tend

[Lone]

Dear Alan,

My dictionaries say the verb 'tend' is an intransitive verb. However, I was wondering why the verb can take an infinitive as its object, e.g. When I'm tired, I tend to make mistakes.

Thank you.

Lone

[Alan]

You seem to labouring under something of a misapprehension.
While many verbs governing infinitives are transitive, there is no inherent connection between the two.
'Seem', for instance is likewise intransitive but can govern an infinitive (seem TO BE, etc.)