It is important to learn collocations, because they are important for the naturalisation of one’s
speech. Besides, they broaden one’s scope for expression.
Here is a list of collocations to help you get started:
Collocations starting with the verb ‘do’
Do me a favour
Do the cooking
Do the housework
Do the shopping
Do the washing up
Do your best
Do your hair
Collocations with the verb ‘have’
Have a good time
Have a bath
Have a drink
Have a haircut
Have a holiday
Have a problem
Have a relationship
Have lunch
Have sympathy
Collocations with the verb ‘break’
Break the law
Break a leg
Break a promise
Break a record
Break someone's heart
Break the ice
Break the news to someone
Break the rules
Collocations with the verb ‘take’
Take a break
Take a chance
Take a look
Take a rest
Take a seat
Take a taxi
Take an exam
Take notes
Take someone's place
Collocations with the verb ‘make’
Make a difference
Make a mess
Make a mistake
Make a noise
Make an effort
Make money
Make progress
Make room
Make trouble
Collocations with the verb ‘catch’
Catch the bus
Catch a ball
Catch a cold
Catch a thief
Catch fire
Catch sight of
Catch someone's attention
Catch someone's eye
Catch the flu
Collocations with the verb ‘pay’
Pay respect
Pay a fine
Pay attention
Pay by credit card
Pay cash
Pay interest
Pay someone a visit
Pay the bill
Pay the price
Collocations with the verb ‘keep’
Keep the change
Keep a promise
Keep a secret
Keep an appointment
Keep calm
Keep in touch
Keep quiet
Keep someone's place
Collocations with the verb ‘save’
Save yourself the trouble
Save electricity
Save energy
Save money
Save someone a seat
Save someone's life
Save something to a disk
Save time
Collocations with the verb ‘go’
Go bald
Go abroad
Go astray
Go bad
Go bankrupt
Go blind
Go crazy
Go fishing
Go mad
Go missing
Go online
Go out of business
Go overseas
Go quiet
Go sailing
Go to war
Collocations with the verb ‘come’
Come under attack
Come close
Come direct
Come early
Come first
Come into view
Come last
Come late
Come on time
Come prepared
Come right back
Come to a decision
Come to an agreement
Come to an end
Come to a standstill
Come to terms with
Come to a total of
Collocations with the verb ‘get’
Get the sack
Get a life
Get a job
Get a shock
Get angry
Get divorced
Get drunk
Get frightened
Get home
Get lost
Get married
Get permission
Get ready
Get started
Get the impression
Get upset
Get wet
Get worried
Collocations related to time
Bang on time
Dead on time
Free time
From dawn till dusk
Great deal of time
Early/late 15th century
Make time for
Next few days
Past few weeks
Right on time
Run out of time
Time goes by
Time passes
Waste time
Collocations related to business English
Annual turnover
Keep in mind
Break off negotiations
Close a deal
Close a meeting
Come to the point
Dismiss an offer
Draw a conclusion
Draw your attention to
Launch a new product
Go bankrupt
Go into partnership
Make a profit/loss
Common Collocations
On this page you can find a few short lists of common collocations to
give you more of an idea about them. Many good learner's dictionaries
show collocations associated with specific words. There are also
dictionaries of collocations, though these are more difficult to find.
Verb collocations
have do make
have a bath do business make a difference
have a drink do nothing make a mess
have a good time do someone a favour make a mistake
have a haircut do the cooking make a noise
have a holiday do the housework make an effort
have a problem do the shopping make furniture
have a relationship do the washing up make money
have a rest do your best make progress
have lunch do your hair make room
have sympathy do your homework make trouble
take break catch
take a break break a habit catch a ball
take a chance break a leg catch a bus
take a look break a promise catch a chill
take a rest break a record catch a cold
take a seat break a window catch a thief
take a taxi break someone's heart catch fire
take an exam break the ice catch sight of
take notes break the law catch someone's attention
take someone's place break the news to someone catch someone's eye
take someone's temperature break the rules catch the flu
pay save keep
pay a fine save electricity keep a diary
pay attention save energy keep a promise
pay by credit card save money keep a secret
pay cash save one's strength keep an appointment
pay interest save someone a seat keep calm
pay someone a compliment save someone's life keep control
pay someone a visit save something to a disk keep in touch
pay the bill save space keep quiet
pay the price save time keep someone's place
pay your respects save yourself the trouble keep the change
come go get
come close go abroad get a job
come complete with go astray get a shock
come direct go bad get angry
come early go bald get divorced
come first go bankrupt get drunk
come into view go blind get frightened
come last go crazy get home
come late go dark get lost
come on time go deaf get married
come prepared go fishing get nowhere
come right back go mad get permission
come second go missing get pregnant
come to a compromise go on foot get ready
come to a decision go online get started
come to an agreement go out of business get the impression
come to an end go overseas get the message
come to a standstill go quiet get the sack
come to terms with go sailing get upset
come to a total of go to war get wet
come under attack go yellow get worried
Miscellaneous collocations
Time Business English Classifiers
bang on time annual turnover a ball of string
dead on time bear in mind
early 12th century break off negotiations a bar of chocolate
free time cease trading
from dawn till dusk chair a meeting a bottle of water
great deal of time close a deal
late 20th century close a meeting a bunch of carrots
make time for come to the point
next few days dismiss an offer a cube of sugar
past few weeks draw a conclusion
Time Business English Classifiers
right on time draw your attention to a pack of cards
run out of time launch a new product
save time lay off staff a pad of p
spare time go bankrupt
spend some time go into partnership
take your time make a loss
tell someone the time make a profit
time goes by market forces
time passes sales figures
waste time take on staff
The word big is often used in collocations with a happening or event, for
example:
a big accomplishment
a big decision
a big disappointment
a big failure
a big improvement
a big mistake
a big surprise
The word great is often used in collocations with feelings or qualities.
Great + feelings
great admiration
great anger
great enjoyment
great excitement
great fun
great happiness
great joy
Great + qualities
in great detail
great power
great pride
great sensitivity
great skill
great strength
great understanding
great wisdom
great wealth
English collocations with the word LARGE
The word large is often used in collocations involving numbers and
measurements.
a large amount
a large collection
a large number (of)
a large population
a large proportion
a large quantity
a large scale
English collocations with the word STRONG
The word strong is often used in collocations with facts and opinions:
Strong + facts/opinions
strong argument
strong emphasis
strong evidence
a strong contrast
a strong commitment
strong criticism
strong denial
a strong feeling
a strong opinion (about something)
strong resistance
Strong + senses
a strong smell
a strong taste
English collocations with the word DEEP
The word deep is used for some strong feelings:
deep depression
deep devotion
It is also used in these expressions:
in deep thought
in deep trouble
in a deep sleep (when the person won’t wake up easily)
English collocations with the word HEAVY
Heavy is used for some weather conditions…
heavy rain
heavy snow
heavy fog
The word heavy is also used for people with bad habits:
a heavy drinker
a heavy smoker
a heavy drug user
There’s also the expression “a heavy sleeper” – that’s not someone who sleeps
a lot; instead, it’s a person who doesn’t wake up easily when sleeping.
The word heavy is also used in collocations with two unpleasant things:
TRAFFIC and TAXES!
heavy traffic
heavy taxes
