Active verbs are the simplest type of verb: they simply express some sort of action. Watch this video introduction to verbs:
Let’s look at the example verbs from the video one more time:
- contain
- roars
- runs
- sleeps
All of these verbs are active verbs: they all express an action.
Practice
Identify the active verbs in the following sentences:
- Dominic paints the best pictures of meerkats.
- Sean’s hair curled really well today.
- Elephants roam the savanna.
- Billy ate an entire loaf of bread in one sitting.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Active verbs can be divided into two categories: transitive and intransitive verbs. A transitive verb is a verb that requires one or more objects. This contrasts with intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.
It might be helpful to think of it this way: transitive verbs have to be done to something or someone in the sentence. Intransitive verbs only have to be done by someone.
Let’s look at a few examples of transitive verbs:
- We are going to need a bigger boat.
- The object in this sentence is the phrase “a bigger boat.” Consider how incomplete the thought would be if the sentence only said “We are going to need.” Despite having a subject and a verb, the sentence is meaningless without the object phrase.
- She hates filling out forms.
- Again, leaving out the object would cripple the meaning of the sentence. We have to know that “forms” is what she hates filling out.
- Sean hugged his brother David.
- You can see the pattern. . . . “Hugged” in this sentence is only useful if we know who Sean squeezed. David is the object of the transitive verb.
Intransitive verbs, on the other do not take an object.
- John sneezed loudly.
- Even though there’s another word after sneezed, the full meaning of the sentence is available with just the subject John and the verb sneezed: “John sneezed.” Therefore, sneezed is an intransitive verb. It doesn’t have to be done to something or someone.
- My computer completely died.
- Again, died here is enough for the sentence to make sense. We know that the computer (the subject) is what died.
This video provides a more in-depth explanation of transitive and intransitive verbs and how they work:
Note: there are some verbs that can act as both transitive and intransitive verbs (the video defined these as bitransitive verbs):
| Intransitive | Transitive |
|---|---|
| The fire has burned for hundreds of years. | Miranda burned all of her old school papers. |
| Don’t let the engine stop running! | Karl ran the best horse track this side of the river. |
| The vase broke. | She broke the toothpick. |
| Does your dog bite? | The cat bit him. |
| Water evaporates when it’s hot. | Heat evaporates water. |
Practice
Read the following sentences. Are the verbs in each transitive or intransitive?
- Liv fell out of the car.
- Ian has written over four hundred articles on the subject.
- Christopher sings really well.
- Marton wondered about a lot of things.
- Cate gave great gifts.
