Representing actions with nouns

Some everyday nouns used to represent actions

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Nouns commonly used in delexical structures

One feature shared by all nouns used in delexical structures is that their verb counterpart tends to represent an action, thought, activity, etc, which takes some time to complete. For example, it is possible to have a look, but not to have a find:

Let's have a look back at the atlas again now and find Beaumont - which we said was east and slightly north of - Houston. (Bank of English)

Here is a list of nouns which commonly collocate with five of the most common delexical verbs (do, give, have, make and take):

Some nouns collocate with more than one verb, eg give an answer, have an answer; have a look, take a look.

Nouns used in delexical structures are typically preceded by the indefinite article:

They also inspect schools like ours; every so often they have a look at the school to see if it is doing what it should be. (Bank of English)

However, a certain degree of flexibility is possible:

We might have another look and try to find another solution.
(Bank of English)

When comedian Mel Brooks is playing Louis the Sixteenth, he just turns to the camera and gives that lovely steely Jack Benny look. (Bank of English)

Uncountable and plural nouns are restricted in the determiners which they can be preceded by, ie it is not possible to use the indefinite article, (except in quantifiers such as a great deal of):

I'm arguing that prisons do a great deal of harm. They're negative. Not only do they do [^] harm to the people who needn't spend years in prison, they also do [^] harm to the 2% of violent criminals because they don't make them any better. (Bank of English)

Much later on I did some research in Oxford, on Victorian literature.
(Bank of English)

These old people literally demand things. You do their shopping for them, and you must get exactly what they say. (Bank of English)

Introduction
 The form of delexical verb structures
Nouns commonly used in delexical structures
Reasons for using delexical structures