Here's how to understand it:
* Subject: The person or thing performing the action.
* Verb: The action word.
* Direct Object: The person or thing that receives the action of the verb.
Example:
* Subject: The dog
* Transitive Verb: chased
* Direct Object: the ball
In this sentence, the verb "chased" is transitive because it tells us what the dog did (chased) and *to what* (the ball). The ball is the direct object, receiving the action of the verb.
Here are some more examples of transitive verbs:
* She wrote a letter. (Direct object: letter)
* The chef prepared a delicious meal. (Direct object: meal)
* He broke the vase. (Direct object: vase)
In contrast, intransitive verbs do not require a direct object. They express a complete action without needing to act upon anything else.
Example:
* The baby slept.
* The sun shines.
Let me know if you'd like more examples or want to explore different types of verbs!