Intransitive verbs are verbs that do not take a direct object and express actions or states that are complete without affecting another person or thing.
Intransitive Verbs
An intransitive verb is a type of verb that does not require a direct object to complete its meaning. The action or state described by the verb does not transfer from the subject to another person or thing.
For example, in the sentence “The bird flew.”, the verb flew is intransitive because the sentence is complete without an object.
Another example is “He slept.” In this sentence, the verb slept describes the state of the subject and does not act on an object.
Some common intransitive verbs include laugh, run, stand, arrive, exist, and happen.
Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on their usage.
- He ate the sandwich. (transitive)
- He ate. (intransitive)
How to Identify Intransitive Verbs
A simple way to identify an intransitive verb is to ask who? or what? after the verb. If the question cannot be answered directly, the verb is intransitive.
Example:
The cat sleeps. → sleeps what? (no answer)
Sentence Structure with Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs often appear with adverbs or prepositional phrases that add information but do not function as objects.
Basic structure:
Subject + Intransitive Verb + (Adverb / Prepositional Phrase)
- He ran fast. (adverb)
- She walked to the store. (prepositional phrase)
- The sun rose slowly. (adverb)
Linking Verbs and Intransitive Use
Some intransitive verbs function as linking verbs, such as become, seem, and appear. These verbs do not take a direct object, but they are usually followed by a subject complement.
- She became tired.
- The plan seems reasonable.
- He appeared confident.
List of Intransitive Verbs
- Act
- Adapt
- Arrive
- Appear
- Belong
- Crawl
- Collapse
- Collide
- Dance
- Die
- Disappear
- Emerge
- Exist
- Fall
- Float
- Fly
- Go
- Grow
- Happen
- Jump
- Laugh
- Lean
- Limp
- Listen
- March
- Mourn
- Occur
- Remain
- Respond
- Run
- Sail
- Scream
- Sigh
- Sit
- Sleep
- Smile
- Stand (can also be transitive)
- Swim
- Vanish
- Walk
- Wander
- Work
Reflexive Structures
Some verbs appear with reflexive pronouns, but the presence of a reflexive pronoun does not make a verb intransitive.
Example:
He hurt himself.
In this sentence, hurt is a transitive verb, and himself functions as the direct object. Reflexive pronouns are still objects in sentence structure.
Examples of Intransitive Verbs
Common Intransitive Verbs
- Laugh
- Cry
- Yawn
- Sleep
- Run
- Walk
- Swim
- Dance
- Jump
Sentences with Intransitive Verbs
- She laughed at the joke.
- He cried when he heard the news.
- I yawned because I was tired.
- She slept for eight hours.
- He ran to catch the bus.
- She walked to the store.
- He swam in the lake.
- She sang in the shower.
- He danced at the party.
Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs
| Feature | Transitive Verb | Intransitive Verb |
|---|---|---|
| Needs a direct object | Yes | No |
| Test question | Verb + who/what? (answered) | Verb + who/what? (no answer) |
| Example | I bought a car. | I arrived. |
| Passive form | Possible | Not possible |
Last Updated on January 19, 2026
Thank you
Good list for middle school students who sometimes struggle with this concept. Thank you.
How can tell be intransitive, if we can say “she told me a secret”.
Me is an indirect object, a secret is the direct object.
I don’t think this is correct.
“we danced salsa”
“I escaped prison”
“I jumped the fence”
“I walked the path”
“Lets eat cake”…..
All these verbs can be Intransitive, and often are.
Many of these can be Transitive too
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If you check out my game, the easiest way to do it is via the PRACTICE mode.
Jacinto Gardea
This is too crucial and very good