transitivity
transitivity — noun
1. a quality of verbs that determines whether they need a direct object to complete
a quality of verbs that determines whether they need a direct object to complete their meaning in a sentence — for example, the verb 'eat' can show transitivity when used as 'eat an apple' (with object) or intransitivity when used as 'eat early' (without object).
In her grammar class, Yuna learned about transitivity by comparing sentences with and without objects.
transitivity + about + comparing sentences
The teacher asked Wei to explain the transitivity of the verb 'gave' in the sentence 'She gave a gift.'
transitivity of [verb] in [sentence]
A common test for transitivity checks whether a sentence still sounds complete without a word after the verb.
Many English learners find transitivity confusing because some verbs work both with and without an object.
Theo marked each verb's transitivity in his notebook while preparing for the exam.
- transitive nature
less formal, used in classroom explanations instead of the technical noun form
- verb valency
broader linguistic term that covers both the number and type of arguments a verb requires
- intransitivity
the property of verbs that do not take a direct object
文法句型
transitivity + of + noun phrase
transitivity + in + context
用法筆記
Frequently used in the context of language learning and grammar instruction. Often paired with the verb 'mark' or 'show' (e.g., 'the verb marks transitivity').