No part of speech is more important than the verb. Like nouns and pronouns, verbs change their form in order to express different meanings, and in addition have the help of such words as shall, may, can, etc., which are known as "auxiliaries." This inflection of a verb is called its conjugation. The inflection of nouns includes changes in number and case; the inflection, or conjugation, of verbs includes changes in voice, mood, tense, person, and number.

81. Transitive And Intransitive Verbs

According to their use in a sentence, verbs are either transitive or intransitive. Transitive means going over. If the verb is transitive, the action goes over from the subject to a noun or pronoun called the direct object; for example, in "John hit the ball," the action goes over to the ball. If the verb is intransitive, there is nothing to go over; for example, "We started early," "Everybody laughed." Many verbs may be used both transitively and intransitively.

Note these examples:

1. We began our journey early.

2. The day began pleasantly.

3. The car runs easily.

Exercises

229. Write sentences in which each of the following verbs takes a direct object: write, run, strike, sing, blow, ring, break.

280. Write sentences in which each of the verbs in Exercise 229 is used without a direct object.

281. State whether the italicized verbs in the following sentences are transitive or intransitive, and give your reasons.

1. The boy read the lesson.

2. The boy read from a well-known story.

3. The story was read to the child by his sister. (See sect. 84).

4. John hastened home and told his father the news.

5. The guide hastened the departure of the party.

6. The possession of the Mississippi was an important factor in the Civil War. (See sect. 71, 2).

7. He was there, and said that the boy rang the alarm.

8. The sentinel shouted, "Stop ! or I will fire."

9. I waited one hour. (See sect. 72, 6).

10. We saw that he was liable to fall.

11. They could scarcely believe what they saw.

82. Auxiliary Verbs

An auxiliary verb is one that is used in a verb phrase merely to "help" another verb express a certain meaning. The following may be so used: be (am, is, are, was, were, etc.), have (has, had), do (does, did), shall, will, may, can, must, might, could, would, and should. (See also sect. 90).

Exercises

282. In the following sentences, point out the auxiliary verbs and the main verbs:

1. He did his work well. 2. His work was well done.

3. He did not intend to come.

4. I have seldom seen a saner man.

233. Write sentences in which is, has, and does are used (1) as auxiliaries, (2) as main verbs.