Intransitive Verb

An intransitive verb is a type of verb that does not require a direct object to complete its meaning. Unlike transitive verbs, which act upon a specific object, intransitive verbs convey complete actions on their own. For example, in “She sleeps,” the verb “sleeps” is intransitive because the action does not pass to an object. Intransitive verbs can be followed by adverbs or prepositional phrases for more context, such as “He runs quickly” or “They arrived at noon.” They do not take an indirect object, distinguishing them from phrasal verbs and other action verbs.

What Is an Intransitive Verb?

An intransitive verb is a verb that does not require a direct object to complete its meaning. Unlike transitive verbs, which need an object, intransitive verbs convey complete actions on their own. For example, in “She sleeps,” the verb “sleeps” is intransitive because the action does not pass to an object.

Intransitive Verb Examples

1. The baby cried.
2. The sun shines.
3. The cat slept.
4. The children laughed.
5. The flower bloomed.
6. She yawned.
7. He smiled.
8. The leaves fell.
9. The wind howled.
10. The dog barked.
11. They arrived.
12. He grew.
13. She left.
14. The plane landed.
15. The fish swam.
16. The bird flew.
17. The train stopped.
18. The boy jumped.
19. The girl danced.
20. The river flows.
21. The tree stood.
22. He waited.
23. She sang.
24. The snow melted.
25. The sun set.
26. The boat sailed.
27. The star twinkled.
28. The horse galloped.
29. The baby slept.
30. The man fainted.
31. The flowers wilted.
32. The candle flickered.
33. The waves crashed.
34. The fire burned.
35. The crowd cheered.
36. The music played.
37. The phone rang.
38. The light dimmed.
39. The clock ticked.
40. The audience applauded.
41. The rain stopped.
42. The ice thawed.
43. The leaves rustled.
44. The volcano erupted.
45. The storm subsided.
46. The tides turned.
47. The grass grew.
48. The owl hooted.
49. The peacock strutted.
50. The butterfly fluttered.

Transitive and Intransitive verbs Examples

1. She sleeps.
2. He runs quickly.
3. They arrived at noon.
4. She reads a book.
5. He kicks the ball.
6. They watched the movie.
7. The dog barks loudly.
8. She cries softly.
9. The sun sets in the west.
10. The bird sings beautifully.
11. He paints a picture.
12. She drinks water.
13. They built a house.
14. He buys groceries.
15. She writes a letter.
16. The cat jumps on the table.
17. The baby smiles.
18. He eats an apple.
19. She drives a car.
20. They celebrate a birthday.

Subject Intransitive verb Examples

1. Birds chirp.
2. Rain falls.
3. Children play.
4. Flowers bloom.
5. Stars twinkle.
6. Cats purr.
7. Dogs bark.
8. Leaves rustle.
9. The wind howls.
10. The sun shines.
11. Waves crash.
12. Rivers flow.
13. Snow melts.
14. Trees sway.
15. Fire burns.
16. Wolves howl.
17. Babies cry.
18. Clouds gather.
19. People cheer.
20. Lightning strikes.

Types of Intransitive Verb

1. Action Intransitive Verbs

These verbs describe an action that does not require a direct object.

Examples:

• The birds fly.
• The children play.

2. Stative Intransitive Verbs

These verbs describe a state or condition rather than an action.

Examples:

• She exists.
• They remain.

3. Movement Intransitive Verbs

These verbs indicate motion or direction.

Examples:

• He arrived.
• The boat sailed.

4. Existence Intransitive Verbs

These verbs express the existence of the subject.

Examples:

• There is.
• The stars are.

5. Change of State Intransitive Verbs

These verbs indicate a change in condition or state.

Examples:

• The ice melted.
• The leaves wilted.

List of Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive Verbs	Intransitive Verbs
Arrive	Sleep
Run	Cry
Laugh	Swim
Sit	Stand
Grow	Shine
Fall	Jump
Dance	Walk
Yawn	Smile
Bark	Travel
Relax	Rest
Shout	Appear
Disappear	Come
Go	Lie
Rise	Bloom
Flourish	Float
Wander	Happen
Exist	Remain
Occur	Die
Snore	Persist
Depart	Thrive
Collapse	Shiver
Tremble	Quake
Explode	Burst
Radiate	Glimmer

How To Use Intransitive Verbs in a Sentence

Using intransitive verbs in a sentence is straightforward because they do not require a direct object. Here are the steps and examples to help you understand how to use intransitive verbs correctly:

Steps to Use Intransitive Verbs in a Sentence

1. Identify the Subject: Determine who or what is performing the action or experiencing the state.
2. Choose an Intransitive Verb: Select an appropriate intransitive verb that matches the subject and the context.
3. Complete the Sentence: You can add additional information such as adverbs, prepositional phrases, or clauses to provide more context, but ensure there is no direct object.

Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs

Feature	Transitive Verbs	Intransitive Verbs
Definition	Verbs that require a direct object to complete their meaning.	Verbs that do not require a direct object to complete their meaning.
Direct Object	Yes, always requires a direct object.	No, does not take a direct object.
Example Sentence 1	She reads a book.	She sleeps.
Example Sentence 2	He kicked the ball.	He laughed.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Exercises with Answers

Exercise 1:

Identify whether the verb in each sentence is transitive or intransitive.

1. She reads a book.
2. The baby sleeps.
3. He kicked the ball.
4. They arrived at the airport.
5. The dog barks loudly.
6. She paints a picture.
7. They laughed at the joke.
8. He buys groceries.
9. The sun sets in the west.
10. The teacher explained the lesson.

Answers:

1. Transitive (reads what? a book)
2. Intransitive (no direct object)
3. Transitive (kicked what? the ball)
4. Intransitive (no direct object)
5. Intransitive (no direct object)
6. Transitive (paints what? a picture)
7. Intransitive (no direct object)
8. Transitive (buys what? groceries)
9. Intransitive (no direct object)
10. Transitive (explained what? the lesson)

Exercise 2:

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb and identify if it’s transitive or intransitive.

1. She ______ (run) every morning.
2. He ______ (eat) an apple.
3. The children ______ (play) in the park.
4. They ______ (watch) a movie last night.
5. The bird ______ (sing) beautifully.
6. He ______ (write) a letter to his friend.
7. The cat ______ (jump) on the table.
8. They ______ (build) a new house.
9. The baby ______ (cry) for hours.
10. She ______ (read) a fascinating novel.

Answers:

1. runs (intransitive)
2. ate (transitive, ate what? an apple)
3. play (intransitive)
4. watched (transitive, watched what? a movie)
5. sings (intransitive)
6. wrote (transitive, wrote what? a letter)
7. jumped (intransitive)
8. built (transitive, built what? a new house)
9. cried (intransitive)
10. read (transitive, read what? a fascinating novel)

Exercise 3:

Identify whether the verb in each sentence is transitive or intransitive.

1. She danced gracefully.
2. He opened the door.
3. They discussed the problem.
4. The tree fell during the storm.
5. The chef cooked a delicious meal.
6. She smiled at the stranger.
7. The boy threw the ball.
8. The audience clapped loudly.
9. He found a lost wallet.
10. The cat slept on the couch.

Answers:

1. Intransitive (no direct object)
2. Transitive (opened what? the door)
3. Transitive (discussed what? the problem)
4. Intransitive (no direct object)
5. Transitive (cooked what? a delicious meal)
6. Intransitive (no direct object)
7. Transitive (threw what? the ball)
8. Intransitive (no direct object)
9. Transitive (found what? a lost wallet)
10. Intransitive (no direct object)

Exercise 4:

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb and identify if it’s transitive or intransitive.

1. The students ______ (complete) their homework.
2. She ______ (arrive) at the meeting on time.
3. He ______ (catch) the train to work.
4. The flowers ______ (bloom) in spring.
5. They ______ (clean) the house together.
6. The dog ______ (bark) at the mailman.
7. He ______ (enjoy) the concert.
8. The car ______ (stop) suddenly.
9. She ______ (give) a presentation.
10. The wind ______ (blow) fiercely.

Answers:

1. completed (transitive, completed what? their homework)
2. arrived (intransitive)
3. caught (transitive, caught what? the train)
4. bloom (intransitive)
5. cleaned (transitive, cleaned what? the house)
6. barked (intransitive)
7. enjoyed (transitive, enjoyed what? the concert)
8. stopped (intransitive)
9. gave (transitive, gave what? a presentation)
10. blew (intransitive)

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