Collocations

Collocations are a vital aspect of the English language, particularly in business settings, where certain nouns are frequently combined with certain verbs or adjectives to form a specific expression. A collocation is defined as a pair or group of words that typically co-occur in a language with greater frequency than would be expected by chance. They can be difficult for non-native English speakers to learn because they do not always follow strict grammatical rules.

Here are some examples of common collocations in English, organised by verb:

1. break a record – She broke a record in the high jump.
2. catch a bus – I need to catch the bus to get to work.
3. draw a conclusion – After analysing the data, we can draw a conclusion.
4. fall asleep – He always falls asleep while watching TV.
5. get a degree – She’s planning to get a degree in psychology.
6. hold a meeting – We need to hold a meeting to discuss the project.
7. make a decision – It’s time to make a decision about our vacation plans.
8. pay attention – Please pay attention to the safety rules.
9. take a break – Let’s take a break and grab some coffee.
10. run a business – My uncle runs a successful bakery.
11. do the dishes – I’ll do the dishes after dinner.
12. go on a trip – They’re planning to go on a trip to Europe next summer.
13. give a presentation – He’s nervous about giving a presentation at the conference.
14. have a conversation – I enjoy having conversations with people from different cultures.
15. keep a promise – It’s important to keep your promises.
16. lose weight – She’s been trying to lose weight for months.
17. take a picture – Let’s take a picture to remember this moment.
18. tell a lie – She told a lie to avoid getting in trouble.
19. write an essay – I have to write an essay for my literature class.
20. break the news – I don’t know how to break the news to her that she didn’t get the job.