One more important grammatical category remains undisclosed - transitive and intransitive verbs in English. What kind of phenomenon this is and what its importance is expressed in, we will find out in today’s material.
What is the category of transitivity responsible for?
The meaning of this grammatical point is hidden in its very name. If the verb is transitive, then the action it denotes refers to the complement, i.e. the predicate is directed not at the subject (subject), but at a foreign object. Without a direct object, constructing statements with such verbs impossible ! In some cases, an indirect object is also added.
In contrast, intransitive verbs do not transfer their meaning to indirect persons/objects, i.e. The action is meaningfully connected precisely with the subject. Such predicates can be used alone or with an object attached by a preposition.
Thus, transitive and intransitive verbs in English form different word orders in a sentence. The former must have a direct object, while the latter do not require it at all. In addition, it is the presence of transitivity that allows the use of verbs in the passive voice. Otherwise, the formation of a passive construction is impossible.
It is worth mentioning that the transitive verbs of English and Russian do not always coincide. To avoid mistakes, we advise you to memorize the properties of verbs immediately when learning words.
Transitive and intransitive verbs in English - lists of popular verbs
In some dictionaries, next to verbs, the presence or absence of transitivity is immediately indicated. For this we use the notation v.t. ( verbtransitive – transitive verb) and v.i. ( verbintransitive - Ch. intransitive). To simplify things, we made two tables: intransitive and transitive verbs in English.
| Intransitive verbs | |
| arrive | arrive |
| depart | go |
| bark | bark |
| boggle | get scared |
| exist | exist |
| die | die |
| collapse | fall apart |
| fall | fell |
| go | go, head |
| sit | sit |
| stand | stand |
| lie | lie |
| sleep | sleep |
| happen | happen, happen |
| rise | get up |
| set | install |
| sneeze | sneeze |
| laugh | laugh |
| think | think |
| swim | swim |
| weep | cry |
| belong | belong |
| look | look |
| remain | stay |
| stay | stay |
| wait | wait |
| Transitive verbs | |
| bring | bring |
| carry | carry |
| want | want |
| have | have |
| give | give |
| take | take |
| take off | take off |
| send | send |
| interest | be interested |
| invite | invite |
| offer | suggest |
| promise | promise |
| love | be in love |
| admire | admire |
| follow | follow |
| help | to help |
| support | support |
| put on/off | put on/put off |
| buy | buy |
| cost | cost |
| pay | to pay |
| lend | lend |
| get | receive |
| suit | correspond |
| fill | fill |
| make | do |
| show | show |
| watch | look |
| tell | tell |
| teach | teach |
And everything would be easy and simple if English verbs weren’t so polysemantic. The meanings of a verb influence its properties, making it either transitive or intransitive. We'll talk more about these words in the next section.
Mixed verbs
So, some verbs are characterized by duality. To make it easier to understand the reasons for this phenomenon, let's draw an analogy with Russian verbs. Let's take the floor cover.
- She covered child with a blanket - the action switches to the addition (she covered the child).
- She took cover blanket - an intransitive verb, the action is directed at the subject.
In Russian, when changing the meaning of a word, you can often find the additional suffix –sya. In English grammar, the verb remains unchanged: changes appear in the word order of the sentence.
In the first case, we cannot leave anything unsaid, because the sentence will turn out meaningless: Jane opened(What?) shop. And in the second everything is clear without additions: The store has opened.
The questions “ whom? What?" If they are appropriate, then we most likely have a transitive verb.
To make this topic easier to understand, we have created another table. It lists frequently used verbs, which, depending on the context, can be either transitive or intransitive.
| Polysemous verbs | |
| read | read |
| write | write |
| sing | sing |
| hear | hear |
| see | see |
| eat | eat |
| call | call, call |
| begin | start off |
| burn | burn |
| improve | improve |
| grow | grow, raise |
| enter | enter |
| move | move |
| change | change |
| drop | reset |
| open | open |
| turn | to turn |
| walk | go on foot, walk |
| run | run |
So, we have studied all the frequently used transitive and intransitive verbs in modern English. Do not forget that transitivity does not always coincide with its Russian counterparts, and also that some verbs have unstable properties. In case of difficulties, try to check the dictionary and remember the words that caused difficulties. Good luck and see you in new classes!
Transitive verbs denote an action that is aimed at an object, passes to an object (object): sawing a log, chopping firewood, reading a newspaper, sewing a coat. Such verbs usually only have a complete meaning in combination with the name of the object. Pointing to an object clarifies the meaning of the verb, making it more specific. Compare: Father is sawing and Father is sawing a log. The dressmaker sews and the dressmaker sews a dress.
Object is a very broad and very abstract concept. It covers both concrete objects that are transformed or arise as a result of action (ironing trousers, building a house) and abstract concepts (feeling joy, hating lies, loving justice).
The meaning of transitivity is expressed syntactically: the name of the object with transitive verbs is in the accusative case without a preposition (write a poem, read a story, love a friend). In two cases, the direct object is expressed by the genitive case form: 1) if the action does not cover the entire object, but only part of it: ate bread, drank milk; 2) if the verb has a negation: did not drink milk, did not eat bread, did not read newspapers, did not chop wood
The accusative case without a preposition, denoting a certain period of time or space, does not express an object. In this case, it denotes the measure of action, i.e. it acts as a function of circumstances: sat all day, thought for an hour, slept all the way. Here it is impossible to ask the usual questions: who? what?, which is answered by a direct object.
Intransitive verbs denote an action that does not pass to the object. They cannot have a direct object with them: suffer, walk, run, sit, grow, walk, dine, rejoice, get dressed, etc.
] A special category consists of the so-called indirectly forward verbs. These include reflexive and non-reflexive verbs that control not the accusative, but other indirect cases of nouns (without prepositions and with prepositions). They usually denote the attitude towards an object or the state of the subject, but do not express the transition of action to the object, the influence of the subject on the object: to desire victory, wait for the train, be proud of a brother, hope for success, trust a friend, think about victory, help a comrade, etc.
1_ Often the same verb in some lexical meanings is classified as transitive, and in others - as intransitive. Thus, the verb to write is transitive in the meanings: 1) “to create, compose a literary, scientific, etc. work” (write stories, a dissertation); 2) “create a work of art” (paint a picture, portrait, decoration, landscape); 3) “to compose a piece of music by recording it” (write music, opera) The same verb acts as an intransitive verb when it means: 1) “to be able to use the written form of speech” (The boy is already writing, that is, he knows how to write); 2) “engage in literary activities”,
In the same meaning, the verb “can simultaneously control different cases and prepositional forms: bring things into the room, wrap a book in paper, splash water on the laundry, splash water on the laundry, write a letter to your brother with a pencil, draw a portrait with paints in class.
Entire semantic groups of verbs can be transitive or intransitive. For example, verbs of creation, as well as destruction, destruction of an object, as a rule, are transitive: a) build (build) a house, sew (sew) a coat, weave (weave) a carpet, create (create) state farms; b) destroy (destroy) an old building, break (break) a glass, burn (burn) garbage, spoil (ruin) a watch, etc.
Intransitives include large groups of verbs of movement (run, jog, walk, walk, fly, float, float, float, jump, hurry, etc.), position in space (sit, lie, stand, hang, etc.). ), sound (rattle, gasp, cackle, hiss, meow, hum, etc.), state (be silent, sleep, get sick, nervous, grieve, envy, seethe, breathe, etc.), change in state, becoming (lose weight, lose weight, become stupid, become stupid, turn white, turn white, wither, wither, go deaf, go deaf, etc.). Intransitive verbs are -stvovat, -begin, -it, denoting
occupation of the person named in the producing basis (teach, build, act, professor; paint, garden, plumbing; carpenter, paint), verbs of behavior - to laze, -to work (to be generous, to slander; cowardly, to be hooligan, to be brutal) pvovat).
Thus, transitivity/intransitivity of verbs comes before gu. it depends on their lexical-semantic properties. In the expression pe-! Transitivity/intransitivity involves affixes - postfix, suffix-1" with її! and prefixes. - "
The postfix -sya is always an indicator of the intransitivity of the verb. By joining a transitive verb, it makes it intransitive. C: please parents (with success) - rejoice, wash the dishes -
to clean one's coat - to clean oneself. Intransitive denominal g hagols are formed by the suffix -e-. It expresses the meaning of the gradual accumulation by the subject of any properties, signs: smart (smart) - grow smarter (become smart), white (s) - turn white (become gt; white).
Among unprefixed verbs, only a third have a transitive meaning.
The composition of transitive verbs is continuously replenished due to prefix formations. Many prefixes, when attached to intransitive verbs, turn them into transitive ones. The prefix forms transitive verbs meaning “to achieve (achieve) something through action”: play - win a motorcycle,
work - develop two standards; prefix for meaning
“bring (bring) an object (object) to a bad state by action”: play - play a record.
Transitive denominative verbs are formed using the suffix sin(s) - blue linen (make blue), white(s) - whiten the ceiling (make white), etc. Most verbs of this type are correlative with intransitive verbs with the suffix -e-. Wed: to search (non-transition) - turn blue (transition), turn white (non-transition) - whiten ^transition), freeze (non-transition) - freeze (transition). According to transitivity/intransitivity, the members of the pairs are also contrasted: to become weak - to weaken, to go mad - to go crazy, to cool - to cool, to weaken - to weaken, etc. Here: go out (go out) - extinguish (extinguish), go blind (blind) -blind (blind ), deafen (ooh-ohnut, stall) - stun (deafen, muffle), lie - live, sleep - put to sleep, stand - put, hang - hang hang), resist - contrast, etc. In only one pair, both verbs are transitive : drink milk - give the baby milk. The second members of such pairs mean “to force (to force) to perform (perform) some action”, to force (to force) to be in some state.” They are usually called causative verbs (from the Latin causa - “reason”).
, “responsible” for designating actions. It has not only changeable characteristics, but also constant ones - those that do not disappear when words are changed. Transitive and intransitive verbs in Russian differ in the presence or absence of one of these constant features - transitivity.
In contact with
The concept of verb transitivity
Transitivity is understood as a grammatical category indicating the ability of the verb form manage direct object, that is, to attach nouns (objects) in the accusative and, less commonly, genitive case, which does not have a preposition.
This is the formal side of the definition. But what is a transition from the semantic side?
The meaning of transitive verb forms is that they denote “non-independent” actions that cannot be performed without a controlled object. Here are examples:
- To write (what?) a play, to serve (who?) a client, to not earn (what?) money are transitive verbs (simply “write” or “serve” is impossible, and “earn” without a controlled object is a verb with a different meaning).
- To sit (on what?) on a chair, to wash, to suffer (from what?) from an illness are intransitive verbs (you can simply “sit” or “suffer”).
Transition is what it is transfer of action from subject (subject) to object (called direct object).
In what cases should nouns be put?
Transitive verbs are able to control the object both in the form of the accusative case and in the form of the genitive case - in both cases without a preposition. But how do you know which of the two cases to use in each specific case?
The accusative is basic. The genitive addition takes on the form in the following cases:
- If it means “a certain amount of something”: “drank water” (n.) - that is, some part of the poured liquid; but “drank the water” (vin. p.) - that is, all the water in a given vessel or reservoir.
- In negative sentences, if the meaning “at all” is implied: “I didn’t eat your carrots” (I just didn’t eat) - “I didn’t eat your carrots” (I didn’t eat at all, not a piece).
- In negative sentences, if there is an intensifying particle “nor”: “We have no idea.”
The accusative case in negative sentences weakens the negation, and the genitive, on the contrary, strengthens it.
Important! Some nouns with transitive verbal forms acquire a genitive case form that differs from the main one: “I’ll take some sugar”, “not knowing the ford, don’t poke your nose into the water” (instead of “sugar”, “ford”).
How to determine the transitivity of a specific verb
How to determine transitivity? Problems often arise with this. The presence or absence of transitivity can be determined using the following method.
First you need to find the verb form in the sentence. Then find nouns or to which you can ask the question “who?” or “what?”
If there is such a word and there is no preposition with it, then this is a direct object; in front of us transition.
If the sentence is incomplete, the direct object may not be present, but it is implied; in this case, you also need to ask a question in the accusative case of the verb: “Do you understand me? “I understand (who? what?).” If you can’t ask such a question, then this intransitive: “Where have you been all week? “I was sick” (it is impossible to ask “who?” or “what?”).
Important! All reflexive and verb forms in the passive voice are not transitive, that is, those that have the suffix “-s” or “-sya”: it seems, washes, is located.
While observing this rule, you need to keep in mind the meaning of the noun - it must denote the object of the action. There are situations when a noun in the accusative case without a preposition stands next to a verb and is related to it, but it cannot be transitive: “It takes an hour to drive,” “to live for a week.”
Transitivity of polysemous verbs
Verb forms of words can have multiple meanings. In this case, in the first meaning there is a transitive type, and in the second meaning the same word is an intransitive type. “He is telling (what?) a lie” is transitive, but “the child is already speaking (talking)” is intransitive. “The orchestra is playing (what?) a march” is transitive, but “the child is playing (busy playing)” is intransitive.
In humorous texts, a situation is possible when the normally intransitive becomes transitive: “Drink vodka and misbehave with discipline.”
The comic effect is built on this; the verbs seem to acquire the meanings of those instead of which they are placed– “to hooligan” instead of “to violate”, etc.
Obsolete meanings of intransitive verb forms may have transitivity.
“Trade” is an intransitive verb in modern Russian, but earlier, having the meaning of “price the price,” it was transitive: “To trade a horse.” This usage remains in folklore.
Differences between transitive and intransitive
Now you need to find out what is the difference between transitional from intransitive. First of all is its meaning. Transitional is usually designated.
In this lesson we will talk about transitive verbs. Of course, the verbs themselves do not go anywhere. But the actions that they denote can go directly to the object to which this action is directed. You will learn how to distinguish transitive verbs from intransitive ones in this lesson.
Topic: Verb
Lesson: Transitive and intransitive verbs
1. The concept of transitive verbs
Actions that verbs denote can go directly to the object to which this action is directed. Such verbs are called transitional.
You can always ask a question from transitive verbs whom? or What?(questions in the accusative case without a preposition):
Write ( What?) letter
See ( whom?) boy
With intransitive verbs, the action does not pass directly to the subject.
You can ask any questions from intransitive verbs, except questions in the accusative case without a preposition:
Study ( how?) sports
Understand ( what?) to the muses ke
Refuse ( from what?) from help
It is important to correctly find the word to which the action denoted by the verb is directed. A transitive verb always carries with it a noun or a pronoun without a preposition, which is not just in the accusative case, but is the object of the action that the verb names:
See boy
See their
There may be cases when, despite the fact that the nouns are in the accusative case, the verbs are intransitive. Because these nouns are not the object of action, which are called verbs.
stand still hour
Wait a week
Transitivity/intransitivity of a verb is closely related to its lexical meaning. In one meaning a verb can be transitive, and in another it can be intransitive:
Learn At school.
The verb “teach” in the meaning of “teach” is intransitive.
Learn children.
The verb “teach” in the meaning “to teach” is transitive.
Editor rules manuscript.
The verb “rules” in the meaning of “corrects” is transitive.
Peace rules the man himself.
The verb “rules” in the meaning of “manages” is intransitive.
3. Sentences with transitive verbs
Sentences with transitive verbs can be either affirmative or negative. True, when negated, the accusative case of a noun can be replaced by the genitive.
He's a fly will kill .
In this case, with a transitive verb will kill noun fly is in the accusative case.
Compare the same sentence, albeit with a negative meaning.
He flies won't kill .
The accusative case of the noun is replaced by the genitive.
However, remember: despite this, the verb does not lose its transitivity.
Often in the store we can hear the following phrases:
Please weigh me some sugar.
Cut off that cheese.
Form R.p. with transitive verbs it is used so that we understand that only part of the subject is being said, and not about the subject as a whole.
In a similar situation, if we are talking about an object that is not divided into parts, V.p. is used:
Please weigh the pear for me.
Cut off that piece.
And if we are talking about an object that is divided into parts, we can use the form R.p.
Bibliography
- Russian language. 6th grade: Baranov M.T. and others - M.: Education, 2008.
- Russian language. Theory. 5-9 grades: V.V. Babaytseva, L.D. Chesnokova - M.: Bustard, 2008.
- Russian language. 6th grade: ed. MM. Razumovskaya, P.A. Lekanta - M.: Bustard, 2010.
- Definition of verb transitivity ().
Homework
1. Exercise 1.
Indicate transitive verbs, underline the subject and predicate.
Autumn has come. The trees in the forest turned yellow. Leaves cover the bare ground with a variegated carpet. Many birds flew away. The rest are busy, preparing for winter. Animals are also looking for warm housing, stocking up on food for the long winter: a hedgehog made a hole in dry leaves, a squirrel brought in nuts and cones, a bear is preparing its den.
2. Exercise 2.
From this text, write down phrases with transitive and intransitive verbs in two columns, determine the case of the noun.
1. Young birch leaves have always delighted me with their delicate greenery. The guys planted these birch trees when they were at school.
2. There is no longer a feeling of piercing dampness in the air.
3. The noise of the street burst through the open window.
4. I returned the book as soon as I read it.
5. He stood at the fence and held a dog on a leash.
3. Exercise 3.
Indicate the transitivity and intransitivity of verbs in the text.
1. Monkeys are very afraid of snakes. Even cobras frighten them, although cobras feed on lizards and mice and do not hunt monkeys. A little monkey saw a boa constrictor. She climbs the tree with lightning speed, grabs the branches and, petrified with horror, cannot take her eyes off the predator.
2. Find Sakhalin Island on the map, draw a straight line to the south, and when leaving the bay you will see a tiny dot, and above it the inscription “Seal Island”. This is a famous island. A whole herd of fur seals, valuable fur-bearing animals, swims there every spring..
). It is grammatically opposed to an intransitive verb. Transitivity- a grammatical category of a verb expressing its aspect. From this point of view, a transitive verb is a verb of valency 2 or more:
I grow potatoes- the verb “to grow” is transitive, that is, it requires the addition of a patient (object of action). Without it, action is impossible (as a rule, “something” is grown).
The meaning of transitivity is that the agent (subject of the action) and the patient (object of the action) are separated, I perform an action with something.
I'm coming- the verb is intransitive, since the addition of a patient is impossible (in fact, you can “eat something”, but you cannot “go something”).
The meaning of intransitivity is that agent and patient are connected - roughly speaking, “I force myself to act.”
It often happens, however, that a verb has several meanings, some of which are transitive, while others are not.
I run - I am running(verb in intransitive form).
I run a company - I run a company(the same verb in a transitive form).
Transitivity is interesting, firstly, for its connection with the semantics of the verb, secondly, for its rare plane of expression, and thirdly, for its relationship with the categories of voice and reflexivity.
In semantic terms, many verbs with the meaning of direct influence of the subject on the object are transitive ( beat, caress), sensory relationship ( be in love, hate) etc. Verbs with the meaning of movement are almost never transitive, since they cannot have a direct object.
The plan for expressing transitivity is interesting in that it goes beyond the scope of the word form, since its sign is the presence of a controlled noun. Transitive verbs are not verbs in the passive voice and reflexive verbs. For example, it is correct: “Vasya saved Dorimedont,” incorrectly: “Vasya saved Dorimedont,” “Vasya saved Dorimedont.” This happens because a verb in the passive voice describes the state of the object, not the subject's actions in relation to it. Reciprocity marks the direction of the subject's action towards himself, the mutual direction of the action, etc., which also excludes the presence of a direct object.
Stylistically, transitive verbs are often culturally marked. for example, in Russian it is considered uncivilized to use a transitive verb without mentioning the object if it is not implied (for example: “What are you doing?” “I’m hitting”); although there are exceptions (“What are you doing?” “Eating”). At the same time, some transitive verbs, used without a corresponding noun, acquire additional euphemistic meaning. P. A. Vyazemsky wrote: “It is remarkable that in our common language the verb to take already implies bribes... The verb to drink also automatically equals the verb to get drunk” (See: Vyazemsky P. A. Poems, memoirs, notebooks. M ,1988).
see also
Literature
- Beloshapkova V. A. Modern Russian language. (any edition).
- Grammar of modern Russian language. M, 1970.
- Grammar of the modern Russian language in 2 volumes. M, 1980.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
See what a “transitive verb” is in other dictionaries:
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transition- I B/ and A/ pr; 109 claim see Appendix II = transitional (intended for moving to another place, to another class, to another course, cf.: transitional and transitional tunnel, transitional and transitional exams) II A/ pr ; 109 See Appendix II... ... Dictionary of Russian accents