Transitive verb and intransitive verb

Question

I was wondering if someone can explain the difference between the two with examples for me. I was looking up the word gnaw and under the intransitive verb part, it gave me a sentence:

Hunger gnawed at the prisoners.

I thought intr. verb did not have a direct object. In thise case, isn't prisoners the direct object because it's receiving the gnawing?

thank you very much

Philip · Accepted Answer

Hunger gnawed at the prisoners. At is what keeps the verb from being transitive. "Prisoners" is the object of the preposition "at".

The mouse gnawed (chewed) the cheese: direct object.

I can understand your confusion: the distinction is very narrow.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, do you have any tips on how I can spot the direct object when it's combined with a preoposition?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousisn't prisoners the direct object because it's receiving the gnawing?

No. If the object (or what seems like it to you) doesn't occur directly after the verb with no intervening preposition, it's not a direct object, and the verb is not transitive.

Mr. Jones always relies on us.
us is not a direct object, and rely is not transitive, because on intervenes.

Careful. If the preposition is not a true preposition, but goes with the verb, then you do have a direct object and a transitive verb.

I threw out the garbage.
out the garbage is not a true prepositional phrase.
throw out is a verb in itself -- a phrasal verb.
So the verb is throw out, not just throw, and it's transitive because it has the direct object garbage.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

What is throw? It is transitive verb or intransitive or both.Thanks

Transitive verb and intransitive verb

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