1.39 used with delexical verbs

There are some activities which you do not usually do more than once at a time. The nouns that refer to them are usually the object of a verb, and are used with the determiner 'a'.

In this structure the verb has very little meaning and the noun carries most of the meaning of the whole structure. The verbs in such structures are called delexical verbs. For more information about these, see paragraphs 3.33 to 3.46.

• I went and had a wash.
• Bruno gave it a try.

Some singular nouns are used so regularly with a particular verb that they have become fixed phrases and are idiomatic.

• I'd like very much for you to have a voice in the decision.
• Isn't it time we made a move?