Which phrase demonstrates a de-lexicalised verb?

Which phrase demonstrates a de-lexicalised verb?

• A. Take your time
• B. Go home
• C. Read a book
• D. Cook dinner

Answer: (A)

Delexicalised verbs are used in phrases where the verb itself carries little concrete meaning, and the surrounding words supply the action’s content. In Take your time, take isn’t about physically grabbing something; it’s part of an idiom meaning to spend time without rushing. The sense of the phrase comes from the idea of time and the overall instruction, not from a clear, literal action of taking. The noun phrase your time carries the substantive content, while take acts as a light verb in this expression. By contrast, go home, read a book, and cook dinner each preserve the verb’s concrete meaning: go denotes moving somewhere, read involves the act of reading, and cook involves preparing food. Therefore, the phrase that demonstrates a delexicalised verb is Take your time.

Delexicalised verbs are used in phrases where the verb itself carries little concrete meaning, and the surrounding words supply the action’s content. In Take your time, take isn’t about physically grabbing something; it’s part of an idiom meaning to spend time without rushing. The sense of the phrase comes from the idea of time and the overall instruction, not from a clear, literal action of taking. The noun phrase your time carries the substantive content, while take acts as a light verb in this expression. By contrast, go home, read a book, and cook dinner each preserve the verb’s concrete meaning: go denotes moving somewhere, read involves the act of reading, and cook involves preparing food. Therefore, the phrase that demonstrates a delexicalised verb is Take your time.