What are Collocations?
Collocations are combinations of words that frequently go together in English. These word pairs or groups sound natural to native speakers because they are commonly used together. When learning English, knowing collocations helps you sound more fluent and natural instead of robotic or awkward.
For example, we say “make a decision” not “do a decision”. Similarly, we say “strong tea” not “powerful tea”. These pairs are called collocations because they naturally “collocate” or occur together.
Why Are Collocations Important?
Sound Natural: Using correct collocations makes your English sound smooth and native-like.
Improve Fluency: Knowing common word partnerships helps you speak and write faster and with confidence.
Better Understanding: Recognizing collocations improves your reading and listening skills because you can predict what words usually come together.
Avoid Mistakes: Many learners make mistakes by combining words incorrectly. Learning collocations reduces these errors.
Types of Collocations
Collocations come in different forms depending on the parts of speech involved:
Adjective + Noun
Example:Strong coffee (correct)
Powerful coffee (incorrect)
Heavy rain
Fast car
Verb + Noun
Example:Make a mistake
Do homework
Take a break
Have a shower
Noun + Noun
Example:A surge of anger
A pack of wolves
Verb + Adverb
Example:Run quickly
Whisper softly
Adverb + Adjective
Example:Highly effective
Deeply concerned
Common Collocation Categories
Strong collocations: Words that are almost always used together, e.g., “commit a crime,” “fast food.”
Weak collocations: Words that can be used with many partners, e.g., “make a choice,” “have a choice.”
Fixed expressions: Phrases where the collocation is very strict, e.g., “by and large,” “black and white.”
How to Learn Collocations?
Read and Listen Regularly: Exposure to English through books, articles, movies, and conversations helps you notice common word pairings.
Use Collocation Dictionaries: These specialized dictionaries list collocations and their usage.
Practice Writing and Speaking: Use new collocations actively in sentences to remember them better.
Learn in Context: Don’t memorize collocations alone; learn them as part of phrases or sentences.
Flashcards and Quizzes: Use tools to test your knowledge of collocations frequently.
Examples of Useful Collocations
| Collocation Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Adjective + Noun | heavy rain, bright idea, strong opinion |
| Verb + Noun | make a decision, take a risk, pay attention |
| Noun + Noun | a bunch of flowers, a team of experts |
| Verb + Adverb | speak clearly, work hard |
| Adverb + Adjective | deeply sorry, perfectly clear |
Common Mistakes Learners Make
Saying “do a mistake” instead of “make a mistake”
Saying “strong tea” correctly but “powerful tea” incorrectly
Using literal translations from their native language that don’t form correct collocations in English
Practice Exercise
Choose the correct collocation in each sentence:
She always (makes / does) a lot of mistakes in her essays.
Let’s (take / make) a break after two hours of work.
I prefer (strong / powerful) coffee in the morning.
They will (pay / make) attention during the lecture.
Collocations are essential for mastering fluent and natural English. They are fixed or semi-fixed combinations of words that appear together frequently. Learning collocations improves speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills and helps avoid common mistakes. The key is to learn collocations in context, practice regularly, and expose yourself to authentic English materials.