Collocation refers to the natural pairing of words, highlighting the close association of English words with one another. But why is it essential to learn collocations?

Learning collocations is crucial as it enables you to speak and write English in a more authentic and accurate manner. While saying “making a crime” or “very hard rain this morning” might be understood, it sounds unnatural and could lead to confusion. Does “very hard rain” mean a heavy downpour or a hailstorm?

Furthermore, mastering collocations expands your range of English vocabulary. By avoiding generic words like “very,” “nice,” “beautiful,” or “get,” and selecting words that fit the context better and carry more precise meanings, you enhance your language skills. This is especially advantageous when undertaking written English exams, as appropriate collocation usage is often rewarded in advanced level assessments.

Now, let’s explore effective ways to learn collocations:

1. Awareness: Be mindful of collocations and recognize them when you encounter them in written or spoken form.

2. Treat as Blocks: Consider collocations as individual blocks or chunks of language, and learn them as single entities, such as “strongly support” instead of “strongly + support.”

3. Associate New Words: When learning a new word, note down other words that collocate with it, like “remember rightly,” “remember distinctly,” “remember vaguely,” and “remember vividly.”

4. Read Extensively: Reading extensively provides a natural context to learn vocabulary and collocations.

5. Regular Revision: Practice using new collocations in context shortly after learning them to reinforce your understanding.

6. Group Learning: Learn collocations in categories that suit your preference, either by topic (time, number, weather, money, family) or associated with a particular word (take action, take a chance, take an exam).

7. Consult Dictionaries: Utilize good learner’s dictionaries or specialized collocation dictionaries to find information on collocations.

Different Types of Collocations and Sample Sentences:

1. Adverb + Adjective:

– “Invading that country was an utterly stupid thing to do.”

– “We entered a richly decorated room.”

– “Are you fully aware of the implications of your actions?”

2. Adjective + Noun:

– “The doctor ordered him to take regular exercise.”

– “The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage.”

– “He was writhing on the ground in excruciating pain.”

3. Noun + Noun:

– “Let’s give Mr. Jones a round of applause.”

– “The ceasefire agreement came into effect at 11 am.”

– “I’d like to buy two bars of soap, please.”

4. Noun + Verb:

– “The lion started to roar when it heard the dog barking.”

– “Snow was falling as our plane took off.”

– “The bomb went off when he started the car engine.”

5. Verb + Noun:

– “The prisoner was hanged for committing murder.”

– “I always try to do my homework in the morning, after making my bed.”

– “He has been asked to give a presentation about his work.”

6. Verb + Expression with Preposition:

– “We had to return home because we had run out of money.”

– “At first, her eyes filled with horror, and then she burst into tears.”

– “Their behavior was enough to drive anybody to crime.”

7. Verb + Adverb:

– “She placed her keys gently on the table and sat down.”

– “Mary whispered softly in John’s ear.”

– “I vaguely remember that it was growing dark when we left.”

By understanding and incorporating collocations, you can elevate your English expression, making it more natural, precise, and impactful.