What Are Collocations?
A collocation is a combination of words that naturally go together. Native speakers use these word partnerships automatically, and they sound strange when you break them.
For example:
- We say "make a mistake" -- NOT "do a mistake"
- We say "heavy rain" -- NOT "strong rain"
- We say "fast food" -- NOT "quick food"
There is often no logical grammar reason why certain words go together. They just do. Learning collocations is one of the fastest ways to sound more natural in English.
Verb + Noun Collocations
Make vs. Do
This is one of the most common collocation challenges. Here is how to remember:
MAKE = creating, producing, or constructing something
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| make a mistake | Everyone makes mistakes when learning. |
| make a decision | We need to make a decision by Friday. |
| make money | She makes good money as a designer. |
| make a phone call | Can I make a phone call? |
| make an effort | He made an effort to be friendly. |
| make progress | The students are making great progress. |
| make a plan | Let's make a plan for the weekend. |
| make a promise | I made a promise to my mother. |
| make a suggestion | May I make a suggestion? |
| make an appointment | I need to make an appointment with the dentist. |
| make an exception | The teacher made an exception for her. |
| make a mess | The children made a mess in the kitchen. |
DO = performing an activity or task
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| do homework | Have you done your homework? |
| do the dishes | I'll do the dishes after dinner. |
| do the laundry | She does the laundry on Sundays. |
| do exercise | You should do exercise every day. |
| do your best | Just do your best on the exam. |
| do research | We need to do more research. |
| do business | We do business with companies worldwide. |
| do a favor | Can you do me a favor? |
| do damage | The storm did a lot of damage. |
| do well | She's doing well at her new job. |
Have + Noun
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| have a conversation | We need to have a conversation about this. |
| have an argument | They had an argument about money. |
| have a break | Let's have a break for ten minutes. |
| have a good time | We had a great time at the party. |
| have an experience | I had an interesting experience yesterday. |
| have a look | Can I have a look at your notes? |
| have a problem | I'm having a problem with my computer. |
| have a shower / bath | I usually have a shower in the morning. |
| have a dream | I had a strange dream last night. |
| have an effect | The new policy had a positive effect. |
Take + Noun
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| take a photo / picture | Can you take a photo of us? |
| take a break | I need to take a break. |
| take a risk | Starting a business means taking risks. |
| take a seat | Please take a seat. |
| take responsibility | You need to take responsibility for this. |
| take notes | I always take notes in class. |
| take action | The government needs to take action. |
| take advice | She rarely takes advice from anyone. |
| take a chance | You should take a chance and apply for it. |
| take your time | There's no rush -- take your time. |
Other Common Verb + Noun Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| pay attention | Please pay attention to the instructions. |
| catch a cold | I caught a cold last week. |
| keep a promise | He always keeps his promises. |
| save time / money | Taking the train saves time. |
| break a rule | If you break the rules, there are consequences. |
| come to a conclusion | After much discussion, we came to a conclusion. |
| give someone a hand | Could you give me a hand with this? |
| tell the truth | I always try to tell the truth. |
| run a business | She runs a successful business. |
| set a goal | It's important to set clear goals. |
Adjective + Noun Collocations
| Collocation | Not natural |
|---|---|
| heavy rain | |
| strong wind | |
| heavy traffic | |
| fast food | |
| deep sleep | |
| strong coffee | |
| sharp increase | |
| high temperature | |
| wide range | |
| bitter cold | |
| bright future | |
| close friend | |
| great deal | |
| hard work |
Adverb + Adjective Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| highly recommended | This book is highly recommended. |
| deeply concerned | I am deeply concerned about this issue. |
| fully aware | Are you fully aware of the risks? |
| bitterly disappointed | He was bitterly disappointed with the result. |
| perfectly normal | That's perfectly normal at your age. |
| seriously injured | Two people were seriously injured in the accident. |
| widely known | She is widely known for her research. |
| absolutely essential | Good communication is absolutely essential. |
| utterly ridiculous | That idea is utterly ridiculous. |
| painfully obvious | The answer was painfully obvious. |
Collocations with Prepositions
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| apologize for | I apologize for being late. |
| depend on | It depends on the weather. |
| succeed in | She succeeded in passing the exam. |
| apply for | He applied for the job. |
| belong to | This book belongs to me. |
| consist of | The course consists of ten lessons. |
| result in | The accident resulted in three injuries. |
| suffer from | He suffers from allergies. |
| deal with | How do you deal with stress? |
| contribute to | Exercise contributes to good health. |
How to Learn Collocations
1. Notice Them When Reading
When you read, do not just look at individual words. Look for word partnerships. Underline them. Write them down as pairs or groups.
2. Learn Words in Phrases
Instead of learning the word "decision," learn "make a decision." Instead of learning "rain," learn "heavy rain." Always learn the collocation, not just the word.
3. Use a Collocations Dictionary
The Oxford Collocations Dictionary is an excellent resource. It shows you which words naturally combine with any word you look up.
4. Group Collocations by Verb
Keep a notebook organized by verb: all the "make" collocations together, all the "take" collocations together, and so on.
5. Practice in Context
Write sentences using new collocations about your own life:
- "I need to make a decision about my career."
- "She pays close attention to detail."
- "We had a great time at the concert."
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: "Do a mistake" instead of "Make a mistake"
- Wrong: I did a mistake in the report.
- Correct: I made a mistake in the report.
Mistake 2: "Strong rain" instead of "Heavy rain"
- Wrong: There was strong rain this morning.
- Correct: There was heavy rain this morning.
Mistake 3: "Make homework" instead of "Do homework"
- Wrong: I need to make my homework.
- Correct: I need to do my homework.
Mistake 4: "Say a joke" instead of "Tell a joke"
- Wrong: He said a funny joke.
- Correct: He told a funny joke.
Mistake 5: "Big traffic" instead of "Heavy traffic"
- Wrong: There was big traffic on the highway.
- Correct: There was heavy traffic on the highway.
Practice Exercise
Choose the correct word to complete each collocation:
- She _____ a lot of progress this semester. (made/did)
- I need to _____ a phone call. (make/do)
- There was _____ traffic on the way to work. (heavy/big)
- He _____ a cold last week. (caught/got)
- Please _____ attention to the safety instructions. (pay/give)
- They need to _____ a decision soon. (make/take)
- The wind was very _____. (strong/heavy)
- She _____ her best on the exam. (did/made)
- I had a _____ sleep last night. (deep/heavy)
- He _____ a big risk by investing in that company. (took/made)
Answers: 1. made, 2. make, 3. heavy, 4. caught, 5. pay, 6. make, 7. strong, 8. did, 9. deep, 10. took