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BAB II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Intransitive Sentence
According to Klammer, et.al 2000:193 intransitive sentence can be defined as follows:
“…sentence consists of a subject followed by a predicate in which there is only main verb followed by optional adverb phrases. The
technical name of type of verb that can stand alone in the verb phrase and function as the entire predicate is intransitive.
Klammer,et.al 2000:193.
Simply, intransitive sentence is a sentence where the verb can stand alone, does not need any object, but it is still meaningful. Yet, the adverb of time, place, and
manner can also be attached in order to give more explanation. The simplest pattern of intransitive sentence is subject S + predicate P.
For example:
The girl sang S
P The intransitive sentence above can also be attached to an adverb, so the
pattern is S + P + A, as follows:
The girl sang in her room S P A
Furthermore, Downing and Locke divide intransitive sentences into four patterns, as follows:
2.1.1 Subject – Predicate S – P
This pattern means that the sentence has only subject and predicator without having any complement or adverb. In this pattern, Downing and Locke 2006:85
divide the verb into verbs of behavior, verb of weather and verbs of occurrence.
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a. Verbs of Behavior
This kind of verbs shows an action which is done by the subject intentionally or unintentionally. The example of this kind of verbs are: laugh, smile, cry, blink, blush,
cough, sneeze, sigh, tremble, yawn, wait, stay, die, collapse, fain, fall, act.
For example: - They all laughed - Someone yawned
b. Verbs of Weather This kind of verbs explains about weather. Example: rain, snow.
For example: - it is raining. - It is snowing.
c. Verbs of Occurrence This kind of verb indicates an activity which is done by the subject. For
example: appear, disappear, go, come, arrive, depart, vanish, fade, act. For example: They have arrived.
2.1.2 Subject – Predicate – Locative Complement
This pattern is the next pattern of intransitive sentence which need complement or verb of place or direction in order to complete the sentences. In this
pattern, Downing and Locke 2006:86 divide the verb into two kinds, as follows: a.
Location or place: be, stand, live, lie, remain. These kinds of verbs show or explain that the subject stays in certain
place. For example: - The National Theatre stands near the river.
- The amusement park is just over there .
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b. Movement + manner of movement: walk, run, stroll, crawl, fly.
These kinds of verbs indicate or explain a process of an activity which is done by the subject.
For example: - We walked home. - The soldier crawled under the wire fence.
2.1.3 Subject – Predicate – Adjunct
In this pattern, the addition of adjunct is optional and depends of the verb. According to oxford advanced learner dictionary, adjunct is an adverb which adds
meaning to a verb in a sentence or a part of sentence such as in the sentence. Usually, he doesn’t arrive late
. So, usually is the adjunct. The verbs such as work, arrive, retire, stop are usually
followed by adjunct. Yet, although the adjunct is omitted, the verbs can also stand alone and still meaningful. The following examples are the
intransitive sentences in the condition of followed by adjunct and without adjunct. S – P – A
S – P
1a. Tom works in London recently 1b.
Does his sister Priscilla work ?
2a. We unfortunately arrived late. 2b.
The guests are arriving 3a. He actually retired last year.
3b. He had retired
4 a. We stopped exactly at the Equator 4b.
The clock has stopped
F rom the example above, we can understand the sentences although the
adjunct is omitted.
2.1.4 Subject – Predicate – Complement of the Subject
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