Exercises : Transitive/Intransitive; Operators/Auxiliaries and Main Verb

VERB vs. AUXILIARY

  1. Verb or auxiliary?
  2. Are you sleeping? auxiliary
  3. Is that the truth? verb
  4. Don’t be so noisy! verb
  5. They shouldn’t have done that. auxiliary
  6. It is true I have a rather big car. verb

TRANSITIVITY

  1. Transitive or intransitive? If transitive, direct or indirect?
  2. He remained a clerk all his life. Stative verb
  3. Please don’t talk so loud. intransitive
  4. Has he drunk the whole bottle? Transitive direct
  5. They must have been drinking. intransitive
  6. Elizabeth II succeeded her father George VI. Transitive direct
  7. You can’t rely on a drug addict. Transitive with prepositional object
  8. The bookseller showed the new books to all his customers. Transitive direct
  9. I don’t find that a good idea. Transitive direct
  10. Do you need money? Transitive direct
  11. What are they waiting for? Transitive with prepositional object
  12. Why don’t you answer? intransitive
  13. You didn’t answer my question. Transitive direct
  14. You might call her an anarchist. Transitive direct (direct object + object complement)
  15. The inhabitants strongly opposed the scheme. Transitive direct
  16. She became a mining engineer. Stative verb
  17. He never got the promotion he had hoped for. Transitive with prepositional object
  18. He sent himself a birthday card. Transitive with indirect object
  19. She has fallen in love again. intransitive
  20. He dealt with the difficulty very cleverly. Transitive with prepositional object
  21. No, I haven’t eaten yet. intransitive

3. Identify the subject of the underlined verbs in the following sentences:

  1. Would youlike some chocolates?
  2. The parcelweighs two kilos.
  3. There is certainly an easy solution to your problem.
  4. Whathurt his foot?
  5. Who does Janelike best?
  6. Did anyonesee the assailant?
  7. Among the guests of honour were sittingseveral friends of mine.
  8. Jack and Jill have come back from walking up the hill.
  9. I wonder how many peoplesaw that strange phenomenon.
  10. I wouldn’t like him to think that I’m giving up the idea.
  11. I’m not sure I’ve been told the truth.
  12. How much money did the bankinvest in the project?
  13. Whatmade you think that there would be more to come?
  14. They don’t want us to stay alone.
  15. Next to the bottle stooda pile of empty paper cups.

4. Subject and verb.Identify the subject in each of the questions or exclamations below and underline it. Circle the operator and (if relevant) the rest of the verb phrase.

  1. How shouldIknow?
  2. How much doesall thismatter?
  3. How welong to be home again!
  4. Haveyoufound any advantages in the present arrangements?
  5. Canthe roots of the decline in the standard of English cricketbe traced back a long way?
  6. What a fuss theymade!
  7. DidBritainrecognize the Argentine at that time?
  8. When isSaint Valentine’s Day?
  9. Isthe economic strength of Germany symbolized by its huge trade surpluses?
  10. Whathas brought about the Government’s change of heart?
  11. Whocantell the difference?
  12. Musttheymake so much noise?
  13. How badly has tourismbeen hit this year?
  14. Who haveyouchosen as your partner?
  15. How tight a rein wasthe Governmentkeeping on public spending?

Exercises, p. 9 in brochure:

I. 1. let off; 2. let in; 3. look up; 4. let down; 5. looked over; 6. look up; 7. looking up. II. 1. made off; 2. make over; 3. make out; 4. make up; 5. make up; 6. made up. III. 1. put up; 2. pulled out, pulling in; 3. put up, put off; 4. put through, pulls round. IV. 1. You took off (you’ll take off), take in, turn in; 2. taken over; 3. turns off; 4. Take up; 5. take on, take on; 6. take down, take in.