Question

Intransitive verbs vs. Transitive verbs

Answer 1

I generally understand the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs, but there is one thing that is giving me problems.

Hit is a transitive verb; so let's look at a sentence like "fighters hit other fighters." So we say is hit transitive or intransitive in this sentence? I take away other fighters and am left with, "fighters hit," which to me still makes sense. It just made a general sentence about my subject, '"fighters."

Another example is build. We can say something like "Contractors build houses." My first instinct is to take away the direct object, "houses" to see if the sentence makes sense. Again with, "Contractors build," taking away the direct object seems to have just created a general statement about my previous subject.

If anyone could clarify this for my it would be much appreciated, thanks :)