Trans vs intrans verb

[Sangeetha]

hi,

Can u tell me of the foll two sentences which has transitive verb n which has intransitive verb n plz do give explanation for why or how u differentiate it....

1: Do not eat so quickly.
2: Do not eat so much

regards
Sangeetha

[Alan]

Hi Sangeetha,

Some verbs are transitive and some are intransitive. In your sentences eat is a transitive verb because it takes an object even though it isn't there in the first sentence but it is in the second. Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive and perhaps you can see from them what the difference is. take the verb grow, which in its intransitive sense means become bigger but in its transitive form means cultivate as in:

The vegetables are growing (intransitive) very well this year.

She grows (transitive) vegetables in her back garden.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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