Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[tisogai]

Hi Teachers. Please help me on this.

"The building faces the square", which is given in a dictionary as an example for transitive "face".

"This house faces north", which is given in the same dictionary as an example for intransitive "face".

I know the verb "face" can be transitive and intransitive, but to me there seems to be no difference in the usage of the two sentences above as both of them have its object.

How could the intransitive face have the object??
How could I tell transitive face from intransitive face??

Thanks so much.

[cgage2]

Some verbs can be transitive or intransitive. Transitive verbs have an object - "faces the square"
"faces north" does not have an object

[tisogai]

Thanks.

This house faces north. Is this "north" adverb, so it's not an object.
Is it correct??