0
Esperanto Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Transitive verbs - yet another issue...

0Hello,02br
02br
00I have some things I want to ask you...We generally learn that transitive verbs are those who take direct object (e.g.I hit 01b00him02b00). My question is: gramatically, are these direct objects 01b00obligatory02b00 for a sentence to be correct? Because, if someone asks me 01i00What are you doing?02i00 I can simply answer01i00 01b00I'm reading!02b00,02i00 without any direct object expressed. How does grammar take 01i01b00I'm reading!02b02i00 from my example?02br
02br
00So, are direct objects obligatory after a transitive verb or they can be implicit as well (as in my example)? Is my example, in fact, a transitive verb?02br
02br
00Thanks02br
02br
00p.s. Some reference would be highly appreciated!02br
02br
050010id1
  

Top answer

0Hello Esperanto, and welcome to English Forums. The answer is simple: a verb is transitive if it has a direct object and intransitive if it does not. So 01i 00read02i 00 is either, depending on whether is has a DO.

— Mister Micawber

  • 0Hello Esperanto, and welcome to English Forums.
  • The answer is simple: a verb is transitive if it has a direct object and intransitive if it does not.
  • So 01i 00read02i 00 is either, depending on whether is has a DO.
  • See [url="05000"]HERE, FOR INSTANCE[/url].
  • html
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

10 Answers
0
0Hello Esperanto, and welcome to English Forums. The answer is simple: a verb is transitive if it has a direct object and intransitive if it does not. So 01i00read02i00 is either, depending on whether is has a DO. See [url="05000"]HERE, FOR INSTANCE[/url]. 0230hrefhttp://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/069.html
0
0
0 Yes, but is 01i00I'm reading02i00 really intransitive (not having a DO expressed), or it is transitive with an implicit direct object [01i00i'm reading (a book)02i00]...? 0-
0
0
0There is no such thing as an 'implicit' direct object. Please read the link I supplied.0-
0
0
<<It is generally assumed by syntacticians that some verbs are obligatorily transitive. An example of one that isn't is eat. It can be used either with a direct object (I've already eaten lunch) or without (I've already eaten). I don't mean in constructions where the object is required to be eliminated, like passives (The food wasn't all eaten) or relative
0
0
Mr. M., when I click on that link I get an online publisher, not a grammar discussion. Emotion: sad

Anonymous, what source are you quoti
0
0
Esperantoif someone asks me What are you doing? I can simply answer I'm reading!, without any direct object expressed. How does grammar take I'm reading! from my example?
You are talking about a grammatical phenomenon called "absolute use".

"Absolute use" means omitting a direct object after a verb that is normally transitive, the object being easily
0
0
khoffMr. M., when I click on that link I get an online publisher, not a grammar discussion.
Lord, that was 5 years ago! I have no idea what I had hoped to link to. I'll look around and see if I can find another appropriate one.

Meanwhile, I have just discovered that there is an 'implicit DO'. That's good.
0
0
Oh, heck! I can't find what I'm looking for. I'm not even sure what I'm looking for. Read this thread, then:

0
0
Sorry -- I didn't realize that it was a newly revived ancient post!!
0
0
khoffSorry -- I didn't realize that it was a newly revived ancient post!!
Join the club! I didn't either!
0

Related Questions