transitive&intransitive locative verbs

English grammar and usage issues

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LoveEnglish
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Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:47
Status: Teacher

transitive&intransitive locative verbs

Unread post by LoveEnglish »

First time here, hope you can help me! I'm having trouble in locative (prepositional phrases when it comes to identify which verbs actually DEMAND them)

transitive locative: send e.g. John sent flowers to Mary NP+VP+NP+PP
hang e.g. Peter hung the picure on the wall NP+VP+NP+PP
are there any other transitive locative verbs, that you MUST write the prepositional phrase? Please help!

intransitive locative:walk e.g. I walked in the park (gotta say where right? so VP needs prepositional phrase PP? as a must right? or since I can say: I walked yesterday it's not considered intransitive locative, believe me I've googled since yesterday and can't find a clear explanation on this subject!

live, e.g. I live in Lima
sit, e.g. I sat on the sofa (that I'm 100% sure! at least that is intransitive locative VP+PP)
work, e.g. I work at KPMG (but still I can say I work hard sooo? how do I divide the one that are only intransitive locative??)
stand, e.g. I stand behind the door

Please give me a light here!
orangutan
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Posts: 10
Joined: 20 Aug 2009, 16:47
Status: Other

Re: transitive&intransitive locative verbs

Unread post by orangutan »

LoveEnglish wrote:First time here, hope you can help me! I'm having trouble in locative (prepositional phrases when it comes to identify which verbs actually DEMAND them)

transitive locative: send e.g. John sent flowers to Mary NP+VP+NP+PP
hang e.g. Peter hung the picure on the wall NP+VP+NP+PP
are there any other transitive locative verbs, that you MUST write the prepositional phrase? Please help!
"Put" is a good one. You put something somewhere, and the "somewhere" is generally expressed by a locative PP.
intransitive locative:walk e.g. I walked in the park (gotta say where right? so VP needs prepositional phrase PP? as a must right? or since I can say: I walked yesterday it's not considered intransitive locative, believe me I've googled since yesterday and can't find a clear explanation on this subject.

live, e.g. I live in Lima
sit, e.g. I sat on the sofa (that I'm 100% sure! at least that is intransitive locative VP+PP)
work, e.g. I work at KPMG (but still I can say I work hard sooo? how do I divide the one that are only intransitive locative??)
stand, e.g. I stand behind the door

Please give me a light here!
It is unfortunately a bit complicated ;) . But as regards "walk", it may help to remember that it can mean either the activity of walking, or a way of getting from A to B. In the second sense it generally requires a locative (or more precisely directional) PP for the destination. In the other, recreational, sense, you don't really have to specify the place, just as you don't for other activities like playing or singing. It is true that you can usually ask "where" (or indeed "when" or "why") in relation to most sentences, but these do not always count as grammatical requirements of the verb.

Hope this helps a little.
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