を/に・通る particle help


In the sentence,

> 毎日、この道を通ります。

why is を used? Wouldn't it be に?  
Also,

> 試験に通る

I thought the verb was intransitive, so I thought it would be が maybe. "the
test was passed" ?

Any helpful explanations?




It's challenging to provide an exhaustive answer for your question. I
recommend you leverage the [existing
posts](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/search?q=%E3%81%AB+%E3%82%92+verb)
in this forum explaining the basics, and supplement with these examples
tailored for you:

> In the sentence, 毎日、この道を通ります。 why is を used?

**Example to use を - 1**

  * Question E: what are you walking **on** (top of)?
  * Question J: 何(の上) **を** walking していますか？

↓

  * Answer E: I am walking **on** (top of) the 道.
  * Answer J: 道(の上) **を** walking しています。

* * *

**Example to use を - 2**

  * Question E: what are you searching **for**?
  * Question J: 何 **を** searching していますか？

↓

  * Answer E: I am searching **for** the 道.
  * Answer J: 道 **を** searching しています。

* * *

**Example to use に - 1**

  * Question E: what are you angry **at**?
  * Question J: 何 **に** angry ですか？

↓

  * Answer E: I am angry **at** the 道.
  * Answer J: 道 **に** angry です。

* * *

**Example to use に - 2**

  * Question E: where are you throwing **against**?
  * Question J: どこ **に** throwing してますか？

↓

  * Answer E: I am throwing **against** the 道.
  * Answer J: 道 **に** throwing しています。

* * *

Consider using **に** when pointing to a target. Shout **against** , scream
**towards** , ask a question **to** , etc. There are exceptions, but it's a
good starting point.

* * *

> Also, 試験に通る I thought the verb was intransitive, so I thought it would be が
> maybe.

This is a brilliant obvservation. If we were to use **が** , it would mean:

  * J: 試験 **が** 通る
  * E: 試験 **is** passing by (as in, "Mr. 試験 is passing by your desk")

So it's simply wrong unless you're talking about an entity called 試験 who is
actually passing by.

* * *

Let's remember the tip: "Consider using **に** when pointing to a target".

The target here is 試験. When we say "passed the exam", what did we **do**
(verb) against the exam?

  * We did **not** : " **pass** against the exam".

  * We: " **accomplished** a result of passing, against the exam".

Therefore, the verb is **not** 通る. Accomplish (e.g. 結果を出す) is the hidden verb.

  * 試験に 通過するという 結果を出す。
  * Against (the target which is) exam, pass is the result I delivered.

↓ people like to cut down components, resulting with...

  * 試験に 通 ~~過す~~ る ~~(という結果を出す)~~ 。
  * I passed the exam.

