Intransitive Verbs
* Definition: Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object. They express a complete thought without needing to act upon something else.
* Examples:
* Sleep: "The baby sleeps soundly." (No object is acted upon)
* Run: "The dog runs through the park." (No object is acted upon)
* Laugh: "The children laugh at the joke." (The laughter is directed at the joke, but the joke isn't a direct object the children act upon.)
Incomplete Predication
* Definition: Incomplete predication occurs when a sentence lacks a necessary element to express a complete thought. This missing element is often the direct object of a transitive verb.
* Examples:
* "The dog chased..." (What did the dog chase? We need an object.)
* "I gave..." (What did I give? We need an object.)
The Problem:
It's impossible to have an intransitive verb with incomplete predication. Here's why:
* Intransitive verbs are complete by themselves: They don't require an object to make sense.
* Incomplete predication requires a missing object: This usually happens with transitive verbs.
How to Identify Intransitive Verbs
1. Look for verbs that don't take a direct object.
2. Ask yourself: "What does the verb act upon?" If the answer is "nothing," it's likely an intransitive verb.
Example:
* "The cat naps on the couch."
* "Naps" is the verb.
* "On the couch" is a prepositional phrase describing where the cat naps, not a direct object.
* "Naps" is intransitive. The sentence is complete.
Key Takeaway:
Intransitive verbs inherently express a complete thought, so the concept of "incomplete predication" doesn't apply to them.