A transitive verb takes a direct object. The direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. In standard English word order, the object usually comes after the verb. If there is no direct object, the verb is not transitive in that sentence.

A direct object answers the question what or whom after the verb. It shows the person, thing, or idea affected by the action. The object can be a noun, a pronoun, or a noun phrase. To identify a transitive verb, find the verb first and then look for its direct object.

Word or Phrase	Definition
noun	A noun can be the direct object when it receives the action.
pronoun	A pronoun can be the direct object when it replaces a noun after the verb.
noun phrase	A noun phrase can be the direct object when a group of words acts as one object.

The usual pattern with a transitive verb is subject, verb, object. This means the action moves from the subject to the object. English normally places the direct object after the verb in this pattern. Other words may appear around it, but the object still has this role.

Rule
A transitive verb usually follows the pattern subject + verb + object.
The direct object normally comes after the verb in standard English.
The object names the person or thing that receives the action.

An intransitive verb does not take a direct object. The action does not pass to a noun or pronoun after the verb. This is the main difference between transitive and intransitive verbs. A verb can be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another sentence.

Rule
An intransitive verb does not need a direct object.
If no noun or pronoun receives the action, the verb is intransitive in that sentence.
Some English verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on meaning and pattern.

Some verbs have both transitive and intransitive uses. The sentence pattern and the meaning show which use is present. In some cases, speakers may accept more than one pattern, so usage is not always completely fixed. It is more accurate to judge the verb in the full sentence than to label the verb alone.

Word or Phrase	Definition
open	This verb can be transitive when something opens an object, or intransitive when something opens by itself.
change	This verb can be transitive when someone changes something, or intransitive when something changes.
move	This verb can be transitive when someone moves something, or intransitive when a person or thing moves.

You can now identify a transitive verb by finding its direct object. You can recognize the noun or pronoun that receives the action. You can also distinguish transitive and intransitive use by looking at the meaning and the sentence pattern. When a verb has both uses, you can decide from the full sentence whether it has a direct object.