TRANSITIVE VERBS: MTV, DTV, CXTV

Transitive verbs require the presence of an object. They can be finite or non-finite.

e.g. JUGGLING THREE TENNIS BALLS AND A CHAINSAW, THE CLOWN IMPRESSED THE HUGE CROWD.
- "three tennis balls and a chainsaw" is the direct object of the verb "juggling"
- "the huge crowd" is the direct object of the verb "impressed"

MONOTRANSITIVE VERB (MTV)

The classification is very clear for this kind of verb, as it only requires a direct object. There may be more than one direct object, but no indirect object, nor an object complement.

e.g. I LOVE YOU.
- When you love, you love something or somebody (direct object). Without the direct object, the verb makes no sense.
- "you" is the direct object.

e.g. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THE EVIDENCE.
- When you find, you find something or somebody (direct object). Without the direct object, the verb makes no sense.
- "the evidence" is the direct object.

e.g. THEY ARE GOING TO SELL PIRATED COPIES OF THE CD AND SOME BOOTLEG DVDS.
- When you sell, you sell something (direct object). Without the direct object, the verb makes no sense.
- In this case there are two direct objects: "pirated copies of the CD" and "some bootleg DVDs".

DITRANSITIVE VERB (DTV)

While the classification of this kind of verb can be misleading (it sounds as if the prefix “di” denies the transitivity of the verb), a ditransitive verb is a transitive verb. However, it requires both a DIRECT and an INDIRECT object. There may be several objects, indirect and direct, but there must be at least ONE OF EACH.

e.g. THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT SENT ME AN INSURANCE POLICY.
- "me" is the indirect object.
- "an insurance policy" is the direct object.
- It would be strange to say "the human resources department sent me". The verb requires both objects.

e.g. SHE GAVE THE GIFT TO ME.
- "to me" is the indirect object (prepositional phrase working as an indirect object).
- "the gift" is the direct object.

e.g. THE LAWYER TOLD ME TO DROP THE CASE AND GET ON WITH MY LIFE.
- "me" is the indirect object.
- "to drop the case" is the direct object (non-finite noun clause reduced by infinitive working as the direct object). This is what the lawyer told me.
- "get on with my life" is another direct object (non-finite noun clause reduced by infinitive working as the direct object). This is another thing the lawyer told me.

COMPLEX TRANSITIVE VERB (CXTV)

Now my friends, we step into troubled waters. This is where I take you on a trip into a world of conflict, a world of discord, a world in which grammarians, young and old, will unsheathe their proVERBial swords and cut each other down, ripping each other’s throats out with their bare teeth. Yes, my friends ...prepare yourselves for the war of all wars…the battle of the COMPLEX TRANSITIVE VERB ...(dramatic music plays loudly)...

Traditionally, this kind of verb is a transitive verb that MUST have a direct object and CAN have an object complement.

e.g. THE JUDGE FOUND THE PLEA OUTRAGEOUS.
- "outrageous" is the object complement.
- "the plea" is the direct object
- Therefore, in this specific case, the verb "find" is considered a complex transitive verb (CXTV). This does NOT mean that "find" is always a complex transitive verb.
- In this case, the verb "find" requires the object complement.

e.g. THE NEWLY-WEDS PAINTED THE KIDS’ ROOM RED.
- "red" is the object complement.
- "the kids’ room" is the direct object.
- Therefore, in this specific case, the verb "paint" is considered a complex transitive verb (CXTV). This does NOT mean that "paint" is always a complex transitive verb.
- In this case, the verb "paint" does not require the object complement. However, if the object complement is removed, the verb becomes a monotransitive verb.

e.g. THE POOR WEATHER MADE US STAY HOME.
- "stay home" is the object complement (non-finite noun clause reduced by the bare infinitive).
- "us" is the direct object.
- Therefore, in this specific case, the verb "make" is considered a complex transitive verb. This does NOT mean that "make" is always a complex transitive verb.

ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THINGS...

I find that there could be another possible way to look at the complex transitive verb. When the verb requires a direct object and an adverbial idea, it seems to me that it has a complex transitive feel. In fact, in the link to Syntax from Norway on my blog, there is a definition that refers to this kind of verb as a Ditransitive verb. Let’s see...

e.g. WONDER WOMAN SWEPT DOWN FROM THE SKY AND SAVED ME FROM THE EVIL DOERS.
- "save" requires a direct object because you must "save something or somebody".
The fact that you usually "save something or somebody FROM SOMETHING" makes me feel that this verb requires this extra information (from something).
In the link Syntax from Norway, the grammarians say that the prepositional phrase "from the evil doers" is an OBLIQUE object, and thus the verb is ditransitive (requiring direct and oblique objects). This is a fairly plausible argument.

But, now I put forth my opinion: as the prepositional phrase "from the evil doers" has an adverbial feel to it (an abstract idea of place, maybe - from where...), is it not possible to consider this a kind of complex transitive verb? That is, it requires a direct object, and the accompaniment works similar to an object complement or an oblique object. A verb that requires a direct object and an object complement is a complex transitive verb. Why not consider, then, a verb that requires a direct object and an adverbial idea a complex transitive verb. I feel that this is equally plausible.

SUMMARY: If a CXTV is a verb that requires a direct object and something else, then why can't this "something else" be an adverbial idea?

e.g. THE LIBRARIAN LED ME TO THE LITERATURE SECTION.
- "to the literature section" is an adverbial phrase of place.
- "me" is the direct object.
- I consider the verb "lead" a complex transitive verb because it demands the adverbial idea (in this case, of place).