Common verb ‘Give’ is one of widely used Delexical Verbs. We discuss today all important usages of this verb as part of our campaign ‘Mission English’, aiming to help you learn English strongly and effectively. 

Like other Delexical verbs such as take, have, do and go, the verb give has diverse usages in our both casual and formal life. Let us today try to learn some practical application of this Delexical Verb :

A. ‘Give’ is used with sound-words like a cry, a laugh, a whistle etc. Look at the sentences below :

1. I could not but gave a huge laugh upon hearing so funny words from my younger sister.

2. My little son usually gives a cry whenever it (he) even hears the whistle of a bus coming from a bit distance.

3. Please give me a knock when you exit office as I have some talks with you.

B. It is applied with facial expressions like a smile, a look, a grin etc. That means whenever you need to deliver any such expressions, you can use this verb. See the examples below :

1. We all gave a happy smile upon noticing the moon appeared in the sky, signalling Eid ul Fitr being held tomorrow.

2.  Please give a look at what’s going on in the next room.

3. My mother usually gives a big smile whenever she sees me back at home.

C. We use ‘give’ when we do some affectionate actions like a kiss, a hug, etc. Look at the sentences below :

1.  I give a goodnight kiss on the forehead of my son every night.

2. Always try to give a light hug to your young children as it helps boost bonds.

3. Celebrities usually give flying kiss to their fans.

D. We use delexical verb ‘give’ when we do talkings like interview, lecture, speech, warning etc. Give a look at the examples below :

1.  We usually love to ‘give lectures’ instead of doing actual work.

2. The PM yesterday gave a strong speech to the nation, signalling a big shift in tackling corruption.

3.  I have to give a speech at the office meeting tomorrow as the meet relates to my department.

4. Our boss gave an interview last night to the Independent TV hosted by anchor Farjana Kabir.

E. We use this verb also when we do hit-like actions such as punch, kick, blow, push, knock etc. See the examples : 

1. Yesterday a junior gave me a strong push when he was going down the stairs at speed.

2. All the passengers in the bus gave punches on the face of a suspected snatcher.

Definition of Delexical Verb : These are some common verbs like take, give, have, do and go. They are usually followed by pure nouns or nouns formed from verbs like hit, cry, talk, walk etc. Most importantly, when a Delexical Verb is used in a sentence, the meaning of it goes with the noun self, not with the verb. That’s the case. And they have wide usages in day to day life.

Final Words : The usages of Delexical verbs like give and others are quite easy but practice is the key to have a gasp over them. Good luck and keep learning with us!