Transitive verbs require an object; they are not complete without a direct object.

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1answer
45 views

“The same X” and intransitive verbs

As I have had explained to me at great length, wonder is intransitive. That's fine, but it can seem to take an object: Jim: Yesterday I wondered what that mark on the wall was made by Dave: I ...
5
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2answers
99 views

“Disappear” as a transitive verb

I hear it more on more frequently on the news, as in: The North Korean regime has disappeared scores of dissidents over the past twenty years. Has disappear always been used in such a way, as a ...
0
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1answer
76 views

Meaning of “I command you for that” [closed]

I noticed this somewhere and I have no clue what it means, as I'm not a native speaker. Google hasn't helped out. Does anyone know what this means? (If you need additional context, let me know). I ...
7
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3answers
280 views

Why “answer me” but not “answer me the question”?

Why are "answer me" and "answer the question" acceptable but not "answer me the question"? Is it similar to "explain me (something)"?
1
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3answers
103 views

Is “get someone up” the same as “wake someone up”?

Is using get up in this expression correct? I am sorry I woke you up. I am sorry I got you up. I use get up for wake up all the time, but in this expression it sounds a bit odd.
2
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2answers
225 views

Can any transitive verb be accompanied by a preposition?

Galileo was forced to recant his assertion that the earth orbited the sun (Oxford Dictionary) Can one recant on an absence of belief? (The Secret Intensity of Everyday Life) The first ...
1
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2answers
146 views

What's the difference between using the verb “change” transitively and intransitively?

I am confused about using transitive and intransitive verbs for making passive sentences. Especially when that verb can be both (like the verb change).
2
votes
1answer
55 views

“trust the fact” vs. “trust to the fact”?

I think "trust the fact" is more natural than "trust to the fact", but the search result shows that the latter is more popular. What's the difference between them? Thanks. Yet another derived ...
2
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0answers
73 views

Placing the preposition [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Is it correct to change the common structure in these phrasal verbs? I'm really confused about where to put the preposition. She cut her hair off. Vs She cut ...
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1answer
79 views

Can I use the verb “rise” transitively, as in “rise its fame”? [closed]

I wanted to express this concept: "In Brazil a new football star has born. Will you be able to rise its fame to superstar?" Is this correct? Or is there an alternative and better way to say ...
3
votes
1answer
97 views

Framing with real evidence

Normally to frame somebody means 3 informal produce false evidence against (an innocent person) so that they appear guilty Now what in case of a cautious criminal who took care to hide/remove ...
1
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2answers
148 views

How do you differentiate between a transitive verb and a noun?

I have several components in a piece of software I am working with and we want to select names that are nouns which describe the components. We have the following names: Automation Retrieval ...
3
votes
3answers
98 views

“Run on an OS” vs. “run under an OS”

What is the correct way to specify the operating system you are targeting or using? Is a program running on or under an operating system (OS)? Is a machine running an OS or under an OS?
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2answers
75 views

Is it “Seeking a bigger challenge” or “Seeking for a bigger challenge”?

Sometimes in a job application form, it asks you for the reason of leaving the previous company, and if the reason is to look for a bigger challenge, would it be Seeking a bigger challenge Seeking ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views

“Partner you” vs. “partner with you”

Can I say for instance dynamic enough to partner you in facing new or must it be partner with you I'm specifically asking whether you can say partner you as opposed to partner with you. Here's an ...
2
votes
1answer
76 views

Is “grooving me” grammatical?

The context of the word groove here is musical groove. In youth slang of electronic music fans it means aesthetic pleasure while listening to music. Can I use groove as a transitive verb? As in, "X ...
2
votes
3answers
351 views

Water comprises/composes/combines/consists two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: When do you use what word to express that something consists of something else? Does a whole “compose” its parts? Correct use of “consist” Water ...
1
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4answers
294 views

Which is proper: “to debate X” or “to debate about X”?

Which version of this sentence is correct? Doctoral students about to graduate, like me, often debate about what qualities make a successful scientist. Doctoral students about to graduate, ...
4
votes
4answers
355 views

How can I use “fête” as a verb in active voice?

Oxford Dictionaries cites a verb as an entry for fête and gives a passive example. How can I use fête in the active voice? For example, can one fête an occasion with pomp and circumstance?
3
votes
1answer
762 views

“Comment on something” or “comment something”?

Do I say “comment on something” or simply “comment something”? For example: Brian ?commented on this video. Brian ?commented this video
1
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0answers
187 views

transitive vs intransitive verb [closed]

I'm not expert in English grammar, but I need to understand the difference between a transitive verb and an intransitive verb. Can someone explain this to me? Thanks!
6
votes
3answers
275 views

Is “update” transitive or intransitive?

According to many dictionaries including merriam-webster, update is a transitive verb. So I expect the following sentence (used in Firefox) to be incorrect: Please wait while Firefox is updating. ...
0
votes
1answer
166 views

Is the verb 'let' transitive or intransitive?

Is the verb 'let', with the meaning 'to cause to', transitive or intransitive? E.g.: Do you want to go out for a pizza? Please let know. Is this allowed or is it misuse?
3
votes
2answers
175 views

Can “intrude” be used transitively?

We can say "invade someone's privacy", but can the verb "intrude" be used in the same way without a preposition? As in, Don't intrude my privacy. Or should it be: Don't intrude into my ...
1
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1answer
150 views

Acknowledges - transitive verb question

Is the following grammatically correct? Signing below acknowledges you agree with the terms. Or does it need to be: Signing below acknowledges that you agree with the terms. I can't think ...
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4answers
212 views

To retroactively create?

Is there a verb that means "retroactively create"? For example: John wanted to retroactively create a relationship with his estranged father. I'm not looking for a word that means ...
4
votes
1answer
183 views

“Have at it” : what's the object of the transitive verb “have” here?

I intuitively understand the meaning of the phrase "have at it!", but I can't explain it to myself. I understand that "to have" in this sense requires an object to be valid, so why is it missing here ...
2
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2answers
237 views

“Forward” as transitive verb

When casually writing email I find myself using forward like this: I forwarded him the email with your info. Is the above version grammatically correct? I forwarded the email with your info ...
6
votes
2answers
284 views

Why are “indemnify” and “condemn” spelled differently?

Comparing the words indemnify and condemn: Both contain demn as a root Both are transitive verbs Why is one spelled differently from the other – why not indemn, or condemnify?
5
votes
1answer
346 views

Is there a word for a verb which requires an adverb or prep. phrase in order to make sense?

Put is the one I'm thinking of. It is always transitive, but even with a direct object, it still makes no sense without an adverb or prepositional phrase. I put it somewhere. I put it on the ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views

“Elaborate” as a transitive verb?

It is common to speak of "elaborating on (or upon) a topic." However, I have been told that this is appropriate only when some explanation has already been given; if no information is yet known, then ...
7
votes
4answers
368 views

Can “shop” (related to selling or stores) be used as a transitive verb?

How is shop used as a transitive verb? The only transitive meanings I can find are reporting someone to police or Photoshopping an image. I found one discussion about transitive 'shop', centered on ...
0
votes
2answers
942 views

Is “injur” a word? [closed]

Am I going crazy? I think "injur" must be a transitive verb meaning "to cause injury to," as in "the flying debris might injur the bystanders." Yet when I google around and check online ...
4
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3answers
197 views

What is wrong with phrasing like “configure how”?

I'm doing some editing and one sentence I'm navigating says "You can configure how the thing appears." (That's a paraphrase.) I think it is wrong because "configure" is a transitive verb and needs a ...
3
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2answers
4k views

Can “itch” be a transitive verb, i.e., can an itch be itched?

Can itch be used as a transitive verb? In other words, can you itch an itch as you would scratch an itch? Dictionaries differ, with the bigger hitters saying no. Are they bearing the proper standard ...
4
votes
2answers
286 views

What are the meanings of the sentences where “Not that” is followed by an object-missing expression?

According to my observation, there are at least two types of using "Not that....". And my question is: what does "not that" mean in its second type of usage? In the first usage, "not that" is ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views

“Pay rise” vs “pay raise”

Which sentence below is correct? Ben received a pay rise. Ben received a pay raise.
2
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3answers
7k views

“Email me” and “mail to me”

Why is it correct to say "email me", whereas with the word mail we say/write "mail to me"?
9
votes
4answers
565 views

“Help us grow this site”?

I've never liked the use of "to grow [x]" to mean "to make [x] bigger", rather than in the agricultural sense. Am I justified in this at all? (If so, can we make the SE team reword our social media ...
6
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2answers
913 views

What is the difference between “raise” and “rise”?

What is the difference between raise and rise? When and how should I use each one?
13
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3answers
9k views

“Let's” vs. “lets”: which is correct?

Say I'm promoting a product. Which is correct? [Product] let's you [do something awesome]. [Product] lets you [do something awesome]. Or neither?