Adjectives and Adverbs with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Mini-Lesson #4 From the UWF Writing Lab’s 101 Grammar Mini-lessons Series

Transitive Verb A transitive verb names an action that directly affects the person or thing mentioned in the predicate. A transitive verb requires an object to complete its meaning in the sentence. He struck the gong. Water erodes even granite. Did you mail the letters? We elected Sloan.

Intransitive Verb An intransitive verb names an action that has no direct impact on anyone or anything named in the predicate. A intransitive verb requires no object. Frank scowled. Gail won. Children giggle. Wilson smiled at the comedian’s best efforts, but he did not laugh.

Adjectives with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, specifying such things as how many, what kind, and which one. A predicate adjective usually follows a linking verb. He is strange. I am slow. The response was quick. She feels bad. We are poor. Linking verbs are used to show a “state of being” of the subject, not what the subject is doing. Some of these are as follows: The forms of be: is, am, are, was, were, been, being The sense verbs: feel (as an emotion), look, smell, taste, sound, Other verbs with linking use: appear, become, remain, stay, grow, seem

Adverbs with Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Adverbs modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence. An adverb conveys such things as how, when, where, why, and for what purpose. Unlike the predicate adjective, this –ly modifier generally follows an action verb. He talks strangely. I speak slowly. We need to act quickly. We sang badly. We speak poorly.

Bad and Badly Bad is an adjective: I feel bad (NOT badly) about the delay. Badly is an adverb: It does not hurt so badly (NOT bad) now.

Good and Well Good is an adjective: You look good in blue. You wear it well. Well is an adverb: He gets along well with his co-workers. Well is also an adjective when it is used to refer to health: I am not well today.

Good and Well as Adjectives Good is an adjective: You look good. Well is also an adjective when it is used to refer to health: You look well.

Real and Really Real is an adjective meaning "genuine"; really is an adverb: The admiral has real charm, so he is really charismatic. The use of real as an adverb is colloquial and nonstandard: He writes really (NOT real) well.

REAL Versus REALLY a real friendreally friendly a real crisisreally critical real supportreally supportive a real differencereally different a real threatreally threatening real excitementreally exciting a real surprisereally surprising a real honorreally honorable

Sure and Surely Sure is an adjective meaning “certain”: Are you sure (certain)? Yes, I’m sure (certain) about the date. Surely is an adverb meaning “certainly”: You surely (certainly) do look good. This Bundu mask surely (certainly) is expensive.

Sure and Surely QUESTION: Please ask Kevin to return my call. CORRECT RESPONSE: a.I sure will. b.I surely will.

Questions? Please contact the staff of the UWF Writing Lab for any additional questions.