Collocations
Overview
Collocation is a way in which some words are often used together, and sound
natural together. This also refers to restrictions on how words may be used
together, such as which verbs and nouns can be used together, and which
prepositions and verbs can be used together.
For Example: We often say heavy rain, or light rain, instead of strong rain or
mild rain, heavy goes well with rain, whereas strong does not. This sort of
language behaviour is called collocation. There are many cases in English
when it is difficult to know which words go well with the word you want to use,
because there are no clear rules. Some words just sound right together, while
others do not.
Verbs that Collocate with Nouns
When you use a noun in a sentence, you need to know which verbs go well with
it. Learners often make mistakes with these verbs. For example:
• Instead of saying do a bath; you say take a bath
• Instead of do an effort; you say make an effort
• Instead of do a crime; you say commit a crime
• Instead of say a joke, you say tell a joke, make a joke, or crack a joke
Adverbs that Collocate with Adjectives
For example, there are a number of intensifying adverbs that can be used
instead of very or extremely with adjectives, such as:
• highly controversial (= very controversial)
o highly = adverb & controversial = adjective
• deeply offended (= very offended)
• bitterly disappointed (= very disappointment)
Often it is difficult to predict which adverb will be used with a particular adjective.
Some adverbs occur quite often before some adjectives, e.g. perfectly normal
(same as very normal) and grossly misleading (same as very…).
• bitterly ashamed / disappointed / cold NOT bitterly successful
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Last updated: September 14, 2016
• highly successful / accomplished NOT highly divided / grateful
• deeply divided / grateful / unpopular NOT deeply developed
Adjectives that Collocate with Nouns
When you want to describe a noun, there is often a range of adjectives you can
use, e.g. you can say a strong, real, or distinct possibility when something is very
possible, or a remote or faint possibility if something is not very likely.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Choose which one of the following verbs (Miss, Get, Do and Make) goes well with
the expressions below:
a) _____________ a goal j) _____________ progress
b) _____________ peace k) _____________ someone’s help
c) _____________ lost l) _____________ nothing
d) _____________ a home m) _____________ an effort
e) _____________ an appointment n) _____________ one’s best
f) _____________ a lesson o) _____________ furniture
g) _____________ homework p) _____________ the shopping
h) _____________ the cooking q) _____________ trouble
i) _____________ ready r) _____________ someone a favour
Exercise 2
Decide which word or phrase completes the sentence.
1. He didn't know anything about business, so starting his own business was
_______.
a) a leap into the cloud
b) a leap in the dark
c) a leap into the whole
2. I hate the way he criticizes everybody. It really rattles __________
a) my back
b) my bones
c) my cage
3. When her business crashed, she had to pick up ______ and start again.
a) the fragments
b) the pieces
c) the stones
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Last updated: September 14, 2016
She felt sad when she realized that she had lost her watch. It wasn't expensive but it had
sentimental ______.
d) expense
e) price
f) value
4. I used to go to church under false ____. I never wanted to go but my mother
made me.
a) agreements
b) feelings
c) pretences
5. One minute they were just talking and then all hell broke ______ and everybody
started screaming and shouting.
a) free
b) loose
c) over
6. He never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the
______.
a) book
b) instructions
c) principles
7. Don't tell Mary your plans or she'll tell everybody. She is always ______ her
mouth off.
a) shooting
b) speaking
c) talking
8. Tom might be able to help with your problem. He has friends in high ______ who
might be able to change the decision.
a) jobs
b) places
c) spots
Answers
Exercise 1
a) make d) get g) do j) make m) make p) do
b) make e) make h) do k) get n) do q) make
c) get f) get i) get l) do o) get r) do
Exercise 2
1. b 3. b 5. c 7. a 9. b
2. b 4. c 6. b 8. a
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Last updated: September 14, 2016
