The distinction between "lay" and "lie" continues to fade. Almost without exception, people say "I laid on the couch." They never seem to say "I lay on the couch." Plus, people usually throw in ...

Some more examples of transitive verbs: give, play, teach, eat, crave, write, send, play and offer. ... When a word follows a copular verb, it’s not an object. It’s called a complement.

In order for the object to raise to T, the verb cannot assign the accusative Case to it. Chomsky uses the term lift Case when a verb fails to assign Case to its complement. We can attribute ...

In order for the object to raise to T, the verb cannot assign the accusative Case to it. Chomsky uses the term lift Case when a verb fails to assign Case to its complement. We can attribute ...

Some verbs are both transitive and intransitive. Transitive means they take an object: “I’ll shine a light on this subject.” Intransitive means no object: “That high-gloss paint really ...

Geoff Pullum pictures in his mind’s eye the crusty old editor who wrote the section on transitive verbs in a harshly judgmental style book. Skip to content ADVERTISEMENT ...

Set is (almost always) a transitive verb. Transitive verbs are always action verbs and they always require direct objects. Direct objects act on another noun. Take the following sentence: We should ...

WE all know that when a sentence uses a transitive verb as the operative verb, it's absolutely necessary for the subject to take a direct object and to act on it: 'The woman spurned her suitor last ...

“Surface” is both an intransitive verb and a transitive verb. In an intransitive verb, the object performs the action: “I surfaced and gulped air.” In a transitive verb, someone else performs the ...