Using transitive and intransitive verbs

warn2.gif (965 bytes) Students' problems page 5 of 8

Omitting the preposition after verbs

Students commonly omit the preposition after verbs like wait and listen, perhaps because in Cantonese no preposition is required. However, since such verbs are intransitive, they need to be followed by a preposition if they are followed by an object:

After work many people will wait [^] her or his friends outside Sogo. (TeleNex Students)
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After work many people will wait for her or his friends outside Sogo.

They can listen [^] music in this room. (TeleNex Students)
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They can listen to music in this room.

I woke up early in order to go [^] school to design the logo of the English club. (TeleNex Students)
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I woke up early in order to go to school to design the logo of the English club.

Why do they only look [^] things from one angle? (TeleNex Students)
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Why do they only look at things from one angle?

For further information about intransitive verbs, see 04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using transitive and intransitive verbs: What is an intransitive verb?

06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Introduction
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Omitting the direct object of a transitive verb
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Mistaking an intransitive verb for a transitive verb
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Thinking all verbs can take two objects
square.gif (58 bytes) Omitting the preposition after verbs
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Passive voice with intransitive verbs
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Overuse of passive voice with ergative verbs
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Omitting the auxiliary in passive voice