What is Collocation? Common Collocation Words List

What is Collocation? Common Collocation Words List

Collocations

Collocations are used to express two or more words that are frequently used together in a single sentence or paragraph. It is often that when you substitute one of these words in a collocation with a comparable one, the resulting expression will sound weird, even though its meaning is technically the same. For example “do a favor” essentially means the same as “make a favor” but the second one sounds off.

Collocations can be used to express actions, emotions, and thoughts. Their use in casual conversation is both formal and informal; other varieties of English, such as business and professional English, have their own set of colloquial expressions.

Collocations enable us to talk more fluently and practically. If you learn to utilize the words in conjunction with the words that they are used with, rather than learning the words one at a time, is advantageous. In the same way that employing idioms in a phrase has an influence on the listener, learning collections and appropriately using them has the same effect. It enables you to have a diverse and intelligible vocabulary as well as the ability to express one’s self in a variety of ways.

Furthermore, when we learn words by connecting them together rather than just memorizing them one at a time, our brain has an easier time.

How To Make Your Usage Of Collocations More Effective:

Take note of the collocations you come across. When you’re reading, pay attention to the words that go together. If you have to write about a certain subject, attempt to locate a newspaper or magazine article on the subject and study the terms that the writer employs. You’ll frequently hear the same phrases repeated over and over again. It’s a good idea to become familiar with these.

Make use of a collocations dictionary. You may check up on any term and see what other words are commonly used with it. Here are some examples:

Have a bath: I have a bath every two days.

Pay a visit: When you come back to the town again, pay me a visit!

Waste time: Don’t waste my time with these stupid questions

Go bald: My father started going bald when he was 45.

Get pregnant: Lucy got pregnant 3 years ago.

Give a hand: If you have a problem with this task I will definitely give a hand.

Catch the flu: Because of the cold weather, a lot of students in the school catch the flu in winter.

Keep control: If you want to be successful in the exam, you need to keep control and stay calm.

Have a day off: I think today I will have a day off to rest.

Take a seat: Okay children, you can have a seat.

Pay interest: Nobody pays interest in what I am trying to tell from the beginning.

Ask around: I know that she is looking for a job, I will ask around if anybody needs a helper.

Take part: Lucy wanted to take part in this theatre game so much that she had a fight with her friends.

Common Collocations List

• take a hike
• take a risk
• take a survey
• take the bus
• take medicine
• take a trip
• take part
• take lessons
• take my place
• take a long time
• take effect
• take cover
• take it seriously
• take a vacation
• keep in touch
• keep track of
• keep tabs on
• keep in mind
• keep sth to yourself
• keep someone

• come to a stop
• come into sth.
• come clean about
• come under attack
• come up with
• come to life
• come prepared
• come to a realization
• come to terms with
• come in last
• come on time
• come to power
• come right back
• come to sb’s rescue
• take part in sth.
• take time
• take a look
• take a bath
• take a shower
• take a break

• do your best
• do your hair
• do home work
• do damage
• do laundry
• do the dishes
• do harm
• do good
• do the exam
• do anything
• do a good job
• do your chores
• do everything
• do sport
• do well
• come close
• come complete with
• come early
• come first
• come into view

• break new ground
• break someone’s heart
• break the ice
• break one’s fall
• break a leg
• break even
• break loose
• break from tradition
• break the rules
• break the silence
• break the spell
• break free
• break up
• break the ice
• make plans
• make a mistake
• make progress
• make a profit
• make the bed
• make a suggestion