Collocations

First let’s define what a collocation is; a collocation is when two words usually go together and we use them all the time. Other combination of these words may sound unnatural or awkward to a native English speaker.

Let’s take an example of fast and quick, words that are synonyms, yet we use them with different nouns.

Natural collocation

a quick step
a quick meal
a quick glance

Unnatural collocation

a fast step /wrong/
a fast meal /wrong/
a fast glance /wrong/

Natural collocation

a fast car
fast food
a fast runner

Unnatural collocation

a quick car /wrong/
quick food /wrong/
a quick runner /wrong/

Some verbs might have a very similar meaning in the student’s mother tongue; this often leads to confusion and to wrong usage of these verbs. Study the following collocations and try to memorize them.

HOLD vs KEEP

hold a record
hold smt in your hand
hold sb tight
hold a meeting/ceremony
hold an election/referendum

keep a secret/promise
keep smt in mind
keep control
keep smt under control
keep records

SAY vs TELL

say smt about smt/sb
say sorry
say a few words
say for sure
say a prayer

tell the truth/a lie
tell a joke/story
tell somebody something
tell the difference
tell the time

WIN vs BEAT

win a match
win a prize/award
win a competition
win public support

beat an opponent
beat a team
beat a player

NOTICE vs SPOT

notice smt strange
notice the difference
notice sb in the crowd (by chance)

spot a mistake (intentionally)
spot an animal (as a hunter)
spot a free parking plot
spot sb in the crowd (intentionally)

Why learn collocations?

• Your language will sound natural and be more easily understood.
• It easier to remember and use word blocks/chunks rather than words individually.

How to learn collocation?

• Reading is an excellent way to learn new words and collocations in natural context.
• Think of collocation as a single blocks of the language. (treat highly unlikely or rain heavily as one unit.
• Try to recognize them when you read or hear them.
• Learn collocation by a topic (A) – family, weather, money etc. or by a single word (B).

A

family life
nuclear family
extended family
single-parent family
large family
family ties
close-knit family

B

make exception
make an excuse
make dinner
make friends
make the bed
make a mistake
make noise

ADVERB
+
ADJECTIVE

absolutely
amazing
beautiful
devastated
convinced
furious
terrified
delighted
incredible
massive

deeply
concerned
ashamed
hurt
offended
religious
worried

highly
controversial
unlikely
effective
recommended
unusual
qualified

widely
accepted
available
optimistic

painfully
slow
thin
shy

bitterly
cold
disappointed

pitch perfect
significantly better
inversely proportional
cautiously optimistic
reasonably priced
actively involved

completely different
blissfully unaware
ridiculously easy
virtually impossible
carefully chosen
ideally situated
utterly stupid

hard-earned (money)
hardly believable
totally unbelievable
reasonably priced
thoroughly spoilt
heavily armed
fully aware
deadly serious
strongly opposed
pleasantly surprised
conversely proportional

mutually agreed
flat broke
scared stiff
vaguely familiar
strongly opposed
eagerly awaited

ADJECTIVE
+
NOUN
part I

big
decision
problem
mistake
disappointment
improvement
surprise
deal
concert
profit
slice
spender
in a big way
city
brother

large
number
amount
population
scale
house
T-shirt

light
meal
rain
traffic
beer

great
fun
expectation
happiness
joy
admiration
anger
power
skill
strength
wisdom
in great detail
scientist
age
wealth

rough
surface
sea
skin
estimate
diamond
time
terrain

tough
guys
day
coockie

strong
argument
evidence
resistance
influence
criticism
candidate
personality
accent
wind
smell
taste
acid
pain-killer

hard
exam
question
day
time
surface
shell
work
facts/evidence
numbers
rock
cash
man
skin

heavy
smoker
drug-user
rain
snow
suitcase
load
meal
timetable
casualties
traffic
debt/loss
dose
coat
heart

broad
context
definition
range
shoulders
outline
accent
agreement

ADJECTIVE
+
NOUN
part II

mutual agreement
symbolic gesture
malicious joy
seamless transition
boorish behavior
ulterior motive
political overtone
lavish present
lush greenery
subdued colours/interior
discarded material
provocative cleavage
formative year

moral obligation
public procurement
pinpoint accuracy
natural resources
optical illusion
popular belief
steep price
good deed
unbroken sunshine
critical condition
wee hours
ominous silence
unprecedented scale

social unrest
lame excuse
biased opinion
meager salary
detrimental effects
vital information
hard bargain
interim government
indigenous people
pilot project
internal bleeding
diminishing returns

irreversible process
inversely proportional
smear campaign
imminent danger
steady growth
collaborative effort
political consensus
political affiliation
innate ability
balanced diet
casual relationship
dead silence
empty promise

ADJECTIVE
+
NOUN
part III

prime example
sustainable solution
grated cheese
laughable argument
timid smile
diffident manner
solemn promise
disparaging remark
sparsly furnitured
lenient punishment
run-down buildings
political affiliation
burning desire
indelible mark
eye-watering price
educated guess
moot point

wicked game
inside information
inflection point
deep-seated anger
scorching hot/heat
deep-rooted hatred
pristine condition
mouldy walls
derilict building
upmarket shops
perishable food
jinxed family
stoic behaviour
brazen lie
uncanny resemblance
unwavering support
gaudy colours/clothes

false impression
vague memories
staunch friend/supporter
landslide victory
visceral reaction
incumbent president
tearful farewell
salvageable equipment
petty criminal
cobbled streets
pebble beach
lenient punishement
stark contrast
negligible difference
premeditaded attack
false allegations

VERB
+
NOUN
part I

do
the right thing
a test
a job
exercises
your hair
business
damage
research
the shopping
a favour
a course
wonder

take
a break
the lead
(your) time
advantage of
part in
a breath
a risk
pictures (of)
medicine
a seat
an exam
a chance
care
notes
a deep breath
a day off
the credit for smt.

go
fishing
abroad
red
grey
bald
crazy
deaf
astray
on holiday
to prison
to college
bankrupt

get
a cold
stuck
a degree
wet
fired
dressed
the impression
permission
the sack
angry
upset
to the point

come
to a decision
to a compromise
to an agreement

make
noise
an appointment
a speech
an excuse
a difference
a mess
money
progress
loss/profit
a decision
a breakthrough
contributions

keep
in touch
cool
a promise
the change
in mind
quiet
the distance
it simple
a secret
control
animals
the balance

come
to mind
to terms
to light

have
sympathy
a rest
lunch
a haircut
a dream
a discussion
a bad tamper
fun
advantages
bad luck
the courage
an impact on

break
the ice
the law
a promise
the rules
even
the news
a code
a record
someone’s heart
free
a habit
a sweat

come
in view
into play

VERB
+
NOUN
part II

incur debts/costs
chair a meeting
stand a chance
boost morale
gain control
cut the ribbon
conduct a survey
crave attention
tarnish sb’s reputation
ignore naysayers

reach enlightment
pay in istallments
run errands
infringe regulations
deplete resources
defy gravity
elicit information
harbour fears
admit defeat
bolster image/confidence

draw a conclusion
throw a party
reach zenith
give credence (to)
cast shadow (on)
look/dress the part
wage war on smt.
reach enlightment
capture attention

lay claim (to)
lay the blame (on)
pay tribute (to)
shoot photos/films
shed tears
follow a hunch
implement a rule
launch a campaign
feel rejuvenated
rejuvenate a team/company

ADVERB
+
VERB

strongly deny
closely examine
distinctly remember
flatly refuse
greatly admire
fully understand
sincerely hope
strongly deny
totally agree
rise steadily

regularly attend
eagerly await
simply assume
recently become
behave similarly
change dramatically
connect directly
contrast sharply
attack ferociously
contribute equally

fall significantly
partly explain
fit easily
grow slowly
simply ignore
gradually increase
listen closely
simply move
operate independently
actively promote

thoroughly inspect
vehemently deny
develop gradually
briefly discuss
firmly believe
deeply regret
typically range
clearly reflect
narrowly escape
deal primarily

NOUN
+
NOUN

beauty industry
bread-and-breakfast
birth certificate
boot camp
budget deficit
cable car
case study
ceasefire agreement
child care
comfort zone
core values
insurance fraud

road rage
stag night
goose bump
cross hairs
pencil pusher
breast implant
dairy product
taste bud
bunk bed
bull market
enterprise zone
tail wind

departure time
foot soldier
fringe benefit
head teacher
hit man
office hours
parking ticket
peer group
price competition
custody battle
panic attack
photo shoot

poverty line
cost breakdown
tax avoidance
dress rehearsal
city dweller
fire hazard
fleet vehicle
fortune teller
spring chicken
elbow room
business model
elevator pitch

brightonschool.info

GRAMMAR

Tenses
Passive
Conditionals
Adjectives
Adverbs
Prepositions

VOCABULARY

Collocations
Word Bank
Phrases
Idioms
Syllable Stress
Common Mistakes

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