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English as a Second Language
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- Basic Conversations for English Language Learners
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- Resources for Teachers
Table of Contents
Collocation Examples
Verb Collocations
Business Collocations
Common Expressions
By
Kenneth Beare
Kenneth Beare
English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert
- TESOL Diploma, Trinity College London
- M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music
- B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music
Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience.
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Updated on May 29, 2024
A collocation is made up of two or more words that are commonly used together in English. Think of collocations as words that usually go together. There are different kinds of collocations in English. Strong collocations are word pairings that are expected to come together, such as combinations with "make" and "do": You make a cup of tea, but you do your homework.
Collocations are very common in business settings when certain nouns are routinely combined with certain verbs or adjectives. For example, you draw up a contract, set a price, and conduct negotiations.
Understanding collocations can greatly enhance your vocabulary and the effectiveness of your communication, particularly in professional contexts where precision and clarity are critical. Here's what you need to know about collocations, with common examples in daily life and business.
Collocation Examples
Here are a number of common collocations in English:
| To make the bed | I need to make the bed every day. |
| To do homework | My son does his homework after dinner. |
| To take a risk | Some people don't take enough risks in life. |
| To give someone advice | The teacher gave us some advice on taking tests. |
Verb Collocations
Some of the most common collocations involve verb + noun collocations used in everyday situations. Here are some examples of the types of verb collocations you will need as you continue learning English.
| To feel free | Please feel free to take a seat and enjoy the show. |
| To come prepared | Make sure to come prepared for the test tomorrow. |
| To save time | You'll save time if you turn off your smartphone and concentrate on the lesson. |
| To find a replacement | We need to find a replacement for Jim as soon as possible. |
| To make progress | We're making progress on the project at work. |
| To do the washing up | I'll do the washing up and you can put Johnny to bed. |
Business Collocations
Collocations are often used in business and work settings. There are several forms including adjectives, nouns, and other verbs that combine with keywords to form business expressions.Here are some business collocations for specific situations.
| To open an account | Would you like to open an account at our bank? |
| To forgive a debt | Do you think the bank would forgive a debt? |
| To land a deal | We landed a deal worth $3 million. |
| To key in a PIN | Just key in your PIN at the ATM and you can make a deposit. |
| To deposit a check | I'd like to deposit this check for $100. |
| Hard-earned money | Once you get a job, you'll know what hard-earned money really is. |
| To close a deal | I closed a deal on a new account last week. |
| To write up a contract | Let's write up your contract. |
| counterfeit money | Be on the lookout for counterfeit money in circulation. |
Common Expressions
Collocations are often used as short expressions to describe how someone feels about a situation. In this case, collocations can be used in the adjective form, or also as emphatic expressions using an intensifier and a verb. Here are a few examples using some commoncollocations:
Positively encourage someone to do something | We'd like to positively encourage you to buy this stock. |
Deeply regret the loss of someone or something | I deeply regret the loss of your loved one. |
| To be in an utter fury over something | Tom's in an utter fury over the misunderstanding with his wife. |
| To go to great lengths to do something | He went to a great length to explain the situation. |
Learn more common expressions:
- Common Adjective Collocations
- Emphatic Expressions - Strong Collocations
How to Learn Collocations
You can learn collocations from many resources. Academics and teachers like to use collocation databases to help study common collocation uses. However, for students, one of the best tools is a collocation dictionary. A collocation dictionary is different from normal dictionaries in that it provides you with collocations commonly used with keywords rather than a definition. One useful dictionary is the Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English published by Oxford University Press.
More Example Collocations
Here are examples of a few of the collocations usedwith the verb "progress."
Adverbs: Nicely, satisfactorily, smoothly, well
- You are progressing smoothly in this course.
- As you further progress, you will learn more.
Verb + Progress: Fail to
- He's failing to progress at work.
Prepositions: Beyond
- She failed to progress beyond high school.
- Students should progress from this class with an improved knowledge of the subject.
Key Takeaways
- Collocations, like "make a bed" or "open an account," are common word pairings in English that sound intuitive if you're familiar with the language but may not immediately make sense if you're new to it.
- There are many common collocations in everyday life, as well as in business, such as "land a deal" or "deposit a check."
- Resources like collocation dictionaries or databases can help make learning common collocations easier.
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Your Citation
Beare, Kenneth. "Collocation Examples For English Learners." ThoughtCo, May. 29, 2024, thoughtco.com/collocation-examples-1210325.Beare, Kenneth. (2024, May 29). Collocation Examples For English Learners. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/collocation-examples-1210325Beare, Kenneth. "Collocation Examples For English Learners." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/collocation-examples-1210325 (accessed September 16, 2024).
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