This document defines and provides examples of different types of verbs: 1. Transitive verbs take a direct object. Examples given are "eats an apple" and "is reading a book". 2. Intransitive verbs do not take an object. Examples given are "listens" and "is a nice girl". 3. Ditransitive verbs take a subject and two objects, a direct object and an indirect object. An example given is "Ahmed gave the students an exam". 4. Complex-transitive verbs require a direct object and another element like an object complement. Examples given are "kate thought john a fool" and "ray told the children a story".

1. Verb Classification

2. Transitive verb
Is the verb that is followed by a noun or pronoun that tells
who or what Received the action of that verb. That noun or pronoun is called
the Object
Example 1: The boy is eating an apple
----> Apple = object
-----> Transitive = eats
Example 2: Lama is reading a book
----> a book = object
----> is reading = transitive

3. Intransitive Verb
Are verbs that do not have objects. This means that the verb doesn't
need more than the subject to fulfill the meaning
Example 1: Ali listens
Listens = intransitive because it is not followed by any object
Example 2: Hala is a nice girl
is = verb
nice = adjective
is = intransitive because it is followed by an adjective and not a noun

4. Ditransitive verb
A ditransitive verb is a verb which takes a subject and two objects.
According to certain linguistics considerations, these objects may be
called direct and indirect, or primary and secondary.
Another definition, A ditransitive verb is a type of verb that
requires both a direct object and an indirect object in the
sentence with it in order for the meaning of the sentence to be
complete. This type of verb is typically used when something is
being given or exchanged between two or more parties, as the
something is the direct object and the receiver is the indirect
object
EG: ahmed gave the students an exam
An exam is the direct object, what he gave, and ’the students '
is the indirect object, the person he gave it to.

5. s
NP
N
Ahmed
VP
V
NP
{ditanstive}
gave
NP
DET
N
DET
N
the
Students
an
Exam

6. This sentence can be also written
Ahmed gave an exam to the students
(to ) is a preposition in this example it has joined
with NP the students to form PP.
The PP here is function as io

7. Ditransitive verbs can be made passive:
The passive forms of ditransitive verbs move one
object into the subject position and leave the
other in the original place. Usually, however, it is
the indirect rather than the direct object that is
moved.
The students were given an exam by
Ahmed.

8. Complex-transitive verb
Another class of verb is the complex-transitive verb
Definition:
A verb that requires both a direct object and another object or an object
complement.
In another word a complementation in which an object is followed by another element that is not an object.
The complement relates to the object, not the subject.
The complement is therefore an OBJECT COMPLEMENT and the
shorthand version is oC.

9. Examples:
1-kate thought john a fool
two elements are obligatory to complete the verb phrase, in these cases, two
noun phrases.
2- ray told the children a story.
3-kate thought john a fool.
In (2) the NPs are functioning si iO ( the children) and dO (a story). In (3) the
functions are dO (john) and oC (a fool). How can you tell the difference
between the two types of verb? Easy a ditransitive verb is the indirect object to
take the form of either an NP or PP. if a verb is ditransitive, then the noun
phrase immediately following the verb functions as the iO.

10. 2-ray told a story to the children.
3-kate thought a fool to/for john.
4-kate put the cake in the oven
5-she gave a bone to the dog
there is a similarity between a sentence with complex-transitive verb and a following
structure NP+PP, and a sentence with a ditransitive verb and a following structure
NP+PP. what is the difference between these examples?
In the first example the prepositional phrase in the oven is an object complement (oC)
and in the second, the PP to the dog is an indirect object(iO). As before, a PP which
functions as an iO should be able to take the form if an NP. If you try it with the
examples before the result are:
4-kate put the oven the cake.
5-she gave the dog a bone.

11. Thank you for listening 
PNU
Literature department