State whether the verbs in the following sentences are used transitively or intransitively.
1. Heat expands metals.
2. Metals expand on heating.
3. The driver stopped the car.
4. The car stopped abruptly.
5. You must speak the truth.
6. You must speak loudly.
7. The boy is flying the kite.
8. The birds are flying in the sky.
9. The rider fell off the horse and broke his arm.
10. The woodcutter felled a huge tree.
11. The explosion sank the ship.
12. The ship sank suddenly.
Answers
1. Transitive verb – expands ( object – metals)
2. Intransitive verb – expand
3. Transitive verb – stopped (object – car)
4. Intransitive verb – stopped
5. Transitive verb – speak (object – truth)
6. Intransitive verb – speak
7. Transitive verb – is flying (object – kite)
8. Intransitive verb – are flying
9. Intransitive verb – fell off
10. Transitive verb – felled (object – tree)
11. Transitive verb – sank (object – ship)
12. Intransitive verb – sank
Notes
A transitive verb has an object. An intransitive verb does not have an object. Note that most verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively.
