Intransitive and Transitive Verbs

Here is the explanation for these Verbs for you, it is an excerpt from my book : Grammar and Composition :

1. Intransitive Verbs and Transitive Verbs

(a) Intransitive Verbs : When the action of a Verb does not pass over from the Subject to the Object, it is called an Intransitive Verb. In other words, an Intransitive Verb does not need an Object to complete its sense; for example :

The boys were walking to school.

Water flows in the river swiftly.

The child cried out of hunger.

The boys jumped in joy.

(b) Transitive Verbs : A Transitive Verb is an action that passes over from the Subject to the Object. That is, a Transitive Verb necessarily needs an Object to complete its sense.

Compare the following sentences :

I Group	II Group
My mother was knitting. What?	My mother was knitting a sweater.
The judge will punish. Whom?	The judge will punish the criminal.

You can see that the sentences in the II Group make complete sense.

Integrative Learning There are two types of Objects : Direct Object and Indirect Object. If there are two or more Objects in a sentence, a living Noun or a Personal Pronoun is the Indirect Object; while all other Objects are Direct Objects; for example : Please bring me a glass of water. Will you tell him your tale of adventure? In the above sentences, a glass of water and your tale of adventure are Direct Objects, while me and him are Indirect Objects. So, Verb+whom is the Indirect Object and Verb+what is the Direct Object. We can also write the above Objects in the following ways : Please bring a glass of water for me. Will you tell your tale of adventure to him?

Integrative Learning : Some Verbs can function as both Transitive and Intransitive Verbs :

Intransitive Verbs	Transitive Verbs
Doing yoga, she bent down slowly. You must not drive rashly.	Doing yoga, she bent her head down slowly. You must not drive the car rashly.