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Custom and logic cause some objects of a verb to be more typical than others
DEFINITION AND EXTENT
Although a verb’s ability to have an object is a grammatical property, the actual objects that it has are more dictated by logic or custom. Thus, logic would normally rule out colours as an object of MEASURE, while custom causes an effort to be common after MAKE but not after DO (see 141. Ways of Using MAKE).
Some possible verb-object combinations are more common than others. Those that occur with noticeable regularity are often categorised as “collocations” (see 16. Ways of Distinguishing Similar Words, #5). A major subgroup of verb-object collocations that this blog examines in detail elsewhere involves object nouns spelled like verbs (see 173. “Do Research” or “Make Research”). Further frequent combinations are presented in posts on common small verbs: HAVE, GO, DO, GIVE, TAKE, COME and SEE.
Here I wish to present other verb-object collocations that are common in English. Some are best identified by starting with a noun and examining the verbs it is likely to accompany as an object, while others are more easily found by starting with a verb. In both cases, it is surprising how often the partner word comes easily to mind. Readers who find the same are likely to already have a good “feel” for English.
My preferred way of presenting verb-object partnerships first from nouns and then from verbs is by means of two quizzes. These are followed by a matching exercise.
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OBJECT-DETERMINED VERBS
If the noun benefits is made the object of a verb meaning “cause”, the verb is likely to be not CAUSE but BRING (see 277. Advantages & Disadvantages, #4).
Below is a quiz that presents nouns like benefits and invites you to imagine each as the object of various verbs, in order to identify any combinations that sound unlikely. The number of unlikely combinations each time is variable: it might be none, or one, or more than one. Answers are provided afterwards.
1. …doubts
CAST, EXPERIENCE, EXPRESS, HAVE, PROVIDE, RAISE, RECEIVE, SUFFER
2 …problems
ADDRESS, CAUSE, ENCOUNTER, EXPERIENCE, FACE, GIVE, HAVE, SOLVE, SUFFER, TACKLE, UNDERGO
3. …academic references
CHASE UP, CHECK, CONSULT, FOLLOW UP, INSPECT, LOOK UP
4. …a role
ASSUME, CONDUCT, FILL, HAVE, PERFORM, PLAY, TAKE
5. …a meeting
ARRANGE, ATTEND, CALL, CHAIR, CONVENE, CREATE, HAVE, HOLD, SET UP
6. …debate
CREATE, GENERATE, INITIATE, MAKE, RAISE, SPARK, START, TRIGGER
7. …a target
ACHIEVE, ESTABLISH, HAVE, GIVE, HIT, MEET, MISS, SET
8. …a law
DRAW UP, ENACT, ESTABLISH, INTRODUCE, LEGISLATE, MAKE, PASS, RATIFY, SET UP
9. …taxes
AVOID, COLLECT, EVADE, EXPAND, INCREASE, LEVY, PAY, RAISE, REDUCE, REFUND
10. …a message
CARRY, COMPOSE, CONVEY, RECEIVE, SEND, SIGNAL, TAKE, TRANSMIT, WRITE
11. …a theory
BUILD, COMPILE, CONSTRUCT, DEVELOP, DRAW ON, FIT, FORMULATE, PRESENT, PROPOSE, USE
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Answers
1. Doubts
Unlikely verbs: PROVIDE and RECEIVE. Doubts are usually communicated or felt. The first of these meanings is typically expressed with CAST, EXPRESS or RAISE, the latter with EXPERIENCE, HAVE or SUFFER. Uncountable doubt is also usable with all of these verbs except RAISE, and is additionally common in the phrase throw doubt on…..
2. Problems
Unlikely verb: UNDERGO. It typically has an action noun or -ing gerund as its object, e.g. examination, investigation, repairs and training (see 173. “Do Research” or “Make Research”?, #6)
3. Academic References
Unlikely verb: INSPECT. Another meaning of a reference is “written support for someone’s job application”. This is most likely to accompany just CHASE UP, CHECK and FOLLOW UP.
4. A Role
Unlikely verb: CONDUCT. The most typical verb by far is PLAY.
5. A Meeting
Unlikely verb: CREATE. Holding a meeting is a more formal event than having one, suggesting an agenda and multiple participants. Have a meeting can mean “meet” or “be attending a meeting” or “be soon attending a meeting” (see 116: Rarer Uses of HAVE, #3 and #4).
6. Debate
Unlikely verbs: MAKE and RAISE.
7. A Target
Unlikely verb: GIVE.
8. A Law
Unlikely verbs: LEGISLATE and SET UP. LEGISLATE is an “intransitive” verb (see 113. Verbs that cannot be Passive). As it means “pass a law”, there is no need to actually say law.
9. Taxes
Unlikely verb: EXPAND.
10. A Message
Unlikely verb: SIGNAL. The idea of a message is already present within the meaning of this verb.
11. A theory
Unlikely verb: COMPILE. The object of this verb is likely to be some kind of group, such as a catalogue, list or selection.
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VERB-DETERMINED OBJECTS
To identify combinations where the verb suggests the object rather than the reverse, this quiz is like the first, except that the lists are of suggested objects rather than verbs.
12. POSE…
complications, dangers, difficulties, issues, obstacles, problems, questions, threats
13. MOUNT…
a display, an exhibition, an investigation, an offensive, an operation, a procedure, a search, a ship, a show
backlogs, issues, mysteries, operations, problems, questions, subjects, tasks
corruption, deceit, difficulties, flaws, lies, suffering, the truth, weaknesses, wrongdoing
authority, force, a hold, influence, power, pressure, strength, temperature
agreements, arrangements, documents, lists, plans, policies, procedures, processes, programmes
attention, effort, energy, importance, one’s life, a project, resources, space, time, writings
changes, damage, destruction, devastation, discoveries, havoc, revenge, a transformation
Answers
12. POSE
Unlikely object: complications (more likely to follow CAUSE). The most typical objects are problems and questions.
13. MOUNT
Unlikely objects: a procedure (often paired with INITIATE) and a ship (often paired with BOARD or LAUNCH). Here, MOUNT means either “present” (a display, exhibition, show) or “stage”. A third meaning, not represented above, is “ascend” (stairs, a horse).
14. LAUNCH
Unlikely object: none. Most of the common objects of MOUNT are also usable after LAUNCH. MOUNT has the idea of start-to-finish supervision, while LAUNCH focuses more on initiation.
15. TACKLE
Unlikely object: operations. The “deal with” meaning of this word is derived from the sporting concept of trying to gain a ball from an opponent (see 137. Words that Reflect English Culture, #4). Most common objects name a source of difficulty.
16. SPARK
Unlikely objects: freedom and suffering. The objects of this figurative verb meaning “cause” tend to be positive outcomes, either events like discussion or emotions like enthusiasm.
17. EXPOSE
Unlikely object: none. Objects of this verb are typically hidden evils. Even the truth can fall into this category because it can represent truths that are repugnant as well as those that are inspiring. With the latter, REVEAL is more suitable than EXPOSE.
18. EXERT
Unlikely object: temperature. All of the other objects are personal attributes or powers that someone can use to pressurise others into giving something.
19. DRAW UP
Unlikely object: processes. This verb implies human planning, something not likely to be found in processes, which occur more naturally (see 210. Process Descriptions).
20. EXACT
Unlikely objects: a calculation and gifts. This verb has two common object types. One, often with a from phrase after the object, is desirable gains achieved through force. Gifts are ruled out here because they are usually made freely. The other object type, often with a following on phrase, is inflicted suffering of some kind. Calculations may involve suffering, but they are not usually inflicted.
21. DEVOTE
Unlikely object: importance (often paired with ATTACH or ATTRIBUTE: see 198. Indicating Importance, #2). Most of the common objects of DEVOTE are personal abilities or possessions that could also be objects of GIVE (see 244. Special Uses of GIVE, #5). DEVOTE implies more effort, or bestows a greater value on what is given.
Like GIVE, DEVOTE in the active form normally needs two nouns after it, one naming a recipient. However, its recipient noun must always be the second one (after to) – the two nouns cannot be reversed with to removed (see 126. Verbs with an Indirect Object, final section).
22. WREAK
Unlikely object: discoveries. Like INFLICT, this verb has the idea of forcing other people to experience something (expressed by the object) that is definitely or possibly undesirable. The people in question can be named or described with an on phrase after the object. The past simple tense and past participle of the verb are both wrought.
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PRACTICE EXERCISE: MATCHING VERBS WITH THEIR PREDICTABLE OBJECT
Some verb-object combinations are close to being fixed expressions. The following exercise presents a number of examples all mixed together. The task is to separate them out. Answers are, as ever, given afterwards.
Answers
bear the brunt, beg the question, buck a trend, cast a shadow, contract an illness, court disaster, hike prices, repeal a law, stimulate demand, strike a balance, sue for peace, tip the balance.
guinlist 