, such as she, is not a sentence. Arrived, is not a sentenced, a verb. But if you have, she arrived, that is you have this intransitive verb, it doesn't need anything else.
You have a sentence. You have a subject and a verb. Now let's move on to the next one. The man fell. Man is the subject. Fell is the verb.
As I said a moment ago that's all we need for a sentence. Is a subject and a verb, if that verb is intransitive. Because we don't need anything over here. Intransitive verb doesn't do anything to anything. It simply stands on its own. And it can oftentimes refer to that which came before.
What fell, oh, the man. So it refers simply to the subject. Look below. The bomb exploded. What exploded? Well, what exploded is the bomb. That answers the question.
We can see therefore that exploded is an intransitive verb. If you say the man exploded the building. Which you really wouldn't say in English. But then you would have the building, a noun, and that would be the direct object. But because exploded here is an intransitive verb, it's happening to the subject.
The subject exploded. The bomb exploded. In this case. And hence, we have an intransitive verb, have a sentence. Just to repeat one more time. An intransitive verb, does not take a direct object.