intransitive
C1Formal, technical (especially in linguistics and grammar).
Definition
Meaning
(Of a verb or verb sense) not requiring or taking a direct object to complete its meaning.
(Of an action, process, or relationship) complete in itself, not requiring or involving an external object or recipient. Can describe non-linguistic concepts as being self-contained.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a grammatical term describing verb valency. Contrasts directly with 'transitive'. Can sometimes imply a state or process rather than an action performed on something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slight variation in example verbs given in textbooks (e.g., UK 'knock off' vs US 'knock off work').
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both. Occasionally used metaphorically in academic/professional contexts to describe self-contained systems.
Frequency
Equally common in linguistic/grammatical contexts. Rare in everyday conversation in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SV (Subject + Verb)SVA (Subject + Verb + Adverbial)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly, but verbs are used idiomatically]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. 'The process fails intransitively' meaning it fails without external cause.
Academic
Common in linguistics, grammar, philosophy of language, and computer science (describing operations).
Everyday
Rare, except when discussing language learning or grammar.
Technical
Standard term in grammatical description and linguistic typology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The verb 'sleep' is intransitive.
- He provided an intransitive analysis of the clause.
American English
- 'Fall' is an intransitive verb.
- We need to check if this verb usage is intransitive.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Birds fly.
- The baby sleeps.
- The sun shines.
- They arrived late last night.
- The old computer finally died.
- Please sit down.
- The negotiations collapsed unexpectedly.
- Her enthusiasm gradually evaporated.
- The economy seems to be fluctuating.
- These verbs can alternate between transitive and intransitive uses depending on context.
- The argument hinges on whether the verb is being used transitively or intransitively in this passage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
INTRANSITIVE = INside action. The action stays INside the subject, doesn't TRANSfer to an object.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SELF-CONTAINED EVENT or STATE; A COMPLETE CIRCLE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing verbs that are transitive in Russian but intransitive in English (e.g., 'wait FOR' vs. Russian 'ждать' + accusative).
- Overusing transitive constructions with inherently intransitive English verbs like 'arrive' or 'depend'.
Common Mistakes
- *'She arrived the station.' (Correct: 'She arrived at the station.')
- *'It depends the weather.' (Correct: 'It depends on the weather.')
- Using 'intransitive' to mean 'not moving' (confusion with 'inactive').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences contains an intransitive verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, many verbs are ambitransitive. For example, 'I eat' (intransitive) vs. 'I eat an apple' (transitive).
Ask 'what?' or 'whom?' after the verb. If the question makes no sense or requires a preposition to add an object, the verb is likely intransitive (e.g., 'She arrived [what?]' -> nonsensical).
No, by definition they do not take direct objects. However, they can be followed by adverbs, prepositional phrases, or other complements that are not direct objects.
An intransitive verb expresses a complete action or state (e.g., 'He runs'). A linking verb (copula) connects the subject to a subject complement (e.g., 'He is a runner'). Linking verbs are a specific subtype of intransitive verbs.