Language Focus: Verbs Where the Collocation/Object Changes the Meaning

These verbs have very different meanings depending on the noun (object/collocation) that follows them. The object "unlocks" the correct interpretation — essential for natural news retelling and accurate storytelling.

address
address an audience / crowd / nation / group
speak to formally / give a speech to
  • The president addressed the nation after the crisis.
  • She addressed the conference on climate change solutions.
address a problem / issue / concern / challenge
deal with / tackle / solve
  • The report addresses safety concerns following the accident.
  • We must address the root cause of the housing shortage.
deliver
deliver a package / goods / letter / food
transport / bring / hand over physically
  • The courier delivered the parcel this morning.
  • They deliver groceries to your door in under two hours.
deliver a speech / verdict / performance / message
give / present / pronounce formally
  • The judge delivered a guilty verdict after three days.
  • She delivered a powerful speech at the award ceremony.
support
support a person / team / friend / family
help / encourage / back emotionally or practically
  • Her family supported her through the difficult times.
  • Fans continue to support the team despite the losses.
support an idea / argument / theory / structure
hold up / sustain / provide evidence for
  • The evidence strongly supports this theory.
  • The pillars support the weight of the entire building.
hold
hold a meeting / event / conference / discussion
organize / conduct / carry out
  • They held an emergency meeting after the fire.
  • The company is holding its annual conference next week.
hold a position / job / role / title
occupy / have (a formal position)
  • She holds the position of senior editor.
  • He currently holds the national record.
hold someone responsible / accountable / liable
blame / consider at fault
  • Police are holding the driver responsible for the crash.
  • The court held the company accountable for the damage.
raise
raise a child / children / family
bring up / rear / care for
  • They raised three children on a modest income.
  • She was raised by her grandmother in a small village.
raise a question / issue / concern / objection
mention / bring up for discussion
  • Witnesses raised serious questions about the timeline.
  • Several employees raised concerns during the meeting.
raise money / funds / donations / awareness
collect / gather / increase attention
  • The charity raised $50,000 for disaster relief.
  • The campaign successfully raised awareness about recycling.
run
run a company / business / organization / campaign
manage / operate / control
  • She has been running her own bakery for ten years.
  • The mayor is running for re-election next year.
run a test / experiment / check / simulation
perform / carry out
  • Doctors ran several tests to find the cause.
  • Engineers are running simulations before launch.
run late / run out of time / run into trouble
be delayed / encounter difficulty
  • The flight is running late due to fog.
  • We're running out of time before the deadline.
issue
an issue / problem / matter / concern
topic / subject / difficulty
  • Climate change remains a major global issue.
  • The biggest issue is the lack of affordable housing.
issue a ticket / warning / passport / statement / order
officially give / release / distribute
  • Police issued a warning about icy roads.
  • The court issued a restraining order yesterday.
charge
charge a fee / price / money / customers
ask for / demand payment
  • The hotel charges extra for parking.
  • They charge $20 per person for the workshop.
charge someone with a crime / offence / murder
formally accuse
  • The suspect was charged with theft and assault.
  • Police have charged him with dangerous driving.
electric / battery charge
electrical energy / power level
  • My phone is on 10% charge — I need to plug it in.
  • The battery holds a charge for up to 12 hours.

Quick Summary & Tip

The noun/object after the verb completely changes its meaning: physical/literal (package, child, glass) vs. abstract/institutional/news (problem, issue, verdict, story). When retelling news, always check the collocation — a wrong object can make the sentence confusing or wrong. Practice: Choose a recent headline and rewrite it using at least three of these verbs correctly.