English Language Arts
Grade 5
15 min
Identify transitive and intransitive verbs
Identify transitive and intransitive verbs
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define action verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, and direct object.
Differentiate between a transitive and an intransitive verb within a sentence.
Identify the direct object that receives the action of a transitive verb.
Apply the 'What? or Whom?' test to determine if a verb is transitive.
Construct sentences using transitive verbs and comparative adjectives to describe a direct object.
Construct sentences using intransitive verbs, recognizing the absence of a direct object.
Why can we say 'The stronger athlete threw the heavier ball,' but it also makes sense to just say 'The faster bird flew'? ⚾️➡️🐦
In this lesson, we will explore two special types of action verbs: transitive and intransitive. Understanding them he...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Action VerbA word that shows a physical or mental action.The students write. The dog jumps. He thinks.
Transitive VerbAn action verb that passes its action to a noun or pronoun in the sentence. It MUST have a direct object.The taller girl kicked the ball. ('kicked' is transitive because it acts on 'the ball').
Intransitive VerbAn action verb that does NOT pass its action to a noun or pronoun. It does not have a direct object.The tired boy slept. ('slept' is intransitive because no one 'receives' the sleeping).
Direct ObjectThe noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb. It answers the question 'What?' or 'Whom?' after the verb.She read the longer book. (What did she read? The book. 'B...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The 'What? or Whom?' Test
After you find the action verb, ask 'Verb what?' or 'Verb whom?'.
If a noun or pronoun in the sentence answers the question, the verb is TRANSITIVE. If nothing answers the question, the verb is INTRANSITIVE.
The Sentence Pattern Rule
Transitive: Subject + Verb + Direct Object. Intransitive: Subject + Verb.
Transitive verbs need a direct object to complete the thought. Intransitive verbs can stand alone or be followed by phrases that tell where, when, or how (but not what or whom).
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Challenging
Consider these two sentences: 1. 'The sun shone brightly.' 2. 'The boy shone his newer flashlight.' How does the verb 'shone' change from sentence 1 to sentence 2?
A.It changes from intransitive (no direct object) to transitive (direct object is 'flashlight').
B.It changes from transitive (direct object is 'brightly') to intransitive.
C.It stays intransitive in both sentences.
D.It stays transitive in both sentences.
Challenging
Which sentence best demonstrates the Subject + Verb + Direct Object pattern, where the direct object is described by a comparative adjective?
A.The faster car drove on the wider road.
B.The dedicated librarian organized the thicker books.
C.The taller boy is my best friend.
D.The girl with the redder bow ran more quickly.
Challenging
A student wrote: "In the sentence 'The older cat slept on the softer pillow,' the direct object is 'pillow'." What is the error in the student's thinking?
A.The student correctly identified the direct object.
B.The student misidentified the verb; 'slept' is not an action verb.
C.The student confused a noun in a prepositional phrase ('on the softer pillow') with a direct object.
D.The student should have identified 'cat' as the direct object.
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