Light Verbs

What are Light Verbs?

Light verbs do not have their own distinctive meaning; instead, their significance depends on the word or words that come after them. They are commonly used to describe a general action rather than a specific one. Common examples include do, have, make, and take.

Examples

1. "Candace, please do the math."

The word do may be a substitute for the words calculate or estimate in this sentence because one can say “Candace, please calculate.” or “Candace, please estimate.”

Do is a Light Verb because it is a general word for actions. As defined, the importance of light verbs depends on the words that follow them, often their direct objects.

In the sentence above, the way the specific verbs (calculate, estimate) are predicted is through the phrase "the math". To do the math means to perform actions related to mathematics. When math is the topic, likely action verbs are calculate or estimate. This is where the possible meanings of the light verb do are derived in this sentence. This sentence in native English often means calculate.

As non-native speakers’ English proficiency increases, it becomes easier for them to infer the meaning of such sentences.

2. "I will make coffee."

The word make may be a substitute for the words brew or distill based on the direct object—coffee. To make coffee means literally to prepare coffee, usually by brewing or distilling. The sentence does not specify how the coffee should be made, making make a general (light) verb, but it conveys that coffee should be made. The speaker could say, “I will brew coffee” or “I will distill coffee.”

Make can refer to both general and specific actions (to form or cause something). When sentences with the verb make appear, the meaning is often predictable. For example:

• "You need to make a card." — literally means “you need to create a card” out of some materials.
• "She needs to make money." — This may mean two things:
  • Make money (form money) — produce coins or bills out of materials (unlikely but possible).
  • Earn money by working or selling — this is the most likely meaning.

The use of light verbs depends on the speakers. Most native speakers are accustomed to using them, and sentences with light verbs usually cause no confusion. They tend to be informal and less common in formal writing.