What is the difference between Transitive and Intransitive Verbs?

A transitive verb is a type of verb that will only make sense if you would use it to show the meaning of another object. A transitive verb is a type of verb that will make sense even if you would use it on its own. For example, you may use the verb read in an intransitive or transitive way. You might say, “Read what is written on the blackboard.” Read here is intransitive because, without the other words that are used, it will not make any sense.

If you would use the verb “read” in a more transitive way, you might say, “Diego is only starting to learn how to read.” This means that even without the other words, the word “read” will still be very useful and understood in the sentence.

A verb can be said to be transitive or intransitive based on when a sentence needs an object to make a complete sense or not. Transitive verbs are the verbs that transfer the action of the subject to the object. These groups of verbs are commonly referred to as an action verb. These verbs cannot do without an object.

Intransitive verbs, on the other hand, are verbs that can be used with an object. There are two types of intransitive verbs. This includes the complete intransitive verb, which does not require an object to make a sentence complete and the linking intransitive or copula verbs: this link the subject to a predicate noun, pronoun, and adjective. Examples of linking verbs are, is, am, as, are and where etc.