In English, it is easy to move verbs between word-classes.
A substantive may easily become a verb: for instance, the
substantive party has given us the verb to party,
with regular inflections like he parties, partied
and partying.
Verb roots can be made to function as substantives with no
change in form. There are many words which function both as
verb roots and as substantives: we see verbs
to fight, to fall and to moan
alongside substantives
a fight, a fall and a moan.
I call these verb-root substantives. They meaning is an event or act:
a fight means 'the act or event of fighting', a fall means 'the event of falling'
and a moan means 'the act or event of moaning'. They can be used in normal speech to
mean these things:
There was a fight. (the event of fighting took place)
I witnessed the fall of President Ceaucescu. (I witnessed the event of Ceaucescu falling)
I heard a moan. (the event of moaning took place, and I heard it)
Instead of using a normal verb, sentences can instead be formed with a verb like
have or give and a verb-root substantive.
Have a + Verb Root
It is very common to use verb-root substantives with
have. With no object, the meaning is essentially the
same as a sentence with the verb:
I had a moan. means the same as I moaned. I had a try. means the same as I tried. I had a fight. means the same as I fought. I had a drink. means the same as I drank.
But this verb-root substantive cannot govern an object.
Instead we must use a preposition:
I had a fight with John. means the same as
I fought John. I had a drink of beer. means the same as
I drank some beer.
Give + Object + a + Verb Root
An object can also be added by changing have to
give:
I gave my computer a thump. means the same as
I thumped my computer. I gave my house a clean. means the same as
I cleaned my house.
Verbal action-nouns in -ing are also used in
the same construction:
I gave my computer a thumping. means the same as
I thumped my computer.
With the either one, the word good is often used
to indicate doing something to an intense degree:
I gave my house a good clean. I gave my house a good cleaning.
Both of these mean 'I cleaned my house thoroughly'.
On the + Verb Root
The root substantives are also used with on the
to form the equivalent of an
active participle:
On the prowl means prowling.
On the run means running.
Steve was on the prowl. means
Steve was prowling. I saw Steve on the prowl. means
I saw Steve prowling.
But unlike the active participle, these phrases
in on the cannot govern objects.
