Vocabular

Collocation
 Collocation
Types

Short
Why? Text

Definition Exercise

Differential
 Definition
What is a collocation?

Collocation is a pair of or group of words that are often used

together (word partner). These combinations sound natural to
native speakers, but students of English have to make a special
effort to learn them because they are often difficult to guess. Some
combinations just sound wrong to native speaker of English. For
example the adjective fast collocates with food, but not with a meal.
 Definition

Sometimes, a pair of words may not be obviously wrong, and

people will understand what is meant, but it may not be the natural,
normal collocation. If someone says I did a few mistakes they will
be understood, but fluent English would probably say I made a few
mistakes.
If you want to use a word naturally, you need to learn the other
words often go with in it. It can be different from language to
language. For example, in English we say:
 I missed the bus. (NOT I lost the bus)
 She committed suicide. (NOT she undertook or did suicide)
 Definition
Here are examples of collocation:
Natural English Unnatural English
The fast train The quick train

Fast food Quick food

A quick shower A fast shower

A quick meal A fast meal

Not a strong smoker
A heavy smoker
Or a big smoker
A serious illness Not a strong or big
illness
Miss the bus Not lost the bus

Made a mistake Not did a mistake

 Why should we learn it?

Your language will be more natural and more easily understood. Smoking is
strictly forbidden is more natural than smoking is strongly forbidden.

It is easier for our brains to remember and use language in chunks or

blocks rather than as single words.

You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing yourself.

Instead of saying it was very cold and very dark; we can say it was
bitterly cold and pitch dark.

Improve your style in writing. We may not need or want to use these in
informal conversations, but in writing they can give our text more variety
and make it read better.
 Types of collocation

Lexical and Grammatical Collocations

Lexical Collocation is a type of construction where a verb,

noun, adjective or adverb forms a predictable connection with
another word, as in:
 Adverb + Adjective : completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)
 Adjective + Noun : excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)
 Noun + Verb : lions roar (NOT lions shout)
 Verb + Noun : commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
 Types of collocation

Grammatical Collocation is a type of construction where for

example a verb or adjective must be followed by a particular
preposition, or a noun must be followed by a particular form of
the verb, as in:
 Verb + Preposition : depend on (NOT depend of)
 Adjective + Preposition : afraid of (NOT afraid at)
 Noun + Particular form of verb: strength to lift it (not strength lifting it)
 Types of collocation

Adverb + Adjective e.g. : fully aware, happily married, etc.

• I am fully aware that it is impossible to finish the task in a week.
That sweet couple are happily married.

Adjective + Noun e.g. : major problem, brief chat, etc.

• Unemployment is a major problem for the government at the moment.
The lecturers had a brief chat about the students‘ field work at the administration
office.
Noun + Noun e.g. :a sense of pride, a pang of nostalgia, etc.
• If people have a sense of pride in their town, they are more likely to behave well
there.
Older people feel a pang of nostalgia as they think back on their schooldays.
 Types of collocation

Verb + Noun
e.g. : launch the product, pose a problem, etc.
• The increase in oil prices certainly poses a problem for us.
We are going to launch a new automatic motor in June 2012.

Verb + Adverb
e.g. : smiled happily, whispered softly, etc.
• Nadia smiled happily as she watched the children playing in the garden.
My mother whispered softly in my ear that she would always love me.
 Types of collocation

Noun + Verb
e.g. : lions roar, economy booms, etc.
• The lion roars in the zoo.
The economy boomed in 1990s.

Verb + Expression
With Preposition e.g. : burst into tears, swelling with pride, etc.
• When he saw his exam results, Rooney burst into tears.
Swelling with pride, Stanley watched his daughter pick up her violin and play.
 Collocations

1. make: a rest / a mess / your bed

2. Move: house / with the times / dinner
3. Do: the housework / a lot of noise / the dishes
4. Take: a bath / a break / a coffee
WHICH IS THE ODD ONE OUT?
1. Don't make a mess, i just cleaned it up
1. We should consider moving houses soon
2. Please make your bed after you wake up.
2. You need to move with the times in order to keep up with other people
3. I will do the dishes once we finish eating dinner.
3. Aunt Mary ask her children to do the housework during the weekends.
4. I 'm sweaty , i have to take a bath.
I have to take a break, because i'm tired.
 Differential

How collocations differ from Compound

words and Idiom?
Collocations should not be confused with idioms although
both are similar in that there is a degree of meaning present in
the collocation or idiom that is not entirely compositional. With
idioms, the meaning is completely non-compositional whereas
collocations are mostly compositional.
It is also not always easy to separate collocation and
compounds and where they are useful for learners or an
important part of the vocabulary of a topic.
 Differential
How collocations differ from Compound
words and Idiom?

Compound
Compounds are units of meaning formed with two or
more words. Sometimes the words are written
separately, sometimes they have a hyphen and
sometimes they are written as one word. Usually the
meaning of the compound can be guessed by knowing
the meaning of the individual words. Some examples of
compounds are bookstore, post office, narrow-minded,
etc.
 Differential

Idiom
Idioms are group of words in a fixed order that have a
meaning that cannot be guessed by knowing meaning of
the individual words. For example, pass the buck is an
idiom meaning to pass responsibility for a problem to
another person to avoid dealing with it oneself.
- I think i will hit the sack now. I’m feeling tired
-There is no pain, no gain when it comes to excelling in
sports.
- My sister is feeling under the weather. She will not attend
her classes today
- My homework is a piece of cake. I can get it done fast.
 Exercis
e
Put the following expressions into the correct
category in the table below.
Ensure safety - heavy rain - teapot - break a leg - pitch dark –
passport - by the way – hat trick
Collocation Idiom Compound

Ensure safety Break a leg Heavy rain

Pitch dark Hat trick teapot

By the way passport