“Girls smile”
The verb in pattern 6 is of the kind called intransitive. An intransitive verb is self-sufficient ; it can stand alone with its subject. · The sportsmen fished
· The sportsmen were fishing
It can modified by words and word groups know as adverbs and adverbials.
Examples :
· The sportsmen fished early
· The sportsmen were fishing in the stream
· The sportsmen were fishing when we drove up.
But an intransitive verbs usually not completed by a noun or pronoun.
For example in :
“They finished late”
“finished” is intransitive but in :
They finished the game
“finished” is not intransitive because it is completed by a noun or pronoun. If you are doubt wheter a word following the verb is a modifier goes with an intransitive verb or a completer of a transitive verb, a situation can settle the matter. If you can substitute him, her, it or the word is a complete and verb is not intransitive.
Examples :
· He hammered fast
· He hammered the nail
In the first sentence you cannot substitute “it” without spoiling the structure meaning. But in the second “He hammered it” is suitable equicvalen for “hammered the nail”. Therefore the first hammered is intransitive are second one transitive.
The subject of the verb in pattern 6, and also in pattern 7, 8 and follow , has the grammatical meaning of “performe of the action”
Some intransitive verbs characteristically do not occur alone but with adverbial modifier .examples : lurk, sneak, lurch, sally, sidle, tamper, live. The last one live, takes in Mexico; “stay alive” as in “ he lives on the bean products”; “be alive” as in “He lived in the first half of the twenty century” also intransitive verbs with a pssive sense based on transitive verb take an adverbial modifier, as in “your car rides comfortably” her book is selling well “
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