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Uses of Action Verbs

542.1 Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are verbs that transfer their action to an object. An object must receive the action of a transitive verb for the meaning of the verb to be complete.

The earthquake shook San Francisco with a fury.

Shook transfers its action to San Francisco. Without San Francisco, the meaning of the verb shook is incomplete.)

San Francisco was shaken by the earthquake.

(The subject of the sentence, San Francisco, receives the action of the verb, was shaken.)