Grammatical pattern: VERB + ZERO OBJECT

All words that are verbs in English follow one or both of the patterns [VERB + OBJECT] or [VERB + ZERO OBJECT]. Verbs that can operate without an object (i.e., with ZERO OBJECT) are vast in number. These verbs are marked in the dictionary as “intransitive verbs.” A small, partial list of these verbs are shown below. Keep in mind that many of these same verbs can be used “transitively,” that is, with a following object.

Click here for a fuller discussion of transitive versus intransitive verbs.

See also the full discussion of the pattern VERB + ZERO OBJECT.

agree, apologize, argue, arise, arrive, bark, behave, belong, bleed, bloom, boast, bow, brag, breathe, burst, care, cheat, chuckle, clap, collapse, cough, crack, crawl, cry, curve, dance, decrease, depend, die, dig, dine, disappear, dive, drift, drip, emerge, escape, exercise, exist, experiment, explode, fail, faint, fall, flash, flee, flirt, float, flow, flower, freeze, gallop, giggle, go, gobble, gossip, grin, grow, growl, happen, heal, hesitate, hibernate, hike, hop, huddle, hurry, increase, itch, hide, hike, honk, howl, joke, jump, laugh, lean, lie, listen, live, look, march, match, matter, melt, meow, mutter, occur, pause, play, pop, pray, pretend, profit, purr, quack, rain, react, rebel, refuse, relax, reply, respond, rest, rise, roam, rumble, run, scream, shine, shop, shout, sit, skate, sleep, slide, slip, smile, sneak, sneeze, snow, speak, speed, stand, stay, stick, succeed, survive, swallow, swell, swim, stumble, talk, tattle, travel, unite, vanish, vote, wait, walk, wander, wave, weep, whisper, wiggle , wink, wonder, work, yawn, yell