Comprehensive English for IELTS

Professional Diploma in

Comprehensive English for IELTS

Lesson 5: Things Verbs Can Do

Lesson

Objectives

Define subjects, verbs, and objects

Comprehend transitivity

Apply knowledge of transitivity to avoid grammatical errors

5

How did it go?

Convert the following sentences into reported speech:

My mother asked, ‘Did Sally make her bed?’

My mother says (to Sally), ‘Make your bed!’

My mother says (to Sally), ‘Please make your bed.’

My mother asks (Sally), ‘Will you please make your bed?’

Lesson 5 challenge feedback

Sentence 1

My mother asked, ‘Did Sally make her bed?’

My mother asked if Sally had made her bed.

Sentence 2

My mother says (to Sally), ‘Make your bed!’

My mother tells Sally to make her bed.

Sentence 3

My mother says (to Sally), ‘Please make your bed.’

My mother asks Sally to make her bed.

Sentence 4

My mother asks (Sally), ‘Will you please make your bed?’

My mother asks Sally to make her bed.

How did it go?support@shawacademy.com

Transitivity

Subjects, verbs, and objects

Subject

What is a subject?

A word or phrase usually at the beginning of a

sentence

Always a noun or noun phrase

Doer

Person or thing that performs the action

Example:Jane kicks the ball.

Person or thing that is undergoing a process

or feeling

Example:Jane is feeling quite

ill today.

Theme

When we talk about a concept or the qualities

of a person

Example:Jane is a wonderful

person.

Experiencer

Practice• The hospital staff are working long hours.

What is the subject of the sentence?

the hospital staff

Verb

What is a verb?

An actionShow relationship

between noun phrases

I ate the bread. Jane appears ill today.

Sentence without verb is incomplete

Tense has the power to change grammatical characteristics

Different verbs demand different types of sentence structures

Verb transitivity

Notes about verbs

Object

What is an object?• Noun phrase usually after the verb

• Affected by the verb

• Jane kicks the ball.

The ball is affected by the action

Subject

Verb

1

2

Object

Active sentences only

3

English word order

PracticeWhat is the object in this sentence?

• I saw her at the shops.

her

at the shops

Types of objects

Direct objects Indirect objects

Example sentence

I gave her a book.

Subject Verb Object Object

Direct object Indirect object

Transitivity

Transitivity defined

Two objects: her and a book

• How many objects a verb takes

• I gave her a book.

What if we remove the

objects?I gave her a

book.I gave her. I gave.

Why can’t you remove the objects?

Transitivity of verb give

Give wants two objects

All verbs are different

Transitivity types

Verbs that require one object

Examples:

He described his favourite book.

I borrowed the book.

She told a joke.

Transitive verbs

Ditransitive verbs• Verbs that require two objects

• Examples:

I gave her a book.

They told her a lie.

No preposition or conjunction that connects verb to object

I borrowed the book.

I borrowed for the book.

Think of a conjunction or preposition as glue

Attaching objects to transitive and

ditransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs

Verbs that don’t take an object

She sneezed.

He ran. They ate.

She sneezed on me.

He ran towards the swimming pool.

Common errors

Transitive and ditransitive error

Using glue when not necessary

Verbs already want the objects – no glue

necessary

Example 1

I discussed about my favourite book.

I discussed my favourite book.

Example 2

She told to me to make my bed.

She told me to make my bed.

Example 3

He described about the benefits of gardening.

He described the benefits of gardening.

Example 4

I requested for another glass of water.

I requested another glass of water.

Example 5

He gave to his sister a cell phone.

He gave his sister a cell phone.

Example 6

She borrowed for the book.

She borrowed the book.

Intransitive error

We have to attach nouns after

verb with glue

Error: forgetting the glue

Example 1She sneezed the table.

She sneezed on the table.

Example 2I complained Abby.

I complained to Abby.

Example 3They arrived the holiday resort.

They arrived at the holiday resort.

RecapTransitive or ditransitive:

No glue necessary

Intransitive: Glue necessary

Challenge

Explain why the following sentences are ungrammatical, and make the necessary changes to correct them:

• She gave to him the keys.

• He showed up the party two hours late.

• The rude mother shouted her children.

#shawtransitivity

See you soon for

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Completed lessons

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