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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✔ Example:

> The pilot started the airplane.

- Underline: started
- Direct object: the airplane → box it
- Verb type: T (transitive)

So: T _started_ [the airplane]

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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: T (transitive)

✔ Answer: T _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: T (transitive)

✔ Answer: T _built_ [their machines]

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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
- Type: T (transitive)

✔ Answer: T _took_ [it]

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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: T (transitive)

✔ Answer: T _flew_ [the first airplane]

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

- Action verb: blew
- No direct object → intransitive
- Type: I

✔ Answer: I _blew_

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6. The twelve-horsepower engine sputtered.

- Action verb: sputtered
- No direct object → intransitive
- Type: I

✔ Answer: I _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: T

✔ Answer: T _lifted_ [the 750-pound plane]

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

- Action verb: ran
- No direct object → intransitive
- Type: I

✔ Answer: I _ran_

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9. This first flight lasted only twelve seconds.

- Action verb: lasted
- No direct object → intransitive
- Type: I

✔ Answer: I _lasted_

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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: T

✔ Answer: T _made_ [three more flights]

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11. The longest one lasted fifty-nine seconds.

- Action verb: lasted
- No direct object → intransitive
- Type: I

✔ Answer: I _lasted_

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12. Few newspapers carried news about the first flight.

- Action verb: carried
- Direct object: news → box it
- Type: T

✔ Answer: T _carried_ [news]

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

- Action verb: made
- Direct object: improvements → box it
- Type: T

✔ Answer: T _made_ [improvements]

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14. Other designers worked hard.

- Action verb: worked
- No direct object → intransitive
- Type: I

✔ Answer: I _worked_

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✔ Final Answers:

| # | Verb | Type | Object (boxed) |
|---|------------|------|------------------------------|
| 1 | built | T | [the first successful airplane] |
| 2 | built | T | [their machines] |
| 3 | took | T | [it] |
| 4 | flew | T | [the first airplane] |
| 5 | blew | I | — |
| 6 | sputtered | I | — |
| 7 | lifted | T | [the 750-pound plane] |
| 8 | ran | I | — |
| 9 | lasted | I | — |
|10 | made | T | [three more flights] |
|11 | lasted | I | — |
|12 | carried | T | [news] |
|13 | made | T | [improvements] |
|14 | worked | I | — |

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📝 Instructions for Student:

- Underline each action verb.
- Write T or I in the blank.
- Box the direct object when present.

This helps identify whether a verb needs an object to make sense (transitive) or can stand alone (intransitive).

Let me know if you'd like a printable version!