Transitive and intransitive verbs

adj. transitiveadj. intransitive

When a verb can have an object it is called a transitive verb.

When a verb cannot have an object it is called an intransitive verb.

To takeis a transitive verb.

eg. Jane took her dog to the vet.

subject transitive verb object

To riseis an intransitive verb.

eg. Unemployment is rising.

subject intransitive verb NO object

There are some transitive verbs which have a similar meaning to intransitive verbs.

Transitive: Intransitive:

v. to raise to rise

v. to drop to fall

eg. The glass fell (on the floor).

subject intransitive verb NO object.

I dropped the glass (on the floor).

subject transitive verb object.

The student raised his hand to ask a question.

subject transitive verb object

The sun rose (at six o’clock this morning).

subject intransitive verb NO object.

Q. What is the difference between to raise and to rise ?

A. To raise is a transitive verb and to rise is an intransitive verb.

Q. Why do students raise their hands in a class ?

A. Students raise their hands in a class to ask a question.

Q. What usually happens when a glass falls on the floor ?

A. A glass usually breaks when it falls on the floor.

Q. Does an intransitive verb have an object ?

A. No, an intransitive verb doesn't have an object.

Q. What is the intransitive verb with a similar meaning to :

a. raise ?

b. drop ?

Q. What is the intransitive verb with a similar meaning to raise?

A. To rise has a similar meaning to raise.

Q. What is the intransitive verb with a similar meaning to drop?

A. To fall has a similar meaning to drop.

NB. Because intransitive verbs do not take an object, it is not possible to make the

passive voice with them.

Active: Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet.

subject verb object

Passive: Romeo and Juliet was written by Shakespeare

subject to be + verb object (agent)

Active: I fell off my bicycle.

subject verb no object

Passive: not possible

Unit 3

phr v. to picksomething up

If you pick something up, you take it from the floor.

Q. If you dropped a penny on a dirty street, would you pick it up ?

A. No, if I dropped a penny on a dirty street, I wouldn't pick it up.

Q. What about a £1 coin ?

A. Yes, I would pick a £1 coin up.

Q. In what sports can you pick up the ball and run with it ?

A. You can pick up the ball and run with it in rugby.

phr v. to picksomeone upphr v. to dropsomeone off

If you pick someone up, you go and collect them to take them somewhere.

If you drop someone off, you take them to a place and leave them there.

Q. Did your parents use to drop you off at school or did you go on your own ?

A. I used to go on my own.

Q. If you are at your home-town station or airport, who usually picks you up ?

A. My parents usually pick me up.

phr v. to pick(out)

If you pick something(out), you choose one thing from many.

Q. Pick a number from one to ten ?

A. Six.

Q. Do you take a long time to pick out new clothes when you go shopping ?

A. Yes, I usually take a long time to pick out new clothes when I go shopping.

v. to existn./adj. human n. human being

If something existsit is a real or true thing in the world.

eg. Religious people believe that God exists.

Q. Did human beings exist 10 million years ago ?

A. No, human beings didn't exist 10 million years ago.

Q. Did this building exist 50 years ago ?

A. Yes, this building existed 50 years ago.

Q. Do you think that aliens really exist ?

A. Yes, I think that aliens really exist.

Q. Is there any evidence to prove that aliens really exist ?

A. No, there isn't any evidence to prove that aliens really exist.

adj. extinctn. dinosaur

Dinosaursdon’t exist any more because they are extinct.

Q. Do dinosaurs still exist ?

A. No, dinosaurs don't exist any more.

Q. Why not ?

A. Because they are extinct.

Q. Are human beings extinct ?

A. No, human beings aren't extinct.

Q. About how many years ago did dinosaurs exist ?

A. Dinosaurs existed about 60 million years ago.

Q. Which famous bird became extinct in the 19th Century ?

A. The dodo became extinct in the 19th Century.

Q. Do you believe that human beings will become extinct in the future ?

A. Yes, I believe that human beings will become extinct in the future.

Q. What evidence is there to prove that dinosaurs really existed ?

A. Sceletons and fossils prove that dinosaurs really existed.

n. dangerexpr. in dangerof + gerund

Q. What kind of people put their lives in danger when they work ?

A. Firemen put their lives in danger when they work.

Q. If you smoke cigarettes, what illness are you in danger of getting ?

A. If you smoke cigarettes, you're in danger of getting lung cancer.

Unit 3

Q. Which animals are in danger of becoming extinct ?

A. Tigers and pandas are in danger of becoming extinct.

Q. What colour is usually used to warn people about possible danger ?

A. Red is usually used to warn people about possible danger.

n. thief(pl. thieves) n. burglarphr.v. to break into

n. break-in

A thiefis anyone who steals things.

A burglaris a thief who steals from houses.

A burglar breaks intoa house.

Q. What do we call people who steal things ?

A. We call people who steal things thieves.

Q. What kind of thief breaks into houses and steals things ?

A. A burglar breaks into houses and steals things.

Q. Has your house ever been broken into by a burglar ?

A. No, my house has neven been broken into by a burglar.

Q. What do you think should be the proper punishment for burglars?

A. I think imprisonment should be the proper punishment for burglars.

Q. Why would someone break into:

a. a bank ?

b. an art gallery ?

Q. Why would someone break into a bank ?

A. Someone would break into a bank to steal money.

Q. Why would someone break into an art gallery ?

A. Someone would break into an art gallery to steal famous paintings.

v. to protect(from) n. protection

n. alarmn. alarm clockphr v. to go off

We use alarmsto protectour houses from burglars.

When an alarm starts, we say it goes off.

Q. How do people protect their homes from burglars ?

A. People protect their homes from burglars by using an alarm.

Q. Who try to protect us from criminals ?

A. The police try to protect us from criminals.

Q. What is the best protection against insect bites ?

A. Insect repellent is the best protection against insect bites.

Q. Do you think that we should try to protect animals which are in danger of becoming extinct ?

A. Yes, I think that we should try to protect animals which are in danger of becoming extinct.

Q. Are there any protected animals in your country ?

A. Yes, tigers are protected in my country.

Q. What time did your alarm clock go off this morning ?

A. My alarm clock went off at 7 o'clock this morning.

Q. Why do people have smoke alarms in their homes ?

A. People have smoke alarms in their homes to warn them about fire.

Q. What do we use to protect ourselves when we :

a. drive a car ?

b. ride a motorbike ?

Q. What do we use to protect ourselves when we drive a car ?

A. We use a seatbelt to protect ourselves when we drive a car.

Q. What do we use to protect ourselves when we ride a motorbike ?

A. We use a helmet to protect ourselves when we ride a motorbike.

v. to burn*n. fire

adj. burnt

People burnwood, coal and gas to keep warm.

Q. What do we burn on a fire ?

A. We burn wood or coal on a fire.

Q. Do you have a fire at home ?

A. Yes, I have a fire at home.

Q. What kind is it ?

A. It's an electric fire.

Q. Have you ever

a. burnt yourself ?

b. your dinner ?

Q. Have you ever burnt yourself ?

A. No, I've never burnt myself.

Q. Have you ever burnt your dinner ?

A. No, I've never burnt my dinner.

Unit 3

v. to sunbathen. sunbathingn. suntan

n. sunburn

Q. Do you like sunbathing ?

A. Yes, I like sunbathing.

Q. Do you get a suntan easily ?

A. Yes, I get a suntan easily.

Q. If you spend too long in the sun, what are you in danger of getting ?

A. If you spend too long in the sun, you're in danger of getting sunburn.

Q. Have you ever had sunburn ?

A. No, I've never had sunburn.

v. to peeladj. raw

We need to peela banana before eating it.

If something is raw, it is uncooked.

Q. Which vegetables need peeling before we eat them ?

A. Potatoes need peeling before we eat them.

Q. Which vegetables can be eaten raw ?

A. Carrots and broccoli can be eaten raw.

Q. Have you ever eaten raw :

a. fish ?

b. meat ?

Q. Have you ever eaten raw fish ?

A. Yes, I have eaten raw fish.

Q. Have you ever eaten raw meat ?

A. No, I've never eaten raw meat.

Q. Why might your skin peel ?

A. Your skin might peel if you were sunburnt.

Q. What kind of birds wake people up by singing at sunrise ?

A. Larks wake people up by singing at sunrise.

Q. Are some big shops protected by video cameras ?

A. Yes, some big shops are protected by video cameras.

Q. What would you do if the fire alarm went off in this school ?

A. If the fire alarm went off in this school, I would look for the nearest exit.

Q. What do we use to protect our skin from being damaged by the sun ?

A.We use suntan lotion to protect our skin from being damaged by the sun.

adj. deliciousadj. disgusting

n./adj. fatadj. greasy

Q. Give me an example of food you think is delicious.

A. I think fried chicken is delicious.

Q. Give an example of food you think is disgusting.

A. I think pasta is disuisting.

Q. What kind of habits do you think are disgusting ?

A. I think spitting in the street is disguisting.

Q. Is the food from your country greasy ?

A. No, the food from my country isn't greasy.

Q. What kind of food has a lot of fat ?

A. Chocolate has a lot of fat.

Q. What kind of animals are often very fat ?

A. Seals are often very fat.

n. dietto be/go on a dietn./adj. vegetarian

n. vitaminn. calorie*

A dietcan be special food you eat to lose weight or it can be the kind of food

you eat generally

Q. Do you have a healthy diet ?

A. Yes, I have a healthy diet.

Q. Have you ever been on a diet ?

A. No, I've never been on a diet.

Unit 3

Q. What vitamins do we get from fruit ?

A. We get vitamin C from fruit.

Q. What does a vegetarian avoid eating ?

A. A vegetarian avoids eating meat.

Q. What kind of food is very high in calories ?

A. Chocolate is very high in calories.

Q. Why might someone go on :

a. a low-calorie diet ?

b. a high-calorie diet ?

Q. Why might someone go on a low-calorie diet ?

A. Someone might go on a low-calorie diet to lose weight.

Q. Why might someone go on a high-calorie diet ?

A. Someone might go on a high-calorie diet to put on weight.

v. to make sense

If something makes sense we understand it or believe that it is right or practical.

eg. If you don’t have much money it makes sense to buy food at a market.

(because it’s cheaper.)

If a sentence doesn’t make sense we can’t understand it because it is wrong.

eg. The sentence ‘Coffee me good milk.’ doesn’t make sense.

The sentence ‘I like white coffee.’ makes sense.

The sentence ‘I was so tired that I stayed up all night.’ doesn’t make sense.

The sentence ‘I was so tired that I went to bed very early.’ makes sense.

Q. Can you understand something if it doesn’t make sense ?

A. No, I can't understand something if it doesn’t make sense.

Q. Do you think it makes sense to study English at home ?

A. Yes, I think it makes sense to study English at home.

Q. Does it make sense to come to school if you don’t want to learn?

A. No, it doesn't make sense to come to school if you don’t want to learn.

Q. Do you think it makes sense to get insurance when you travel abroad ?

A. Yes, I think it makes sense to get insurance when you travel abroad.

Q. Do these sentences make sense ?

a. I am go there.

A. No, that sentence doesn't make sense.

b. I hate running out of milk.

A. Yes, that sentence makes sense.

c. I had a really nice holiday because the weather was too hot.

A. No, that sentence doesn't make sense.

v. to communicaten. communicationn./adj. satellite

To communicatemeans to share information with or give information to someone.

There are many forms of communication.

eg. speaking, phone, fax, e mail, letters etc.

Q. Tell me some ways humans communicate with each other ?

A. Humans communicate with each other by speaking, phote, fax and email.

Q. What is the most common form of communication ?

A. The most common form of communication is speaking.

Q. How do people communicate with each other without using words ?

A. People communicate with each other without using words by using sign language.

Q. Is satellite television common in your country ?

A. Yes, satellite television is common in my country.

Q. When are satellite communications needed ?

A. Satellite communications are needed to make international phone calls.

adj. clearadv. clearly

If something is clear, it is easy to see or understand.

If you speak clearly, it is easy for someone to understand you.

Q. When would you try to speak slowly and clearly to someone ?

A. You would try to speak slowly and clearly to someone if they were deaf or elderly.

Q. What kind of people have to have very clear voices ?

A. Actors ans singers have to have very clear voices.

Q. Can you see clearly what is written on the board ?

A. No, I can't see clearly what's written on the board.

Q. Do you think that the grammar in this book is explained clearly ?

A. Yes, I think the grammar in this book is explained clearly.

Unit 3

Unless

Unlessis a linking word. We use it to make conditional sentences, so it is similar

to ‘if’. Look at these two sentences:

I will call the police if you do not stopshouting.

I will call the police unless you stopshouting.

Both sentences have the same meaning. (‘Unless you stop’ = ‘if you do not stop’).

NB. In the first sentence the verb is positive, while in the second sentence it is negative.

exercise

A. Change these sentences using ‘if’ into sentences using ‘unless’.

1. You will have to leave the hotel if you don’t pay tomorrow.

You will have to leave the hotel unless you pay tomorrow.

2. I will hate him forever if he doesn’t apologise.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 1455