Using transitive and intransitive verbs
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Students' problems | page 3 of 8 |
Mistaking an intransitive verb for a transitive verb
Hong Kong students sometimes confuse intransitive verbs with transitive verbs:
I was very unlucky, because I fell all my money on the road and I couldn't find it. (TeleNex Students)
In this example the student has used the intransitive verb fell instead of a transitive verb such as lost or dropped.
If students have problems deciding whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, a
useful check is the "full-stop" test. For further information, see 
Using transitive and intransitive verbs: Teaching implications (p 3).
Introduction
Mistaking an intransitive verb for a transitive verb
