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Collocations

Collocations

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English

University

Hard

Created by

Elisa Caballero

Used 22+ times

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10 Slides • 0 Questions

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Collocations

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Collocations

  • A collocation is a group of words that go together. As you get more advanced in English, more and

    more of your progress depends on knowing collocations.


    An example of a collocation is 'heavy rain'. We always say 'heavy' here. We can't say 'big' or 'thick' or

    'strong'.

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  • Here are some verb + noun collocations. We very often use these verbs with these nouns.


    • to maintain standards

    • to shirk responsibility

    • to meet a deadline

    • to avert a disaster

    • to accomplish a mission

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Le's practice!

1. You still need to wash, even when you're camping. You should  

_________________________ standards! 

2. Thank goodness you hit the brakes so quickly! You really _________________________ a  disaster there. 

3. Hurray! I found some Japanese food. I have _________________________ my mission! 4. He never volunteers for any projects and always _________________________ responsibility. 

5. She really isn't sure if she can _________________________ the deadline. There's still a lot  of work to do. 


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6. I think if we call the client now and explain, we can _________________________ a disaster. 7. It's your job to take out the rubbish! Don't _________________________ responsibility! 8. All the books must be checked very carefully before we publish them, to  _________________________ 

standards. 

9. I can't believe you _________________________ the deadline! You worked really fast. 

10. His mission is to change the world. Can he _________________________ it?


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Answers:


1. You still need to wash, even when you're camping. You should maintain standards!

 2. Thank goodness you hit the brakes so quickly! You really averted a disaster there.

 3. Hurray! I found some Japanese food. I have accomplished my mission!

 4. He never volunteers for any projects and always shirks responsibility.

 5. She really isn't sure if she can meet the deadline. There's still a lot of work to do.

 6. I think if we call the client now and explain, we can avert a disaster.

 7. It's your job to take out the rubbish! Don't shirk responsibility! 

 8. All the books must be checked very carefully before we publish them, to maintain standards. 

9. I can't believe you met the deadline! You worked really fast. 

10. His mission is to change the world. Can he accomplish it?



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Here are some more collocations. Collocations are so important for really moving your English to an  advanced level. 



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• a speck of dust 

• a gust of wind 

• a wave of panic 

• a shred of evidence 

• a stroke of luck 


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Let's practice!

1. The house was so clean that there wasn't a _______________ of dust anywhere. 2. A _______________ of panic swept through the room at the bad news. 

3. You don't have a _______________ of evidence that the bike was stolen. 4. A _______________ of wind blew the papers onto the floor. 

5. The train was delayed so we didn't miss it! That was a _______________ of luck! 6. The detective was sure that James was guilty, even though he didn't have a _______________ of evidence. 

7. She felt a _______________ of panic when she heard the ambulance. 

8. Please make sure your room is clean! I don't want to see a _______________ of dust  anywhere! 

9. John is coming to help us! That's a _______________ of luck! 

10. There was a _______________ of wind and he felt the first raindrops.



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Answers 


1. The house was so clean that there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. 

2. A wave of panic swept through the room at the bad news. 

3. You don't have a shred of evidence that the bike was stolen. 

4. A gust of wind blew the papers onto the floor. 

5. The train was delayed so we didn't miss it! That was a stroke of luck! 

6. The detective was sure that James was guilty, even though he didn't have a shred of evidence.

7. She felt a wave of panic when she heard the ambulance. 

8. Please make sure your room is clean! I don't want to see a speck of dust anywhere!

9. John is coming to help us! That's a stroke of luck! 

10. There was a gust of wind and he felt the first raindrops.


Collocations

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