ENGLISH BC NOUNS 7

                                                                   WORD COLLOCATION

IMPORTANT NOTES:

A collocation is a combination of words that are commonly used together; the simplest way of describing collocations is to say that they ‘just sound right’ to native English speakers. Other combinations that may mean the same thing would seem ‘unnatural’. Collocations include noun phrases like stiff wind and weapons of mass destruction, phrasal verbs such as to get together and other stock phrases such as the rich and famous.

It is important to learn collocations, because they are important for the naturalisation of one’s speech. Besides, they broaden one’s scope for expression.

Here are 15 of the most common collocations used by English natives...

1.    'Have a good/great time'

MEANING: To enjoy oneself greatly.
We're having such a great time here. 


2. 'Do me a favour'
MEANING: To ask another person to do something for you in order to help out.
Could you please do me a favour? It would be a great help.


3. 'Make a difference'
MEANING: To have an important effect on someone/something (particularly a good effect).
This scheme will certainly make a difference to my job.


4. 'Take a break'
MEANING: To rest from an activity.
I wish you could just take a break from work and come and join us.


5. 'Break the law'
MEANING: To conduct something that is illegal.
They have broken the law so they will be arrested. 


6. 'Catch the bus'
MEANING: To use public transport to take your somewhere.
When you finish work, you'll have to catch the bus tonight because I won't be back until late.


7. 'Pay your respects'
MEANING: To show your respect to someone/something.
Their grandmother had passed away so they went to pay their respects.


8. 'Save yourself the trouble'
MEANING: To not worry about helping out as your help is not required. 
Don't worry about picking me up from the station; save yourself the trouble.


9. 'Keep the change'
MEANING: To not accept the monetary change from a purchase.
Keep that change and put it towards your charity.


10. 'Come under attack'
MEANING: To be forced to experience something unpleasant. 
The soldiers were quietly waiting in position, to suddenly come under attack by their enemy.


11. 'Go bald'
MEANING: To lose your hair.
Have you noticed that you are going bald?


12. 'Get the sack'
MEANING: To be fired from an employment.
He got the sack this morning.


13. 'Bang on time'
MEANING: To be on time for a meeting/event.
She was bang on time.


14. 'From dawn till dusk'
MEANING: A period of time from sunrise to sunset (usually used to refer to an activity lasting all day)
I have to work from dawn till dusk on the farm.

15. 'Take your time'
MEANING: To complete a task slowly, carefully and accurately to get it right.

Don't rush, take your time

Here is a list of collocations to help you get started:

Collocations starting with the verb ‘do’

Do me a favour
Do the cooking
Do the housework
Do the shopping
Do the washing up
Do your best
Do your hair

Collocations with the verb ‘have’

Have a good time

Have a bath
Have a drink
Have a haircut
Have a holiday
Have a problem
Have a relationship
Have lunch
Have sympathy

Collocations with the verb ‘break’

Break the law

Break a leg
Break a promise
Break a record
Break someone's heart
Break the ice
Break the news to someone
Break the rules

Collocations with the verb ‘take’

Take a break

Take a chance
Take a look
Take a rest
Take a seat
Take a taxi
Take an exam
Take notes
Take someone's place

Collocations with the verb ‘make’

Make a difference

Make a mess
Make a mistake
Make a noise
Make an effort
Make money
Make progress
Make room
Make trouble

2.    Collocations with the verb ‘catch’

Catch the bus

Catch a ball
Catch a cold
Catch a thief
Catch fire
Catch sight of
Catch someone's attention
Catch someone's eye
Catch the flu

Collocations with the verb ‘pay’

Pay respect

Pay a fine
Pay attention
Pay by credit card
Pay cash
Pay interest
Pay someone a visit
Pay the bill
Pay the price

Collocations with the verb ‘keep’

Keep the change

Keep a promise
Keep a secret
Keep an appointment
Keep calm
Keep in touch
Keep quiet
Keep someone's place

Collocations with the verb ‘save’

Save yourself the trouble

Save electricity
Save energy
Save money
Save someone a seat
Save someone's life
Save something to a disk
Save time

Collocations with the verb ‘go’

Go bald

Go abroad
Go astray
Go bad
Go bankrupt
Go blind
Go crazy
Go fishing
Go mad
Go missing
Go online
Go out of business
Go overseas
Go quiet
Go sailing
Go to war

Collocations with the verb ‘come’

Come under attack

Come close
Come direct
Come early
Come first
Come into view
Come last
Come late
Come on time
Come prepared
Come right back
Come to a decision
Come to an agreement
Come to an end
Come to a standstill
Come to terms with
Come to a total of

Collocations with the verb ‘get’

Get the sack

Get a life

Get a job
Get a shock
Get angry
Get divorced
Get drunk
Get frightened
Get home
Get lost
Get married

Get permission
Get ready
Get started
Get the impression
Get upset
Get wet
Get worried

Collocations related to time

Bang on time
Dead on time
Free time
From dawn till dusk
Great deal of time
Early/late 15th century
Make time for
Next few days
Past few weeks
Right on time
Run out of time
Time goes by
Time passes
Waste time

Collocations related to business English

Annual turnover
Keep in mind
Break off negotiations
Close a deal
Close a meeting
Come to the point
Dismiss an offer
Draw a conclusion
Draw your attention to
Launch a new product
Go bankrupt
Go into partnership
Make a profit/loss

 EXCERCISES FOR PRACTICE

                                     Circle the correct word in the bracket

1.       He took a (special/long/meager) time to finish his work.

2.       It was a (hard/severe/complex) struggle for her to bring up the children on her own.

3.       3. He served his master with (huge/great/big) devotion for many years.

4.       I cut the string of the parcel with the (kitchen/garden/house) knife.

5.       Be careful. There is (fresh/free/loose) paint on the door.

6.       We are (good/admirable/fast) friends with her neighbour.

7.       The recipe for a (happy/glad/pleased) family is to sit together at dinner.

8.       You have to climb 150 (high/precipitous/steep) steps to reach the top of the building.

9.       Columbus made an (important/material/meaningful) discovery though he did not know it.

Every day they earned enough for their (common/daily/frequent) ne