A verb that expresses an action directed toward a person, place, thing, or idea is called a?

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

Answer: (A)

Transitive verbs describe actions that are directed at a direct object—someone or something that receives the action. In a sentence like “She reads a book,” the action of reading is aimed at “a book,” so the verb expresses action toward that object. That’s exactly what this question is asking for. In contrast, intransitive verbs don’t take a direct object (for example, “The sun rises” or “They arrived”), so they don’t express action directed at something specific. Some verbs can function both ways, but when the action is being performed on a specific object, the term that fits is transitive.