In the world of English grammar, delexical verbs are an interesting and useful phenomenon. These are verbs like have, take, make, give, go, and do, which, when combined with nouns, lose much of their original meaning. Instead of conveying the full meaning of the verb itself, the focus shifts to the noun, which often carries the bulk of the meaning in the sentence.
For example, when we say, “I had a shower,” the verb “had” does not carry its usual meaning of possession. Instead, it combines with “shower” to indicate the action of taking a shower. This shift in meaning is what makes these verbs delexical.
In this article, we’ll dive into how delexical verbs work, how to use them correctly, and the common nouns they pair with. We will also discuss how these verbs impact sentence structure and meaning, providing practical examples to help you improve your English usage.
What are Delexical Verbs?
A delexical verb is a verb whose meaning is somewhat neutralized when paired with a noun. The meaning of the action is often contained within the noun, while the verb just adds structure to the sentence. In other words, these verbs don’t carry much meaning on their own and are used mainly to form phrases.
Here’s a more detailed look at the delexical verbs we’ll cover:
Have
Take
Make
Give
Go
Do
These verbs, when used in combination with nouns, create phrases that express common activities or actions. For example, “take a break” or “have a meal.”
Common Delexical Verbs and Their Uses
1. Have
The verb have is frequently used with nouns related to food, talking, washing, resting, and disagreeing. Let’s explore the most common combinations and examples:
Food and drink:
“I had a great lunch today.”
“She had a drink after work.”
Talking:
“We had a long chat last night.”
“They had an argument about the topic.”
Washing:
“I need to have a shower before going out.”
“She had a bath after her workout.”
Resting:
“We had a break after the meeting.”
“I need to have a rest this weekend.”
Disagreeing:
“They had a quarrel about the project details.”
“He had an argument with his friend.”
When you use have with these nouns, the action described by the noun is the main focus, while “have” just indicates that the action is being performed.
2. Take
The verb take is another common delexical verb, often used with nouns related to washing, resting, care, photography, and trouble. Here are some examples:
Washing:
“I always take a cold shower in the morning.”
“She took a bath after the workout.”
Resting:
“You should take a break after working for hours.”
“We’ll take a short holiday next month.”
Care:
“She takes good care of her pets.”
“I need to take care of this issue immediately.”
Photography:
“We took many photographs at the party.”
“He takes a lot of pictures during his travels.”
Trouble:
“He always takes a lot of trouble with his homework.”
“I don’t want to take any chances with this project.”
Like have, take combines with various nouns to express common actions or states. It adds minimal meaning to the noun, but together, the two elements form meaningful phrases.
3. Make
The verb make is used in several contexts, particularly with talking, plans, and sounds. Some common combinations include:
Talking and sounds:
“She made a comment about the weather.”
“He made a lot of noise while cleaning the garage.”
Plans and decisions:
“We need to make arrangements for the meeting.”
“They made a plan to visit the museum next week.”
Promises and suggestions:
“He made a promise to call her back.”
“She made a suggestion for the new project.”
Choices:
“He had to make a choice between the two options.”
“I need to make a decision by tomorrow.”
In these cases, make serves as a way to describe actions, especially when the focus is on the process of creating, forming, or deciding something.
4. Give
The verb give is widely used with nouns referring to talking, affectionate actions, facial expressions, and sounds. Some examples include:
Talking:
“She gave me some advice on how to improve.”
“They gave a detailed report during the meeting.”
Affectionate actions:
“He gave her a hug before leaving.”
“She gave him a kiss on the cheek.”
Facial expressions and sounds:
“He gave a big smile when he saw his friends.”
“The children gave a loud laugh during the party.”
When give is used in these expressions, it generally focuses on transferring or presenting something—like advice, affection, or reactions—to someone else.
5. Go
The verb go is often used with activities or movements, such as swimming, dancing, walking, or running. These combinations are used for common activities that involve physical movement or social engagement.
Activities:
“Shall we go swimming this afternoon?”
“We went dancing last weekend.”
For a walk or ride:
“Let’s go for a walk in the park.”
“He went for a ride on his bike.”
In these cases, go acts as a signal for participating in an activity. These expressions often describe plans or invitations for social activities.
6. Do
The verb do is particularly common when discussing work-related tasks or everyday chores. It is often paired with nouns related to housework, jobs, and general tasks:
Housework:
“It’s your turn to do the cooking tonight.”
“I did the washing up after dinner.”
Work-related tasks:
“I need to do a few jobs around the house.”
“She has a lot of work to do.”
Other tasks:
“Did you do your homework?”
“He did the car before we went on vacation.”
With do, the meaning is often implied and refers to common actions that involve some kind of physical activity or labor.
More Delexical Verbs and Their Usage
As we continue to explore delexical verbs, let’s look at additional examples and how to use them in everyday English. While we’ve already covered the most common delexical verbs like have, take, make, give, go, and do, there are other combinations that are equally important for fluency in English.
In this section, we will examine additional delexical verb structures, focusing on their specific meanings, usage, and how they contribute to natural-sounding English sentences.
7. Get
The verb get is commonly used in combination with a variety of nouns to express actions like receiving, obtaining, understanding, or becoming. Here are a few common examples:
Receiving:
“I got a call from her yesterday.”
“He got a gift for his birthday.”
Obtaining:
“She got a job offer last week.”
“They got a new car recently.”
Understanding:
“I didn’t get what you meant.”
“Do you get the idea?”
Becoming:
“She got tired after the workout.”
“He got nervous during the meeting.”
While get can carry its own meaning in some contexts, it becomes a delexical verb when paired with a noun that shifts the focus to the action described by the noun itself. This makes get incredibly versatile in forming phrasal expressions.
8. Come
The verb come can be used as a delexical verb to express actions like movement, arrivals, or participation in an activity. Some of the most common combinations are:
Movement:
“She came running when she heard the news.”
“He came walking into the room.”
Arrivals:
“I’ll come by your house at 5 PM.”
“The guests will come to the party at 8 PM.”
Participation:
“She came for the concert.”
“They came to listen to the lecture.”
Using come as a delexical verb typically describes some form of arrival or participation, where the verb itself is less important than the event or action the noun represents.
9. Take
We’ve already explored take as a delexical verb, but it’s worth noting its extended use in different phrasal combinations. Some examples include:
Take care of:
“I will take care of the kids while you’re away.”
“She takes care of the finances for the company.”
Take part in:
“They are going to take part in the charity event.”
“I’ll take part in the marathon next week.”
Take advantage of:
“He took advantage of the opportunity to learn French.”
“We should take advantage of the good weather.”
These combinations add depth to the verb take, allowing it to describe actions that go beyond just physical movement. These expressions are crucial in both formal and informal contexts.
10. Have
Have also shows up in several additional common phrases, further proving its flexibility. Beyond the basic examples, here are a few extended uses:
Have a go:
“I’ll have a go at solving this puzzle.”
“Why don’t you have a go at making dinner tonight?”
Have a blast:
“They had a blast at the concert.”
“I’m sure we’ll have a blast at the party tonight.”
Have a look:
“Can you have a look at my report?”
“She had a quick look at the document.”
These examples show how have can also be used in more colloquial expressions that are essential in everyday conversation.
How Delexical Verbs Help with Natural English
Delexical verbs are essential in constructing phrases that feel natural and easy to understand. These verbs simplify the process of communication by allowing speakers to focus on the action described by the noun. They are particularly useful in both spoken and written English because they help avoid repetition and provide a smoother flow of ideas.
Why Delexical Verbs Are Important:
Clarity: Delexical verbs help express common activities in a way that’s easy to understand and process.
Variety: By using different nouns with the same delexical verbs, you can create a wide variety of expressions and avoid redundancy in your sentences.
Fluency: Delexical verbs are widely used in everyday conversation, and mastering them will help you sound more fluent and natural in English.
How to Master Delexical Verbs:
Practice Common Phrases: Make a list of common delexical verb-noun combinations (e.g., “have a meal,” “take a break,” “do the washing”) and practice using them in your daily conversations.
Read More: Pay attention to how delexical verbs are used in books, articles, and conversations. This will help you understand their natural usage and enhance your vocabulary.
Use Them in Writing: Incorporating delexical verbs in your writing, whether in essays, emails, or social media posts, will help you sound more natural and less formal.
By understanding and using delexical verbs effectively, you’ll gain more control over how you communicate, making your English sound more natural and fluent.
FAQs On Delexical Verbs
1. What is an example of a delexical verb?
An example of a delexical verb is the verb “have.” When paired with a noun, such as “have a shower,” the verb “have” loses its usual meaning of possession and instead functions to indicate an activity. The noun, in this case, “shower,” carries the main meaning of the sentence.
Example: “I had a breakfast.” (Here, “have” does not mean possession but refers to the action of eating.)
2. What are 10 examples of ditransitive verbs?
A ditransitive verb is a verb that takes both a direct object and an indirect object. Here are 10 examples of ditransitive verbs:
Give – “She gave him a gift.”
Send – “I will send her an email.”
Offer – “They offered me a job.”
Tell – “I told him a secret.”
Show – “Can you show me your notes?”
Bring – “He brought us some food.”
Lend – “She lent me her book.”
Buy – “He bought her a necklace.”
Pass – “I passed him the salt.”
Teach – “She taught them French.”
In these examples, the verbs are followed by both a direct object (the thing) and an indirect object (the person receiving the action).
3. What are the 4 types of verbs?
The four main types of verbs in English are:
Action Verbs: These verbs describe actions or processes.
Example: “run,” “eat,” “study”
Stative Verbs: These verbs describe a state of being or existence.
Example: “believe,” “seem,” “exist”
Transitive Verbs: These verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning.
Example: “She reads a book.” (The action “reads” requires the object “book.”)
Intransitive Verbs: These verbs do not require a direct object to complete their meaning.
Example: “She sleeps.” (There is no object after the verb “sleeps.”)
4. What are transitive and intransitive verbs?
Transitive Verbs are verbs that need a direct object to complete their meaning. Without the object, the sentence would be incomplete.
Example: “She bought a car.” (Here, “bought” is transitive because it has a direct object “car.”)
Intransitive Verbs are verbs that do not require a direct object. The action is complete without it.
Example: “She slept.” (The verb “slept” does not need an object to complete the meaning.)
5. How do delexical verbs differ from regular verbs?
Delexical verbs differ from regular verbs because they often lose their full meaning when combined with nouns. Instead of carrying a full meaning themselves, they work together with a noun to convey a specific action or activity.
Example: In “I have a shower,” the verb “have” is delexical because it doesn’t mean possession; it simply helps form a phrase describing the action of taking a shower.
In contrast, regular verbs carry a complete meaning by themselves, such as “run,” “eat,” or “read.”
Conclusion On Delexical verbs
Delexical verbs are an important aspect of English, helping to express a wide range of everyday activities and actions. By understanding how verbs like have, take, make, give, go, and do are used with different nouns, you can improve both your spoken and written English.
These verbs are versatile and play a key role in everyday communication. Mastering them will not only help you sound more natural in conversation but also enhance your writing skills by using more varied and expressive phrases. So, take some time to practice these combinations, and soon they’ll become a natural part of your English language toolkit.