Border Patrol Practice Exam

What type of verb is used in the sentence "The baseball player signed the autographs"?

1. Intransitive

2. Infinitive

3. Transitive

4. Subjunctive

The correct answer is: Transitive

The sentence "The baseball player signed the autographs" contains a transitive verb. A transitive verb is one that requires a direct object to complete its meaning – in this case, "signed" is the action performed by the subject "the baseball player," and "the autographs" serves as the direct object receiving the action of the verb. Transitive verbs can be identified by the presence of a direct object that answers the questions of "what?" or "whom?" regarding the action. Here, one could ask, "What did the baseball player sign?" The answer is "the autographs," confirming that "signed" is a transitive verb. In contrast, an intransitive verb does not take a direct object and stands alone with its action (for instance, "He runs"). An infinitive, typically in the form "to + verb," doesn't function as a conjugated main verb in a sentence but rather conveys purpose or intention. The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, hypotheticals, or conditions contrary to fact, which does not apply in this straightforward declarative sentence. Thus, identifying "signed" as a transitive verb is essential for clarifying the action and its recipient in the context of the sentence.