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Sesquipedalian101 Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Speak---Transitive or Intransitive?
I am a little confused in regard to the verb "speak". The dictionaries say that it is both a transitive and intransitive verb. But some of the examples that they have given for its function as a intransitive verb seem more like transitive. Could someone clear my doubts? The example sentences are:
1. I've spoken to the manager about it. (Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
2. Can I speak to Dan http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/please? (Cambridge dictionary)
3. I spoke to her last Wednesday (Longman dictionary)
4. May I speak to Jim? (Longman dictionary)
Longman even says "speak" is "intransitive always".
My second question is, could a bare sentence like "we spoke" (without more) be regarded as grammatical? For example, someone sends his colleague an email, in which he refers to a discussion or conversation that they had had prior to the incidence of the mail, and he says, "We spoke." And, then, he goes on to say something related to the discussion. Is "We spoke" grammatical? If so, is "spoke" in the clause transitive or intransitive?
1. I've spoken to the manager about it. (Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
2. Can I speak to Dan http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/please? (Cambridge dictionary)
3. I spoke to her last Wednesday (Longman dictionary)
4. May I speak to Jim? (Longman dictionary)
Longman even says "speak" is "intransitive always".
My second question is, could a bare sentence like "we spoke" (without more) be regarded as grammatical? For example, someone sends his colleague an email, in which he refers to a discussion or conversation that they had had prior to the incidence of the mail, and he says, "We spoke." And, then, he goes on to say something related to the discussion. Is "We spoke" grammatical? If so, is "spoke" in the clause transitive or intransitive?
Top answer
Selvakumar 1. I've spoken to the manager about it. (Advanced Learner's Dictionary)2.
- Selvakumar 1.
- I've spoken to the manager about it.
- (Advanced Learner's Dictionary)2.
- Can I speak to Dan please ?
- (Cambridge dictionary)3.
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2 Answers
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Selvakumar1. I've spoken to the manager about it. (Advanced Learner's Dictionary)2. Can I speak to Dan please ? (Cambridge dictionary)3. I spoke to her last Wednesday (Longman dictionary)4. May I speak to Jim? (Longman dictionary)Those are intransitive. The various persons are objects of the preposition 'to', not direct objects of the verb.
Here is the t
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