Collocations

Collocations

Let´s study!

What is a collocation?

It´s a combination of two or more words which frequently occur together. 

`She’s got yellow hair’

 ‘She’s got blond hair’. 

• Yellow doesn’t collocate with hair in everyday English.

• Yellow collocates with, say, flowers or paint.

Collocations are not just a matter of how adjectives combine with nouns. They can refer to any kind of typical word combination.

• verb + noun (e.g. arouse someone’s interest, lead a seminar).

•  adverb + adjective (e.g. fundamentally different).

•  adverb + verb (e.g. flatly contradict)

•  noun + noun (e.g. a lick of paint, a team of experts, words of wisdom).

Reminder

Phrasal verbs (e.g. come up with, run up) and compound nouns (e.g. economy drive, stock market) are sometimes described as types of collocations.

Learners also need to know when specific collocations are appropriate. This is usually referred to by linguists as knowing which register to use. 

 Alight from a bus vs getting off a bus

Why is it important to learn collocations?

•  Use the words you know more accurately.

•  Vary your speech and, probably more importantly, your writing. Instead of repeating everyday words like very, good or nice, you will be able to exploit a wider range of language. 

Open Ended

You can't protest in the street unless you've been given permission by the council first.

Open Ended

I hope that someone will give me a hand with these bags.

Open Ended

I gave a presentation on the value of betting on scientific predictions.

Open Ended

Four men laid claim to the leadership.

Open Ended

James is trying to lay the blame on G, because in his heart of hearts he knows that he's responsible for what happens to his kid.

Open Ended

Make the beds and lay the table, please.

Open Ended

I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the South African people.

Open Ended

You can also take the chance to pay a compliment on the person, like "By the way, that shirt looks cool on you".

Open Ended

Hank, you can't run a business without infrastructure.

Open Ended

The team realistically never stood a chance of beating Real Madrid.

Some collocations

• Give permission: to allow or permit somebody to do something.

  Give a presentation: It means deliver, write the emphasis on the fact that you are presenting something to an audience.

  Lay claim to: assert that one has a right to something.

  Lay the blame on: to say that someone or something deserves to be considered responsible for something that has happened.

  Lay the table: to place and arrange things to be used while eating a meal, such as napkins, etc.

Pay tribute to: to honor and praise (someone).

Pay a compliment: to give someone praise, especially for a specific accomplishment or trait.

Run a Bussines: to operate, to manage, to direct.

Stand a chance: to have a chance of success.

Stand a trial: If someone stands trial, they are tried in court for a crime they are accused of.

Stand for parliament: to stand as a candidate.

Multiple Choice

Which word does not fix the given word?

GIVE

• permission

• someone a favour

• a presentation

• someone a hand

Multiple Choice

LAY

• claim to

• the blame on

• the table

• an excuse

Multiple Choice

MAKE

• a mistake

• plans

• a noise

• your best

Multiple Choice

PAY

• attention

• a ticket

• tribute to

• a compliment

Multiple Choice

RUN

• an exercise

• a business

• a race

• a campaign

Multiple Choice

SHOOT 

• a film

• past someone

• an arrow

• a camera

Multiple Choice

STAND

• a possibility

• a chance

• trial

• for parliament

Multiple Choice

TAKE

• care

• measurements

• a promise

• the train