WordGarden.iotransitivity
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Meanings
Noun
the grammatical property of a verb taking a direct object
the property of a relation carrying through linked terms
Beyond the definition
Transitivity describes whether a verb carries its action over to a direct object. Think of it like throwing a ball. If you throw something, the action moves from the doer to the thing thrown. But if you sleep or laugh, the action does not move onto an object; it simply stays with the subject.
This idea is central to grammar because it helps explain how sentences are built. A transitive verb can take a direct object, while an intransitive verb does not. For example, in "She read the book," book is the object. In "He smiled," there is no object. The word can also be used in logic or mathematics for relations that carry over: if A relates to B, and B relates to C, then A relates to C.
Transitivity is a basic idea in linguistics and grammar. It describes how a verb connects to other parts of a sentence, especially whether the action goes from the subject to a direct object. In simple terms, it asks whether the action lands on something.
Think of it like passing a ball. In "She kicked the ball," the action clearly moves from the subject to the object, so the verb is transitive. In "She laughed," the action stops with the subject, so the verb is intransitive. This difference helps explain why some sentences naturally need an object and others do not.
In grammar, a transitive verb is one that can take a direct object. Common examples are hit, eat, build, and write. In "The dog chased the ball," the ball receives the action. In contrast, verbs like arrive, sleep, and smile are often intransitive. You can say "They arrived," but not usually "They arrived the station" in standard English.
Some verbs can work in both ways depending on the sentence. For example, "He runs every morning" is intransitive, but "He runs a business" is transitive. That flexibility is one reason this idea matters in language learning and sentence analysis.
The word is also used outside grammar, especially in logic and mathematics. There it refers to a relation that carries over: if A is related to B, and B is related to C, then A is related to C. So in both language and logic, transitivity is about whether a connection extends from one thing to another in a clear chain.
Examples
- 1
Linguistics
In our linguistics seminar, we looked at the transitivity of common English verbs.
- 2
Language learning
Learners often notice transitivity when a verb takes an object in one language but not in another.
- Grammartakes an object
is followed by a noun, as in "open the door"
- 3
Logic
In logic, the proof depends on the transitivity of the "greater than" relation.
See also
Similar
- transitiveness
Shades of meaning
- object-taking
Contrast
- intransitivity
Do not confuse
- transitivity in logic
Used with (collocations)
- verb transitivity
- degree of transitivity
- transitivity alternation
Word family
Explore
- valency
- direct object
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- transitivitynoun