Verb

[Keralite]

Could you please explain Phrasel verb and Transitive verb?

[mxreader]

You can look up the glossary here for phrasal verbs.

Basically you have more than one word, hence its a "phrase".

Transitive verbs points to the fact that the verb used is logically self-sufficient different to intransitive verbs which are always accompanied by a preposition.

Transitive verb: Keralite likes apples.
Intransitive verb : Keralite spoke to mxreader.

Now you should see why in the above glossary for phrasal verbs that intransitive verbs are grouped there.

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by mxreader

Transitive verbs points to the fact that the verb used is logically self-sufficient different to intransitive verbs which are always accompanied by a preposition.

Just to clarify for keralyte:
Transitive verbs are not self-sufficient; they need a direct object, which intransitive verbs don't.
Intransitive verbs do not necessarily need a preposition. ("Dick ran. See Dick run").

[Keralite]

A bunch of thanks .....

[Keralite]

Originally Posted by Raymott

Just to clarify for keralyte:
Transitive verbs are not self-sufficient; they need a direct object, which intransitive verbs don't.
Intransitive verbs do not necessarily need a preposition. ("Dick ran. See Dick run").

Hi Raymott

Could you clarify Transitive verb with some examples. Because Mxreader says that Trasitive verb will be self sufficient which is contradictory to your openion.

Thanks in advance..

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by Keralite

Hi Raymott

Could you clarify Transitive verb with some examples. Because Mxreader says that Trasitive verb will be self sufficient which is contradictory to your openion.

Thanks in advance..

Have you looked up transitive/intransitive verbs yet? Start here:
Transitive Verb - Glossary Definition - UsingEnglish.com

A transitive verb takes a direct object. Sub + verb + object.
"The dog bit the man". "Bite" is a transitive verb.
An intransitive verb verb does not take a direct object.
"The man ran."

So, if self-sufficiency was a quality of one of these types of verb, it would be intransitive verb. MXreader's claim that a transitive verb is more self-sufficient is based (as far as I can tell) on the false premise that an intransitive verb needs a prepositional phrase. He does not address the problem of the transitive verb needing a direct object.

But all this talk about self-sufficiency is not important, and self-sufficiency doesn't differentiate the two types of verbs. The difference is the types of objects they take.

[mxreader]

I think the clarification from Raymott confused it for the OP. Also just what is meant by "The difference is the types of objects they take."? Because all the intransitive verb examples Keralite was given do not contain objects. How can Keralite see any differences in the objects when there are no objects to be compared with?



Keralite, let me clarify for myself:

When someone talks about transitives or intransitives, I think of us going on a trip from point A to point B. I am in Singapore, in transit from Brisbane to London. Brisbane is the Subject and London is the Object of my sentence, here we are talking about Singapore the transit point between Subject and Object. I am not talking about Subject + Verb sentences. Hey, there's no object, no London there, therefore there is no transit going on. Its quite pointless to label verbs as transitive or intransitive from Subject+Verb sentences.

I think it is quite misleading to make it a rule or make it sound like a rule that "intransitive verb verb does not take a direct object" it gives the wrong impression that intransitives are found only in objectless Subject+Verb sentences, they are not only found there as my example have shown.

It isn't about the need for an object, it is about the transit from Subject to Object.

Transitive verbs are "self-sufficient" because they do not need a preposition to transit, to connect, to its object, nothing to do with the need for an object, since both my examples clearly contain objects. Intransitive verbs require a preposition to transit, to connect to its object.

My examples again are:
Transitive verb: Keralite likes apples.
Intransitive verb : Keralite spoke to mxreader.

My opinion about the two explanations you read here:
I don't think Raymott and I are contradicting each other, we are seeing it from different perspectives. Raymott sees the verbs as being able to take or not take an object, I see it as verbs in connecting with objects requiring a preposition or not. The idea of self-sufficiency naturally seem to contradict because we are talking about different dependencies, Raymott is talking about object dependency, I am talking about preposition dependency.

Peace

[Raymott]

I won't argue with you on this thread, mxreader.
I'll just put on record that my explanation did not come from my imagination. It is the orthodox definition found in English grammar books, websites, this site. It is taught in universities and schools.
Your point of view might have some value and validity. But it isn't standard English grammar. You do not even refer to direct and indirect objects in your explanation. It's an idiosyncratic definition and explanation of transitive/ intransitive verbs that requires no refutation.

[engee30]

Oh dear! If Keralite were to understand the above...

In simple words, an intransitive verb is a verb that stands alone, and usually doesn't require anything following it in order to form a grammatical sentence:

Pamela has just left.
They're sleeping.
Two months later, he died.

Intransitive verbs may, however, occur with obligatory and optional adverbials, eg:

They went... (but where?)
They went home.

They live... (but where?)
They live in Dublin.

You can add some more information to the three sentences above, just to provide your hearer with it:

Pamela has just left for work.
They're sleeping in their bedrooms.
Two months later, he died of pneumonia.

As for a transitive verb - it really needs something to be followed with, like a direct and/or indirect object (sometimes you will need the two at once), to form a grammatical sentence:

Pamela has just eaten her breakfast.
They're watching TV.
Two months before, he had changed his job.

[you need the two objects here - ditransitive verb]
I offered... (but whom, and what?)
I offered her a drink.
or
I offered a drink to her.

Sometimes the same verb can be transitive and intransitive:

I like reading. (intransitive)
I like reading newspapers. (transitive)