Adjectives and Adverbs with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

1. Adjectives and Adverbs with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Mini-Lesson #4

2. Transitive Verb A transitive verb names an action that directly affects person or thing mentioned in the predicate. A transitive verb requires an object to complete its meaning in the sentence. He struck the gong. Water erodes even granite. Did you mail the letters? We elected Sloan.

3. Intransitive Verb An intransitive verb names an action that has no direct impact on anyone or anything named in the predicate. A intransitive verb requires no object. Frank scowled. Gail won. Children giggle. Wilson smiled at the comedian’s best efforts, but he did not laugh.

4. Adjectives with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs • Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, specifying such things as how many, what kind, and which one. • A predicate adjective usually follows a linking verb. He isstrange. I amslow. The response was quick. She feels bad. We are poor. • Linking verbs are used to show a “state of being” of the subject, not what the subject is doing. These are as follows: feel, look, smell, taste, sound, appear, become, remain, stay, be, grow, seem, feel (as an emotion)

5. Adverbs with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs • Adverbs modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence. It tells such things as how, when, where, why, and for what purpose. • Unlike the predicate adjective, this –ly modifier generally follows an action verb. He actsstrangely. I speakslowly. We need to act quickly. We act badly. We speak poorly.

6. Bad and Badly • Bad is an adjective: I feel bad about the delay. • Badly is an adverb: It doesn't hurt so badly now.

7. Good and Well • Good is an adjective: You lookgood in blue. You wear it well. • Well is an adverb: He gets along well with his co-workers. • Well is also an adjective when it is used to refer to health: I am not well today.

8. Real and Really • Real is an adjective meaning "genuine"; really is an adverb: The admiral has real charm, so he is really charismatic. • The use of real as an adverb is colloquial or nonstandard: He writes real really well.

9. Sure and Surely • Sure is an adjective meaning “certain”: Are you sure (certain)? Yes, I’m sure (certain) about the date. • Surely is an adverb meaning “certainly”: You surely (certainly) do look good. This Bundu mask surely (certainly) is expensive.