Action verbs

Question

I have few questions related to action verbs.
what does it mean extactly by transfer of action from subject to predicate in transtional verbs?
For example, I kicked the ball.
I can understand that subject performs an action which is transferred to the ball. Does action mean that person is moving a body part? Body part, leg, is the noun.
I'm having difficult time picturing the transfer of action in complex sentences. I have learned to picture nouns easily after convincing myself that noun is something I can use my five senses to determine. I'm unusure how to link noun to action verbs as I'm reading sentences. Is it possible to think that noun,"that I see, touch or imagine", can be somehow involve in the action. Thanks in advance.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

You are getting confused between grammar and real life. In the following sentences, the object 'receives' the verb action from the subject:

I kicked the ball -- the subject kicks and the object receives the kick.
I am studying French.-- the subject studies and the object receives the studying.
I see you. - the subject sees and the object is seen by the subject.
The sports car lost the race. -- the subject lost and the race is what was lost
Rocks can break scissors. -- the subject has the possibility of breaking something, and what can possibly be broken are the scissors.

Now, what complex sentences worry you?

CalifJim · Answer

k24444transtional verbs

Do you really mean transitional verbs? Or transitive verbs?

k24444transfer of action from subject to predicate

I have no idea what you're referring to.

Maybe this is just some novel way of explaining the idea of an agent subject. Some living thing, usually a person, performs an action that acts upon something else, often an inanimate thing, but not necessarily. The person who acts upon a thing is called the agent. The energy from that person's body is applied in some way to cause an action.

Is this the sort of thing you're talking about?

CJ

K24444 · Answer

do you think that I should avoid picturing the action? I'm always confused with non living subjects performing actions and the object recieving the action.

For example, aspirin causes headaches.

here the non living thing is performing action. If so, the how?

I appreciate your help.

K24444 · Answer

To Calif Jim

yes, I'm talking about the acting by kicking by living thing, but non living things also acts.

I can picture easy sentences about the living things, but non living things performing action is harder to imagine.

Aspirin causes headaches.

I know subject Aspirin and verb-causes headaches. Then, I'm not too sure as to how aspirin can cause headache. Is the verb indicating something about the aspirin reaction?

Is there any way to create a meaningful thought out of the sentence for the beginners?

again thank you for your input

CalifJim · Answer

k24444I can picture easy sentences about the living things, but non living things performing action is harder to imagine.

I can appreciate that. I have the same trouble.

k24444Aspirin causes headaches.

I know subject Aspirin and verb-causes headaches.

For the study of grammar, that's all you have to know, really.

k24444I'm not too sure as to how aspirin can cause headache.

Me neither, but in the world of grammar it doesn't matter. You can write grammatical sentences that are completely untrue.

k24444Is there any way to create a meaningful thought out of the sentence for the beginners?

Probably not. Beginners should probably deal only with sentences that are true and make sense. Later, they can deal with strange sentences like that one.

CJ

Action verbs

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