One of the joys of learning a language is that there’s always room for improvement, no matter your level. For instance, learning collocations can greatly enhance how you come across as an English speaker.”

 

A major + impact is an example of two words that collocate, i.e. that sound natural together. 

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of collocations, let’s first establish what they are.

 

Definition by Cambridge Dictionary ​Collocation [C] also collocate, a word or phrase that is often used with another word or phrase, in a way that sounds correct to people who have spoken the language all their lives, but might not be expected from the meaning: In the phrase “a hard frost“, “hard” is a collocation of “frost” and “strong” would not sound natural.

Crystal-clear! We don’t make a picture but take a picture. We brush our teeth, rather than wash our teeth.

Now, what type of collocations are there in terms of word combinations?

The examples I have set right before are of the type:

Verb + Noun

In the following paragraph, you can find several verb + noun collocations (written in bold).

If you want to captivate your audience when giving a presentation, tell a story that captures their imagination. Pay attention to details, vary your pace and slow down at key moments. Aim to create a lasting impression.

Notice how the collocation in Spanish would be “prestar atención” – Lend instead of pay.

This time the text illustrates noun+noun collocates.

FACEBOOK IN THE PUBLIC EYE 

Today’s newspaper headlines report the apology issued by the social network founder and chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg for the data breach that occurred during the U.S. election, which led to Facebook users’ private data being exploited by a political consultancy.

Where I have used bold, you could use a highlighter if you are reading on paper (or use a notebook to jot down the collocates you find useful). When it comes to collocations, nothing beats learning them in context. 

This time, we’ll focus on adjectives preceding nouns.

There is a strong chance of heavy traffic in the days to come as large numbers of holidaymakers will be flooding the roads. Severe traffic jams on key routes to popular destinations are likely to occur.

How can we add more detail to an adjective? By using an adverb before it. Here are some examples:

When we set off on a backpacking trip to Eastern Europe in the 90s, we were fully aware of how reasonably priced the cost of living was then. In fact, as students trying to get by on part-time job wages, that affordability  was one of our main motivations. Still, we were pleasantly surprised by the ridiculously cheap prices in Youth Hostels. A dorm room just five minutes away from the remarkably beautiful Charles Bridge in Prague cost less than a euro. It was undoubtedly no-frills lodging but incredibly well-located.

Perfectly aware could work here too, or either acutely or well.

Something can be both ridiculously cheap or ridiculously expensive.

Beautiful can be modified in the same way by all the adverbs that follow and thus avoid duller words like “really” or “very”: astonishingly, breathtakingly, dazzlingly, incredibly, staggeringly, startlingly, strikingly, stunningly, unbelievably and wonderfully. 

Let’s now explore verb + adverb collocation.

How to attach an Ikea hook with a suction cup to a tiled surface.

Clean the area thoroughly. Press hard. Screw firmly and it should grip tightly to any smooth surface – at least in theory… until it comes off, in my experience. 

On the topic of verb + adverb collocations, here are some more examples: listen carefully, read avidly, speak clearly, write extensively, think positively and study systematically.

To exemplify this word combination (noun + verb), I’ll make use of a selection of animal sounds:

TO CONCLUDE