State whether the given verb is transitive or intransitive.
The horse walks. Walks is ....................................
2. The man walks the horse. Here walks is ......................................
3. The boys fly their kites. Here fly is ................................................
4. Many trees fell in the storm. Here fell is .............................................
5. Woodcutters felled the trees. Here felled is ...........................................
6. Lay the basket on the table. Here lay is .............................................
7. Rise early with the lark. Rise is ............................................
8. Raise your hands. Raise is .............................................
Answers
When an intransitive verb is used in a causative sense, it becomes transitive.
Study the examples given below.
- The horse walks. (Intransitive)
2. The man walks the horse. (Transitive – here the man causes the horse to walk.)
3. The boys fly their kites. (Transitive)
4. Many trees fell in the storm. (Intransitive)
5. Woodcutters felled the trees. (Transitive)
6. Lay the basket on the table. (Transitive)
7. Rise early with the lark.
8. Raise your hands. (= Cause your hands to rise.)
Notes
The spellings of certain common verbs indicate whether they are transitive or intransitive.
Sit here.
Set the lamp on the table.
Some intransitive verbs become transitive when a preposition is added to them.
His friends laughed at him. (Laugh is an intransitive verb and does not take any object. Laugh at is a transitive verb and takes the object ‘him’.)
He soon ran through his fortune. (The verb run is intransitive whereas run through is transitive. To run through one’s fortune is to use it rapidly.)
Please look into the matter carefully.
I wish for nothing.
Sometimes the preposition is prefixed to the verb.
He overcame his enemy. (Come is an intransitive verb, but overcome is transitive.)
He bravely withstood the attack. (Stand is an intransitive verb, but withstand is transitive.)
