Intransitive Active

Intransitive active skeletons have only two skeleton items: a subject (a noun or noun equivalent) and an intransitive verb (see the topic on Transitive/Intransitive verbs for more on this distinction). With such a skeleton, you do not expect there to be an accusative noun (or equivalent) direct object. The sentence can be complete without the direct object. Here are some examples in English and Latin (the skeleton in each has been underlined):

"Quintus in Apulia habitat", "Quintus lives in Apulia".

In this sentence, "Quintus habitat" and "Quintus lives" is the skeleton. "in Apulia" is a prepositional phrase adverbial modifier and so is not necessary for a complete thought. Because "habitat" is intransitive, no direct object is necessary.

"Scintilla in casa laborat", "Scintilla works in the house".

This is similar to the first example. Subject + intransitive verb + unnecessary (syntactically) prepositional phrase.

The verb sum, esse, fui can also be intransitive when it is used in the sense of "exists" or "there is" when there is not subject complement. Example:

sunt multi canes in agro, "there are (exist) many dogs in the field"

See the Linking Skeletons Topic for more information on the linking use of sum, esse.

Other Skeleton Types

Transitive Active
Intransitive Active
Linking
Passive
Impersonal Passive

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Main Index

General Principles
Sentence Structure
Morphology
Skeleton Types
Verbs
Case Usage
Adverbs
Infinitives
Gerunds
Gerundives
Dependent Clauses
Connection
The Book

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Related Topics

Sentence Structure Index

Transitive/Intransitive Verbs

Lesson Chapter 1

Last Updated March 18, 2003

Questions, comments and corrections should be sent to Brian K. Harvey, Kent State University