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Would somebody explain why the verb "to result" is intransitive? I don't understand it.

For example, we say we are dealing with Problems resulting from errors made in the past.

I feel that it is transitive (of course it is not and I just feel it) and I cannot understand what is the analogy between this verb and a verb like "to win" in this sentence: He won [just by one point].

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3 Answers 3

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Intransitive verbs are verbs without a direct object. "Problems result from errors" (a sentence where the modified noun phrase in your example comes from) consists of a subject, a verb, and a prepositional phrase; no direct object.

If the sentence was *"Problems result banana from errors", it would have been transitive ("banana" being a direct object here).

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  • Thanks, so far your answer has been of great use to me;However, I still have a problem which I'll be happy if you solve. Do you mean a prepositional phrase cannot be a direct object ever? Nov 12, 2014 at 9:13
  • Not unless it has been stripped of its prepositionalphraseness (by quoting, for instance: He yelled "above us" means something quite different than He yelled above us).
    – Amadan
    Nov 12, 2014 at 9:23
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A transitive verb is a verb that takes one or more objects. This contrasts with intransitive verbs, which do not have objects. A transitive verb transmits action to an object and may also have an indirect object, which may indicate to or for whom the action is done.

 We are dealing with Problems ...

Here, the "problems" is the object of "deal" not the verb "result"

Please check

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To result is an intransitive verb because it takes no direct object.

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/result_2

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  • Thanks, I already have seen it's formal definition in the Longman dictionary. Nov 12, 2014 at 9:01

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