3.34 verbs which are often delexical

In this section we focus on the very common verbs which are used in this transitive structure. They are called delexical verbs, and the structure which consists of a delexical verb followed by a noun group is called a delexical structure.

Here is a list of verbs which are used as delexical verbs. The first four are very commonly used in this way.

Note that 'have got' is not used instead of 'have' in delexical structures.

Delexical structures are very common in current English. Although the total number of delexical verbs is small, they include some of the very commonest words in the language. Delexical structures contribute to the impression of fluency in English given by a foreign user.

3.35

In many cases, there is a verb which has a similar meaning to the meaning of the delexical structure. For example, the verb 'look' means almost the same as 'have a look'. When the word is a verb, as in 'I looked round the room', you are focusing on the action of looking. When you use the word as a noun in a delexical structure, you are naming an event, something which is complete. This structure often seems to be preferred to a structure in which the verb has greater prominence. Note that the verb which corresponds to the delexical structure is often intransitive.

There are also some verbs which are transitive.