A verb that does not take a direct object is called what?

• A. Transitive verb
• B. Intransitive verb
• C. Auxiliary verb
• D. Linking verb

Answer: (B)

A verb that does not take a direct object is called an intransitive verb. The idea is that the action doesn’t pass onto someone or something else; the action is complete with just the subject. For example, in "The cat slept," there’s no word receiving the action, so the verb stays intransitive. By contrast, a verb that requires a direct object answers “what?” or “whom?” after the verb, as in "The cat chased the mouse," where "the mouse" receives the action and the verb is transitive. Some verbs can be both, depending on usage—“run” can be intransitive in "She runs every morning," or transitive in "She runs a small cafe."