transitive verb

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hanuman_2000
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transitive verb

Post by hanuman_2000 »

Sir,


How can I know that in particular sentence a verb is transitive or intransitive?


e.g

He went home.

He ran a long distance.

Thanks.
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Alan
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Post by Alan »

Consult a good dictionary!
(Failing that, ask me!)
hanuman_2000
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verb

Post by hanuman_2000 »

Sir,

I have read from a dictionary that a transitive verb takes object and intransitive verb does not take object.

but in followinf sentences I have some confusion e.g

I ran a long distance.

I=subject
ran =verb
a long distance=? is it object?.

Thanks.
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Alan
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Post by Alan »

No, the phrase ' a long distance' would normally be reckoned an adverbial (technically termed an 'adverbial objective'), since it specifies HOW FAR he ran, rather than 'what'. Compare this with

He ran a race.

where 'race' really could be reckoned an object.

Typically, though, 'run' is intransitive.
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Post by googl »

Dear Alan,

is it adjunct? (is adjunct the same as adverbial objective?)
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Alan
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Post by Alan »

An averbial objective is only one kind of adverbial adjunct: it is a NP before which a preposition has been ellipted, as here where 'a long distance' really means 'FOR a long distance'.

An adjunct is any constituent element of a phrase other than the head.
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