NSAR-B

      PAGE  1
000 B000000 11/30/96
000 C000000 0000869797
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM INTERMEDIATE U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
001 B000000 811-6257
001 C000000 6172921471
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000  0
007 C010100  1
007 C010200  2
007 C010300  3
007 C010400  4
007 C010500  5
007 C010600  6
007 C010700  7
007 C010800  8
007 C010900  9
007 C011000 10
020 C000001      0
020 C000002      0
020 C000003      0
020 C000004      0
020 C000005      0
020 C000006      0
020 C000007      0
020 C000008      0
020 C000009      0
020 C000010      0
021  000000        0
022 A000001 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000001 13-3224016
022 C000001   1252443
022 D000001      9999
022 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY INC.
022 B000002 13-2655998
022 C000002    737960
022 D000002         0
      PAGE  2
022 A000003 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000003 13-2518466
022 C000003    422171
022 D000003     48303
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004     90827
022 D000004     92255
022 A000005 HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK
022 B000005 13-5146790
022 C000005     92017
022 D000005     62502
022 A000006 FUJI SECURITIES
022 C000006     71599
022 D000006     70392
022 A000007 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000007 13-5108880
022 C000007     86185
022 D000007      8201
022 A000008 PRESSPRICH (R.W.) & CO. INC.
022 B000008 13-3570685
022 C000008     54478
022 D000008     36696
022 A000009 DEUTSCHE BANK CAPITAL CORP.
022 B000009 13-6124068
022 C000009     50211
022 D000009     25828
022 A000010 SALOMON BROTHERS, INC.
022 B000010 13-3082694
022 C000010     35219
022 D000010     20471
023 C000000    2932555
023 D000000     394831
024  000000 N
025 D000001       0
025 D000002       0
025 D000003       0
025 D000004       0
025 D000005       0
025 D000006       0
025 D000007       0
025 D000008       0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 Y
026 G020000 Y
026 H000000 N
      PAGE  3
027  000000 Y
028 A010000     12261
028 A020000       323
028 A030000         0
028 A040000     11547
028 B010000     18914
028 B020000       337
028 B030000         0
028 B040000     11658
028 C010000     13920
028 C020000       361
028 C030000         0
028 C040000     10865
028 D010000     12772
028 D020000       363
028 D030000         0
028 D040000     13210
028 E010000     23775
028 E020000       392
028 E030000         0
028 E040000     13683
028 F010000     94389
028 F020000       607
028 F030000         0
028 F040000     14387
028 G010000    176031
028 G020000      2383
028 G030000         0
028 G040000     75350
028 H000000    176031
029  000000 Y
030 A000000    436
030 B000000  3.25
030 C000000  2.00
031 A000000     71
031 B000000      0
032  000000    365
033  000000      0
034  000000 Y
035  000000     61
036 A000000 Y
036 B000000      0
042 A000000   0
042 B000000   0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000   0
042 E000000   0
042 F000000   0
042 G000000   0
042 H000000   0
043  000000    442
      PAGE  4
044  000000      0
045  000000 Y
046  000000 N
047  000000 Y
048  000000  0.000
048 A010000  1000000
048 A020000 0.600
048 B010000   500000
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000        0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000        0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000        0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000        0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000        0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000        0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000        0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000        0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000  1500000
048 K020000 0.450
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000   0.0
062 C000000   0.0
062 D000000   2.0
062 E000000   0.0
062 F000000   0.0
062 G000000   0.0
062 H000000   0.0
062 I000000   0.0
062 J000000   0.0
062 K000000   0.0
062 L000000   0.0
062 M000000  56.2
062 N000000  40.7
062 O000000   0.0
062 P000000   0.0
062 Q000000   0.0
062 R000000   0.0
063 A000000   0
063 B000000  7.3
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
      PAGE  5
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 N
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 N
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 N
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000    365806
071 B000000    315822
071 C000000     86010
071 D000000  367
072 A000000 12
072 B000000     6979
072 C000000        0
072 D000000        0
072 E000000        0
072 F000000      623
072 G000000        6
072 H000000        0
072 I000000      102
072 J000000       44
072 K000000       38
072 L000000       36
072 M000000       21
      PAGE  6
072 N000000        7
072 O000000        0
072 P000000        0
072 Q000000        0
072 R000000       50
072 S000000       32
072 T000000      442
072 U000000        9
072 V000000        0
072 W000000        6
072 X000000     1416
072 Y000000        0
072 Z000000     5563
072AA000000     1508
072BB000000        0
072CC010000        0
072CC020000      531
072DD010000     3861
072DD020000      139
072EE000000        0
073 A010000   0.2900
073 A020000   0.2600
073 B000000   0.0000
073 C000000   0.0000
074 A000000        1
074 B000000     4095
074 C000000        0
074 D000000   198465
074 E000000        0
074 F000000        0
074 G000000        0
074 H000000        0
074 I000000        0
074 J000000        0
074 K000000        0
074 L000000     3515
074 M000000       12
074 N000000   206088
074 O000000        0
074 P000000      333
074 Q000000        0
074 R010000        0
074 R020000        0
074 R030000        0
074 R040000      888
074 S000000        0
074 T000000   204867
074 U010000    29329
074 U020000    11621
074 V010000     4.90
074 V020000     4.90
      PAGE  7
074 W000000   0.0000
074 X000000     3672
074 Y000000        0
075 A000000        0
075 B000000   103772
076  000000     0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
080 A000000 FEDERAL INSURANCE CO
080 B000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE CO.
080 C000000    70000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000  97
082 A000000 N
082 B000000        0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000        0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000        0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE   PAUL BUCUVALAS                               
TITLE       VICE PRESIDENT      
 

EX-27.CLASSA

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary
financial information extracted
from the Putnam Intermediate U.S.
Government Income Fund Class A

<CIK> 0000869797
<NAME> PUTNAM INTERMEDIATE U.S. GOVERMENT INCOME FUND

   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> CLASS A
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               NOV-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                     $201,305,222
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     202,560,360
<RECEIVABLES>                               3,5158,361
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     561
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                            12,137
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             206,088,419
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    1,221,345
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,221,345
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   205,315,206
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       29,329,227
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       11,593,834
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                       (172,488)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                   (1,530,782)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     1,255,138
<NET-ASSETS>                               204,867,074
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            6,979,353
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               1,415,729
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      5,563,624
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     1,507,914
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (530,704)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        6,540,834
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (3,860,962)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                        (370,887)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     33,123,544
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>               (15,993,455)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            605,304
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     123,558,968
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (347,815)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                 (3,154,831)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          622,837
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              1,439,931
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        71,348,124
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             4.92
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .29
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.02)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.29)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               4.90
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.22
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

 

EX-27.CLASSB

WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary
financial information extracted
from the Putnam Intermediate U.S.
Government Income Fund Class B

<CIK> 0000869797
<NAME> PUTNAM INTERMEDIATE U.S. GOVERMENT INCOME FUND

   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> CLASS B
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               NOV-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                     $201,305,222
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     202,560,360
<RECEIVABLES>                               3,515,361
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     561
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                            12,137
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             206,088,419
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    1,221,345
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,221,345
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   205,315,206
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       11,621,094
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,715,919
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                       (172,488)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                   (1,530,782)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     1,255,138
<NET-ASSETS>                               204,867,074
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            6,979,353
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               1,415,729
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      5,563,624
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     1,507,914
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (530,704)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        6,540,834
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (1,444,592)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                        (138,769)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     12,060,639
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>               (5,427,659)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            272,195
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     123,558,968
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (347,815)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                 (3,154,831)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          622,837
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              1,439,931
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        535,063
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             4.92
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .26
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.02)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.26)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               4.90
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.80
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

 

EX-27.CLASSM

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary
financial information extracted
from the Putnam Intermediate U.S.
Government Income Fund Class M

<CIK> 0000869797
<NAME> PUTNAM INTERMEDIATE U.S. GOVERMENT INCOME FUND

   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> CLASS M
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               NOV-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                     $201,305,222
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     202,560,360
<RECEIVABLES>                               3,5158,361
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     561
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                            12,137
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             206,088,419
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    1,221,345
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,221,345
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   205,315,206
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          898,693
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          214,814
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                       (172,488)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                   (1,530,782)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     1,255,138
<NET-ASSETS>                               204,867,074
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            6,979,353
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               1,415,729
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      5,563,624
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     1,507,914
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (530,704)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        6,540,834
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (141,936)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                        (13,634)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     1,450,087
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>               (793,749)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            27,541
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     123,558,968
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (347,815)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                 (3,154,831)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          622,837
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              1,439,931
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        2,749,706
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             4.93
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .27
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.02)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.28)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               4.90
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.35
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0