LESSON XXXIV.

CLASSES OF VERBS.

Name the verbs in the following sentences that express an action or feeling that goes out from the agent or doer to something else, and the verbs that express an action or feeling that does not go out to anything, but remains with the doer:—

1.James broke his pencil.
2.This boy found a knife.
3.Our girls like literature.
4.The sun shines brightly.
5.The birds fly into the trees.
6.The pupils feel cold.

A verb that expresses an action or feeling that goes out from the agent or doer to something else, is called a transitive verb; as, He wrote a letter. We love our friends.

A verb that expresses being, a state, or an action or feeling that does not go out to anything, but remains with the doer, is called an intransitive verb; as, He is here. She sleeps now. The wind blows from the north. This man feels sick.

EXERCISE I.

Classify the verbs in the following sentences:—

1.My brother sold his knife.
2.The boys play ball in the yard.
3.He ran across the street.
4.This little girl cut her hand.
5.That tree is very tall.
6.The window was broken by a stone.
7.Many birds build their nests in trees.
8.He told them of the river whose mighty current gave
Its freshness for a hundred leagues to Ocean’s briny wave.—McGee.
9.We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone,
But we left him alone in his glory.—Charles Wolfe.
10.I see the wealthy miller yet,
His double chin, his portly size,
And who that knew him could forget,
The busy wrinkles round his eyes?—Tennyson.

EXERCISE II.

Note.—The same verb may be used either transitively or intransitively; as, I see the house. I see through this paper.

Some verbs have only an intransitive use because they do not express action; as, be, seem, appear, remain, become, etc.

1. Write sentences using the following words as transitive verbs:—

make,paper,water,sharpen,ran,
find,paint,reprove,set,study.

2. Write sentences using the following words as intransitive verbs:—

ran,sit,was,walks,read,
remain,fall,writes,dreams,move.