Verb-noun collocations at C2
A small set of English verbs — bear, draw, lend, set, run, take, hold, make, do, give — function as light verbs. Their literal meaning is faded; their grammatical job is to provide a verbal frame for a noun that carries the real semantic load. Bear in bear the burden does not mean “carry on the back.” Draw in draw a parallel does not mean “make a line.” Lend in lend credence does not mean “give temporarily and expect back.” Each light verb selects a specific set of nouns; pairing the wrong verb with the noun gives a sentence that is grammatical but instantly wrong to a native ear.
For the Russian-speaking C2 learner, light-verb collocations are the most native-marker-dense vocabulary in formal English. Russian organizes the same semantic territory differently — verbs like нести (carry), проводить (conduct/draw), оказывать (give/render), устанавливать (set/establish), брать (take) cover the territory but with different distribution. Calque produces wrong pairs almost every time. Make a research (calque of проводить исследование) is wrong; the English collocation is do research or conduct research. Take a decision (calque of принять решение) is British-ok but American-prefers make a decision.
This lesson maps the high-frequency C2 verb-noun collocations in American English, organized by light verb. Each cluster gives the nouns the verb pairs with, 2-3 US example sentences, and register notes. The closing matrices tell you which to produce and which to keep passive.
Academic and formal collocations — C1 V+N collocations — make / do / take / have / pay (B1)Bear — burden, witness, fruit, brunt, responsibility
Bear in formal English carries the meaning of endure, sustain, or carry the weight of. Its noun pairs are heavy and formal.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bear the burden | carry the weight (often unequally) | Single mothers bear the burden of childcare during school closures. |
| bear the brunt | absorb the worst impact | The Midwest bore the brunt of the recession. |
| bear witness | testify, attest formally | The memorial bears witness to those who died. |
| bear responsibility | carry accountability | The CEO bears ultimate responsibility for the breach. |
| bear the cost | pay the financial weight | Tenants bore the cost of the renovation. |
| bear in mind | hold in awareness | Bear in mind that the deadline is final. |
| bear fruit | produce results | After two years of research, the program is finally bearing fruit. |
| bear no resemblance to | not look like | The current product bears no resemblance to the original prototype. |
| bear comparison with | be worth comparing to | Few American novelists of his generation bear comparison with Toni Morrison. |
| bear scrutiny | survive close examination | The methodology does not bear scrutiny. |
Register: formal. Bear in light-verb use is journalistic, legal, and academic. In casual speech, replace with carry (carry the burden) or take (take responsibility).
Draw — parallel, distinction, comparison, conclusion, analogy, attention
Draw in formal English carries the meaning of make, derive, or extract. Its noun pairs concern intellectual moves: comparing, contrasting, concluding, attracting.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| draw a parallel | identify a similarity between two things | The book draws a parallel between the 1930s and the present. |
| draw a distinction | identify a difference | The court drew a clear distinction between speech and conduct. |
| draw a comparison | compare two things | Analysts have drawn comparisons between this market and 1999. |
| draw an analogy | use a similar case to explain | He drew an analogy between the brain and a parallel computer. |
| draw a conclusion | arrive at a judgment | It is premature to draw a conclusion from one study. |
| draw attention to | bring focus to | The op-ed draws attention to the rising suicide rate. |
| draw a line | set a limit | The administration drew a line at sharing intelligence with the regime. |
| draw the line at | refuse to go beyond | I draw the line at working weekends. |
| draw fire | attract criticism | The proposal drew fire from both parties. |
| draw a blank | fail to remember or produce | I asked his name and he drew a blank. |
| draw inspiration from | be inspired by | She draws inspiration from the modernist poets. |
| draw on (experience) | use as a resource | The CEO drew on her decade in operations. |
| draw out (information) | extract through conversation | The reporter drew out the senator’s real position over an hour. |
Register: formal-friendly. Draw + intellectual-noun is the academic and journalistic move of choice.
Lend — support, credence, weight, hand, ear, voice
Lend in formal English carries the meaning of give or contribute. The “expected back” element of the literal meaning fades — lend credence is not give credence with an expectation of return. It just means give.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lend support to | give backing to | Three senators lent support to the bill. |
| lend credence to | make more credible | The new evidence lends credence to the witness’s account. |
| lend weight to | strengthen the case for | The expert testimony lent weight to the prosecution’s argument. |
| lend a hand | help | Can you lend a hand with setup? |
| lend an ear | listen sympathetically | I lent an ear while she worked through the decision. |
| lend a voice to | speak on behalf of | The documentary lends a voice to communities displaced by the dam. |
| lend itself to | be suitable for | The format lends itself to short, punchy interviews. |
| lend authority to | make more authoritative | Her decades on the court lend authority to the dissent. |
| lend perspective to | provide context | The historical data lends perspective to the current numbers. |
Register: formal. Lend credence and lend weight are journalistic staples in coverage of evidence and argument.
Set — precedent, example, tone, standard, agenda, record
Set in formal English carries the meaning of establish or fix. Its noun pairs concern norm-setting: precedents, examples, standards, records.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| set a precedent | establish a model for future cases | The ruling sets a precedent for all federal appeals courts. |
| set an example | establish a model to follow | Senior partners must set an example on billing practices. |
| set the tone | establish the mood or style | The opening keynote set the tone for the conference. |
| set the standard | establish the benchmark | Their UX has set the standard for the industry. |
| set the agenda | determine the topics | The newspaper still sets the agenda for the morning news cycle. |
| set a record | establish a high mark | She set a record for fundraising in her first quarter. |
| set the bar | establish the level required | The new hire has set the bar high for the rest of the team. |
| set foot in | enter (often emphatic) | He has not set foot in the building since the resignation. |
| set the stage for | prepare the conditions for | The court ruling sets the stage for a constitutional showdown. |
| set in motion | start | The merger set in motion a wave of consolidation. |
| set aside (a ruling) | nullify or suspend | The appellate court set aside the lower court’s ruling. |
Register: formal. Set a precedent and set the tone are dominant in journalism and legal writing.
Run — gamut, risk, course, amok, the show, deep, dry
Run in formal English carries several distinct light-verb senses: to range (run the gamut), to incur (run a risk), to proceed (run its course), to manage (run the show), and a set of more literal extensions.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| run the gamut | cover the full range | Reactions to the policy ran the gamut from enthusiasm to outrage. |
| run amok | go wildly out of control | Without oversight the program ran amok in three states. |
| run a risk | take a chance | We’re running a real risk by skipping the security review. |
| run its course | proceed to natural completion | The flu has to run its course — antivirals only help if you start early. |
| run deep | be intense and lasting | Resentment over the closures runs deep in the union. |
| run dry | exhaust the supply | Funding for the program ran dry in 2023. |
| run the show | be in charge | The CFO runs the show on capital allocation. |
| run the numbers | calculate the figures | Let me run the numbers before we commit. |
| run a fever | have an elevated temperature | The patient was running a fever of 102. |
| run circles around | outperform vastly | The startup is running circles around the incumbent. |
| run a tight ship | manage with strict discipline | She runs a tight ship in operations. |
| run into trouble | encounter problems | The launch ran into trouble in week two. |
Register: register-neutral. Most uses are formal-friendly and journalistic; run circles around is informal.
Take — floor, helm, reins, lead, stance, action, issue (with), shape
Take is the most productive light verb in English. Its C2 collocations span management, position-taking, and intellectual moves.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| take the floor | begin to speak in a formal setting | The senator from Vermont took the floor at 10:42. |
| take the helm | assume leadership | She takes the helm at the company in January. |
| take the reins | assume control | After her father’s retirement, she took the reins of the family business. |
| take the lead | become the primary driver | Marketing will take the lead on the campaign. |
| take a stance | adopt a public position | The university refused to take a stance on the matter. |
| take action | do something concrete | We must take action before the situation worsens. |
| take issue with | disagree with | I take issue with the methodology of the study. |
| take shape | begin to develop a recognizable form | The plan is taking shape over the next two weeks. |
| take effect | begin to apply | The new tax rates take effect January 1. |
| take office | begin a term | The president takes office on January 20. |
| take a position | adopt a stance | The board has not yet taken a position. |
| take liberties with | be inappropriately free with | The film takes considerable liberties with the historical record. |
| take precedence (over) | come first in priority | Customer safety takes precedence over delivery time. |
| take its toll | gradually cause damage | The campaign took its toll on her health. |
| take stock | review the situation carefully | Let’s take stock before we plan the next quarter. |
| take credit (for) | claim recognition | He took credit for work the team had done. |
| take responsibility | accept accountability | The CEO took full responsibility for the breach. |
Register: register-neutral to formal. Take the helm and take the reins are formal-journalistic. Take action, take a stance, take responsibility are register-neutral and frequent.
Hold — sway, court, office, water, one’s own, the line
Hold in light-verb use carries the meaning of possess or maintain. Its C2 collocations concern positions and persistence.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hold sway (over) | have controlling influence | The old guard still holds sway over the nominating process. |
| hold court | dominate a social setting | At the conference reception, the keynote speaker held court for an hour. |
| hold office | serve in a position | He held office for three consecutive terms. |
| hold water | be logically sound | The defense’s theory does not hold water. |
| hold one’s own | match competitors without losing | In a panel of senior economists, the graduate student held her own. |
| hold the line (on) | maintain a position firmly | The company is holding the line on remote work despite pressure. |
| hold a grudge | maintain resentment | He held a grudge for twenty years. |
| hold a meeting | conduct a meeting | The board holds a quarterly meeting in October. |
| hold someone accountable | require accountability | Voters will hold the senator accountable for the vote. |
| hold up (under) | survive the test of | The methodology holds up under peer review. |
Register: formal. Hold sway, hold court, hold water are journalistic and slightly literary.
Pose and pose-related collocations — questions, threats, problems
Pose is a light verb that specifically describes the presentation of a question, threat, problem, or risk. Its noun pairs are bounded but high-frequency.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pose a question | ask, often rhetorically or formally | The senator posed a question that the witness had clearly anticipated. |
| pose a threat | constitute a danger | The new variant poses a threat to immunocompromised populations. |
| pose a problem | constitute a difficulty | The new regulations pose a problem for cross-border operations. |
| pose a risk | constitute a risk | Continued use of the chemical poses a risk to groundwater. |
| pose a challenge | constitute a difficulty | The labor shortage poses a challenge for the entire sector. |
| pose a danger | constitute a danger | The unsecured rail crossing poses a danger to pedestrians. |
Register: formal and journalistic. Pose is the standard verb in news and policy writing.
Raise — concerns, questions, objections, eyebrows
Raise in light-verb use carries the meaning of bring up for discussion or notice. Its noun pairs concern matters that someone wants others to consider.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| raise concerns | bring up worries | Several investors raised concerns about the timeline. |
| raise questions | introduce open questions | The audit raises questions about the certification process. |
| raise objections | formally oppose | Counsel raised three objections during the deposition. |
| raise eyebrows | provoke surprise or skepticism | The hire raised eyebrows in the industry. |
| raise the alarm | signal an emergency | The whistleblower raised the alarm in 2022. |
| raise an issue | introduce a topic for discussion | She raised an issue that nobody on the committee wanted to address. |
| raise expectations | increase what people anticipate | The product launch raised expectations beyond what the company could deliver. |
| raise awareness | increase public attention | The campaign was designed to raise awareness of the disease. |
| raise funds | collect money | The non-profit raised over a million dollars in Q2. |
| raise the stakes | increase the potential gain or loss | The new tariff threats raise the stakes for the negotiation. |
Register: register-neutral to formal. Raise concerns and raise questions are dominant in journalism and corporate communication.
Make and do — the disambiguation cluster
Make and do are the two most common light verbs in English, and the most error-prone for non-natives. The rule of thumb is make = create, produce, originate; do = perform, execute, work on. The exceptions are many.
| Make | Do |
|---|---|
| make a decision | do business |
| make an appointment | do a deal |
| make an argument | do research |
| make a difference | do work |
| make a discovery | do damage |
| make a mistake | do a favor |
| make a point | do justice (to) |
| make a promise | do harm |
| make an effort | do good |
| make progress | do (one’s) duty |
| make sense | do time (in prison) |
| make a fortune | do a job |
| make peace | do battle |
| make amends | do without |
Errors to avoid:
- Make a research (wrong) → do research or conduct research.
- Do a decision (wrong) → make a decision.
- Make an experiment (wrong) → do an experiment or run an experiment or conduct an experiment.
- Make a favor (wrong) → do a favor.
- Make damage (wrong) → do damage.
- Make business (wrong) → do business.
The disambiguation is partly arbitrary and must be memorized pair by pair.
Give and have — passing references
A short reference set of give and have light-verb collocations worth knowing.
Give: give a speech, give a presentation, give a talk, give a lecture, give consent, give credit, give priority to, give rise to, give way to, give the impression, give birth, give an account of, give a warning, give an example, give one’s word, give the green light.
Have: have an effect on, have an impact on, have a say in, have a chance, have a clue, have a hand in, have a point, have a problem, have a feeling, have a discussion, have a meeting, have a debate, have second thoughts, have something in common.
Register: register-neutral.
Pay — heed, attention, tribute, respects, the price
Pay in light-verb use carries the meaning of render or give, similar to lend but with the implication of obligation or formality.
| Collocation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pay attention to | focus on | Pay attention to the footnotes — they contain the substantive limitations. |
| pay heed to | take seriously (formal) | The administration failed to pay heed to the early warnings. |
| pay tribute to | honor publicly | The ceremony pays tribute to the lives lost in the disaster. |
| pay one’s respects | honor (especially at a funeral) | Hundreds of mourners came to pay their respects. |
| pay the price | suffer the consequence | He paid the price for the early misstatements during the cross-examination. |
| pay a visit | visit (slightly formal) | The senator paid a visit to the district office. |
| pay a compliment | offer praise | She paid him a compliment that he had clearly been waiting for. |
| pay lip service to | offer only superficial support | The administration pays lip service to climate goals while approving new leases. |
Register: formal to register-neutral. Pay lip service to is critical and journalistic. Pay heed to is slightly archaic-feeling but alive in formal writing.
Productive vs recognition
| Verb | High-value production |
|---|---|
| bear | bear the burden, bear witness, bear responsibility, bear fruit, bear scrutiny |
| draw | draw a parallel, draw a distinction, draw a conclusion, draw attention to, draw a line |
| lend | lend support, lend credence, lend weight to, lend a hand |
| set | set a precedent, set an example, set the tone, set the standard, set the stage for |
| run | run the gamut, run a risk, run its course, run deep, run dry |
| take | take the helm, take the reins, take a stance, take action, take stock, take responsibility |
| hold | hold sway, hold water, hold one’s own, hold the line, hold accountable |
| make/do | make a decision, make a difference, make progress, do research, do business, do justice |
| give | give rise to, give priority to, give credit |
| have | have an impact on, have a say in, have a hand in |
Register matrix
| Register | Best fits | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Academic / legal | bear, draw, lend, set, hold | informal collocations (run circles around) |
| Journalism | all | none |
| Business | take, set, draw, run, make/do | overly formal (bear witness in a sales email) |
| Casual conversation | take, run, make/do, give, have | bear, lend (too formal) |
| Political rhetoric | bear, set, take, hold, draw | technical light verbs |
Common Russian-speaker mistakes
- Calque принять решение → take a decision. British English allows take a decision; American English strongly prefers make a decision. Use make in US contexts.
- Calque оказать поддержку → give support. Give support is acceptable but flat; the C2 collocation is lend support or offer support.
- Calque провести исследование → make a research. Wrong on two counts: research is uncountable (no a), and the verb is do or conduct, not make. Right: do research or conduct research.
- Calque обратить внимание на → turn attention to. Right: draw attention to or call attention to. Turn attention to is acceptable but rarer.
- Calque понести ответственность → carry responsibility. Right: bear responsibility (formal) or take responsibility (action of accepting). Carry responsibility is borderline.
- Wrong preposition with take stock. Wrong: take stock about the situation. Right: take stock of the situation. The preposition is of.
- Treating run amok as a generic intensifier. Run amok describes wild loss of control — programs, riots, animals. Wrong: Our marketing campaign ran amok across all channels (if the meaning is was widely successful). Right (if loss of control): The campaign ran amok and offended three regulators.
Summary
- Bear + (burden, witness, brunt, responsibility, fruit, scrutiny, comparison) — formal, journalistic.
- Draw + (parallel, distinction, comparison, analogy, conclusion, attention, line, fire) — intellectual moves.
- Lend + (support, credence, weight, hand, ear, voice, authority, perspective) — give-with-effect meaning.
- Set + (precedent, example, tone, standard, agenda, record, bar, stage) — norm-setting.
- Run + (gamut, risk, course, amok, show, numbers, fever, dry) — ranging or proceeding.
- Take + (floor, helm, reins, lead, stance, action, issue with, shape, office, stock) — assumption of role or action.
- Hold + (sway, court, office, water, one’s own, line, grudge, accountable) — maintenance.
- Make = create/produce/originate. Do = perform/execute/work on. The boundary is partly arbitrary.
- Light verbs are part of the collocation. Wrong verb = grammatical but wrong, exactly like wrong word.
- Russian calques fail predictably. Memorize the English verb-noun pair, not the Russian one.
Next lesson: Dead vs live vs zombie metaphor — Pinker’s framework for diagnosing when a metaphor is dormant, alive, or undead and incoherent.