IXL | Identify transitive and intransitive verbs

Select the action verb. If the verb is transitive, also select its direct object.

The winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and on June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

ref_doc_title.

Learn with an example

question

Select the action verb. If the verb is transitive, also select its direct object.

The black widow spider, one of the most venomous spiders in North America, frequently builds webs around woodpiles, fences, and areas with accumulated debris.

key idea

Action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

When an action verb is transitive, it is followed by a direct object. A direct object is the pronoun, noun, or noun phrase that receives the action of a verb. To find the direct object, ask "what" or "whom" the verb is acting on.

Joan walked her dog.

What or whom did Joan walk? her dog

The verb, walked, is transitive in this sentence because it has a direct object, her dog.

When an action verb is intransitive, it does not have a direct object.

Joan walked around the block.

What or whom did Joan walk? There is no direct object to answer this question.

The verb, walked, is intransitive in this sentence because it does not have a direct object.

When an action verb is followed immediately by a prepositional phrase, it is always intransitive. The noun, pronoun, or noun phrase in a prepositional phrase is never a direct object.

Linking verbs are always intransitive. The noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that follows a linking verb describes or renames the subject; it does not tell whom or what the verb is acting on.

Joan was a nurse for twenty-five years before her retirement.

The verb, was, is a linking verb. The noun phrase, a nurse, renames the subject, Joan.

solution

The action verb is builds. It is transitive because it has a direct object, webs. The direct object answers the question what does the black widow spider build?

$Confetti$

Excellent!

Now entering the Challenge Zone—are you ready?

Questions
answeredQuestions

Time
elapsedTime

hr	min	sec
00	00	06

SmartScore
out of 100
IXL's SmartScore is a dynamic measure of progress towards mastery, rather than a percentage grade. It tracks your skill level as you tackle progressively more difficult questions. Consistently answer questions correctly to reach excellence (90), or conquer the Challenge Zone to achieve mastery (100)! Learn more

Teacher tools

Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

PP.1Is it a direct object or an indirect object?

MM.2Identify action verbs

NN.2Identify prepositions and their objects

EE.2Identify linking verbs, predicate adjectives, and predicate nouns

Excellent! You got that right!

Jumping to level 1 of 1

Excellent!