Border Patrol Practice Exam

How is the verb used in "The baseball player signed the autographs" classified?

1. Transitive

2. Intransitive

3. Imperative

4. Subjunctive

The correct answer is: Transitive

The verb in the sentence "The baseball player signed the autographs" is classified as transitive because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. In this instance, the direct object is "the autographs," which receives the action of the verb "signed." A transitive verb is one that expresses an action that passes from the subject, in this case, "the baseball player," to an object, which in this sentence is what is being signed. This is a key characteristic of transitive verbs—they connect an action to a recipient. Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object and stand alone in conveying their meaning, while imperative verbs typically give commands and are directed at someone to perform an action. Subjunctive verbs express wishes, hypotheticals, or conditions that are contrary to fact, but these categories do not apply to the verb's function in this sentence. The relationship outlined illustrates why the verb "signed" is properly labeled as transitive in this context.