What are Collocations? Collocations are words that go together. They are commonly used words that create meaning when used together. For example, a common English collocation is “make an effort.” This means to try hard. Another example is “heavy rain.” This means it is raining a lot.
There are many benefits to using collocations. They can help you sound more fluent and natural in English. They can also help you communicate your ideas more clearly. And, they can make your writing sound more sophisticated and advanced.
If you want to improve your English, learning common collocations is a great place to start.
What are Collocations?
Types of Collocations
There are three main types of collocations in English:
- Verb + noun
- Adjective + noun
- Noun + preposition
Using these types of collocations will make your English sound more natural.
- Verb + noun:
Examples of verb + noun collocations
Here are some other examples of common collocations:
make a decision, take a break, have a look, give an example
- Adjective + noun:
Examples of adjective + noun collocations
Here are some other examples of common collocations:
a big problem, a great success, close friends, rich people
- Noun + preposition:
Examples of noun + preposition collocations
Here are some other examples of common collocations:
a desire for something, a fear of heights, a dislike of spinach, an obsession with video games
Other Types of Collocations
1- Verb + Noun
have a look, take a look, give a look
take a break, make a break, have a break
give an example, take an example, provide an example
get a feeling, have a feeling, give a feeling
2- Adjective + Noun
a big problem, a little problem, a huge problem, a great success, a real success
close friends, best friends, good friends, rich people, poor people
3- Noun + Preposition
a fear of heights, a dislike of spinach, an obsession with video games
a solution to the problem, someone to talk to, a way to improve
4- Verb + Adjective
look big, look small, look great, look terrible
feel happy, feel sad, feel dizzy, feel sick
5- Verb + Preposition
think about something, talk about something, dream about something
care about someone/something, worry about someone/something
6- Adjective + Preposition
afraid of snakes, afraid of the dark, afraid of heights
responsible for something, responsible to someone
7- Verb + Noun + Preposition
look forward to something, look forward to doing something
apply for a job, apply to a school
8- Noun + Verb + Preposition
a desire for something, a fear of heights, a dislike of spinach
an obsession with video games, a solution to the problem
9- Adjective + Noun + Preposition
a big problem, a great success, close friends, rich people
10- Verb + Adjective + Noun
look forward to something, look forward to doing something
apply for a job, apply to a school
11- Verb + Noun + Infinitive
want to do something, need to do something, have to do something
12- Adjective + Noun + Infinitive
afraid of snakes, afraid of the dark, afraid of heights
13- Noun + Adjective + Noun
a big problem, a great success, close friends, rich people
14- Adjective + Verb + Ing
an exciting game, a boring movie, a frustrating day
15- Adjective + Verb + Preposition
an exciting game, a boring movie, a frustrating day
16- Adjective + Noun + that…
a big problem that we need to solve, a great success that we can celebrate
17- It is/was + Adjective + to…
It is important to brush your teeth.
It was difficult to find a parking spot.
18- So/Such + Adjective + a/an + Noun
He’s such a good friend.
She’s such a bad cook.
It was such a beautiful day.
19- Adjective + enough + Noun
She’s old enough to drive.
I’m not tall enough to reach the top shelf.
20- Too + Adjective + to…
He’s too young to drive.
I’m too short to reach the top shelf.
Collocations Examples In Sentences
1- I need to make a decision about what to wear to the party.
2- Can we take a break from studying?
3- Let me have a look at your essay before you submit it.
4- He gave us an example of what not to do.
5- This is a big problem that we need to solve.
6- The project was a great success.
7- They have been close friends since high school.
8- He comes from a rich family.
9- I have a desire for something more in life.
10- She suffers from a fear of heights.
11- He has a dislike of spinach.
12- His obsession with video games is getting out of hand.
13- We need to find a solution to this problem.
14- The company is looking for a new CEO.
15- He was born in the United States.
16- We use English to communicate with each other.
17- I live in New York City.
18- She’s studying art history at the university.
19- He works in a bank.
20- We’re going on vacation next week.
21- I’m meeting my friend for lunch today.
22- She’s cooking dinner for us tonight.
23- He’s watching a movie with his family.
24- We’re going to the park tomorrow.
25- I’m going shopping with my mom this weekend.
26- He’s playing soccer with his friends.
27- She’s practicing the piano.
28- We’re doing our homework.
29- I’m taking a break from studying.
30- He’s making a cup of tea.
50 Popular Collocations
1- make a decision: to come to a conclusion about something
2- take a break: to stop doing something for a short period of time
3- have a look: to examine or inspect something
4- give an example: to provide one instance of something
5- big problem: a serious difficulty that needs to be addressed
6- great success: a remarkable achievement
7- close friends: people who are intimate and trust each other
8- come from: to originate in a particular place
9- desire for: to want something very much
10- fear of: to be afraid of something
11- dislike of: to have an aversion to something
12- obsession with: to be excessively interested in something
13- solution to: a way of resolving a problem
14- look for: to search for someone or something
15- born in: to originate from a particular place
16- use X to: to employ X as a means of achieving something
17- live in: to reside in a particular place
18- study X at: to learn about a subject at an educational institution
19- work in: to be employed in a particular profession
20- go on vacation: to travel for pleasure
21- meet someone for: to have an appointment with someone to do something
22- cook dinner: to prepare a meal
23- watch a movie: to view a film
24- go to the park: to visit an area of greenery for recreation
25- go shopping: to buy things
26- play soccer: to engage in the sport of soccer
27- practice X: to repetition something in order to improve one’s skills
28- do homework: to complete school assignments
29- take a break: to stop doing something for a short period of time
30- make a cup of: to prepare a hot drink
31- have a baby: to give birth to a child
32- get married: to enter into the legal union of a man and woman
33- buy a house: to purchase a dwelling
34- go to work: to travel to one’s place of employment
35- do business: to engage in commerce
36- have lunch: to eat a meal in the middle of the day
37- make money: to earn income
38- go shopping: to purchase items
39- do research: to investigate a topic
40- write a paper: to compose an essay
41- give a talk: to deliver a speech
42- take a class: to attend a course
43- play a sport: to participate in an athletic activity
44- listen to music: to hear melodies
45- read a book: to peruse the pages of literature
46- watch television: to observe programs on a screen
47- use the Internet: to go online
48- travel abroad: to visit another country
49- get a degree: to earn an academic credential
50- have experience: to be familiar with something through firsthand knowledge
