Transitive and Intransitive - ESL worksheet by krisdiansah - Free Printable

Let's solve this English grammar worksheet step by step. The task is to:

1. Underline each action verb in the sentence.
2. Write "T" if the verb is transitive (it has a direct object).
3. Write "I" if the verb is intransitive (no direct object).
4. Put a box around the direct object if there is one.

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🔹 Definitions:

- Transitive Verb (T): A verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning.
Example: *She ate an apple.* → "ate" is transitive; "apple" is the direct object.
- Intransitive Verb (I): A verb that does not take a direct object.
Example: *He ran quickly.* → "ran" is intransitive.

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Now, let’s go through each sentence.

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✔ 1. Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first successful airplane.

- Action verb: built
- Direct object: the first successful airplane → box it
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — Wilbur and Orville Wright built [the first successful airplane].

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✔ 2. They built their machines in Ohio.

- Action verb: built
- Direct object: their machines → box it
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — They built [their machines] in Ohio.

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✔ 3. They took it to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, for its first flight.

- Action verb: took
- Direct object: it → box it
- Note: "to Kitty Hawk" is a prepositional phrase, not part of the direct object.
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — They took [it] to Kitty Hawk...

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✔ 4. Orville Wright flew the first airplane on December 17, 1903.

- Action verb: flew
- Direct object: the first airplane → box it
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — Orville Wright flew [the first airplane] on December 17, 1903.

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✔ 5. The winds at Kitty Hawk blew steadily that day.

- Action verb: blew
- Does it have a direct object? No. “Blowed” doesn’t take an object here.
- Type: Intransitive → I

✔ Answer: I — The winds at Kitty Hawk blew steadily that day.

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✔ 6. The twelve-horsepower engine sputtered.

- Action verb: sputtered
- No object — it just describes what the engine did.
- Type: Intransitive → I

✔ Answer: I — The twelve-horsepower engine sputtered.

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✔ 7. Soon it lifted the 750-pound plane into the air for a flight of 120 feet.

- Action verb: lifted
- Direct object: the 750-pound plane → box it
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — Soon it lifted [the 750-pound plane] into the air...

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✔ 8. Orville's brother, Wilbur, ran alongside.

- Action verb: ran
- No direct object — "alongside" is an adverbial phrase.
- Type: Intransitive → I

✔ Answer: I — Orville's brother, Wilbur, ran alongside.

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✔ 9. This first flight lasted only twelve seconds.

- Action verb: lasted
- No direct object — "twelve seconds" is how long, not what was lasted.
- Type: Intransitive → I

✔ Answer: I — This first flight lasted only twelve seconds.

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✔ 10. The Wright brothers made three more flights that day.

- Action verb: made
- Direct object: three more flights → box it
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — The Wright brothers made [three more flights] that day.

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✔ 11. The longest one lasted fifty-nine seconds.

- Action verb: lasted
- No direct object — time duration, not an object.
- Type: Intransitive → I

✔ Answer: I — The longest one lasted fifty-nine seconds.

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✔ 12. Few newspapers carried news about the first flight.

- Action verb: carried
- Direct object: news → box it
- "about the first flight" is a prepositional phrase modifying "news"
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — Few newspapers carried [news] about the first flight.

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✔ 13. The brothers made improvements on their airplane and their flight techniques.

- Action verb: made
- Direct object: improvements → box it
- "on their airplane..." is a prepositional phrase modifying "improvements"
- Type: Transitive → T

✔ Answer: T — The brothers made [improvements] on their airplane...

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✔ 14. Other designers worked hard.

- Action verb: worked
- No direct object — "hard" is an adverb.
- Type: Intransitive → I

✔ Answer: I — Other designers worked hard.

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✔ Final Answers:

| # | Letter | Sentence |
|---|--------|---------|
| 1 | T | Wilbur and Orville Wright built [the first successful airplane]. |
| 2 | T | They built [their machines] in Ohio. |
| 3 | T | They took [it] to Kitty Hawk... |
| 4 | T | Orville Wright flew [the first airplane] on December 17, 1903. |
| 5 | I | The winds... blew steadily that day. |
| 6 | I | The engine sputtered. |
| 7 | T | It lifted [the 750-pound plane] into the air... |
| 8 | I | Wilbur ran alongside. |
| 9 | I | The flight lasted twelve seconds. |
|10 | T | The Wright brothers made [three more flights] that day. |
|11 | I | The longest one lasted fifty-nine seconds. |
|12 | T | Newspapers carried [news] about the first flight. |
|13 | T | The brothers made [improvements] on their airplane... |
|14 | I | Other designers worked hard. |

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✔ Summary of Verbs:

- Transitive (T): built, took, flew, lifted, made, carried, made
- Intransitive (I): blew, sputtered, ran, lasted, worked

> Remember: Only underline the action verbs, write T or I in the blank, and box the direct object when present.

Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer key!