Collocations in English: Word Partners, Examples and Rules

English speakers say heavy rain, not strong rain; they make a mistake, not do a mistake; they take a photograph, not make a photograph. These natural word partnerships are called collocations. Learning them is one of the quickest ways to make your English sound fluent and natural.

This guide explains what collocations are, why they matter in speaking and writing, and the main types. Its main part gives 259 collocations with example sentences, grouped by type: verb collocations (make, do, take, have and others), academic collocations, adjective and adverb partners, unit expressions such as a flash of lightning, and word-plus-preposition pairs. It also includes common mistakes, key points, ten practice questions and a teacher activity.

It pairs naturally with Synonyms in English, Idioms in English and Phrasal Verbs, and connects with Common Errors in English. Spelling in this guide follows British English.

1.What Is a Collocation?

A collocation is a combination of words that naturally go together. The word comes from the Latin collocare, meaning "to place together". The linguist J. R. Firth made the idea famous with his remark that you shall know a word by the company it keeps.

Collocations are not exact rules of grammar. They are habits of the language, and a wrong collocation, such as strong rain, is understandable but sounds unnatural to a native speaker.

Collocations, idioms and phrasal verbs

Type	Meaning	Example
Collocation	Words that often go together; the meaning of each word is clear	make a decision, heavy rain
Idiom	A fixed phrase whose meaning is not clear from the words	spill the beans
Phrasal verb	A verb plus a particle that forms a new meaning	give up
Free combination	Words that can be freely joined	read a book, red car

2.Why Collocations Matter

Natural English. Correct collocations make your speech and writing sound fluent.
Better marks. Examiners reward accurate and varied collocations in essays and speaking tests.
Faster reading and speaking. You learn chunks of language instead of single words.
Fewer errors. Many mistakes come from translating word by word from another language.

3.The Main Types of Collocation

Type	Pattern	Examples
Verb + noun	verb + object	make a decision, take a break, pay attention
Adjective + noun	adjective + noun	heavy traffic, strong tea, high price
Adverb + adjective	adverb + adjective	deeply grateful, highly successful, utterly ridiculous
Adverb + verb	adverb + verb	strongly recommend, deeply regret
Noun + noun (unit)	noun + of + noun	a piece of advice, a flash of lightning
Word + preposition	verb, adjective or noun + preposition	depend on, good at, reason for

4.Strong, Medium and Weak Collocations

Strong collocations are almost fixed: make a mistake, heavy rain, take place. A native speaker would never change them.
Medium collocations are very natural but allow some alternatives: heavy traffic or dense traffic.
Weak collocations are easily changed: a big house or a large house.

5.Collocations with MAKE

Collocation	Example sentence
make a mistake	Everyone makes a mistake sometimes.
make progress	She is making steady progress in mathematics.
make a decision	We must make a decision by Friday.
make an effort	Please make an effort to arrive early.
make a difference	Small acts of kindness can make a difference.
make an appointment	I made an appointment with the dentist.
make a suggestion	May I make a suggestion?
make money	The shop makes good money in summer.
make a complaint	He made a complaint to the manager.
make sense	The explanation does not make sense.
make friends	She quickly made friends at the new school.
make a speech	The principal made a speech at the ceremony.
make a promise	He made a promise to return.
make an excuse	Do not make an excuse for being late.
make a noise	The children made too much noise.
make peace	The two leaders agreed to make peace.

6.Collocations with DO

Collocation	Example sentence
do homework	I must do my homework tonight.
do the dishes	He does the dishes after dinner.
do harm	Too much sugar can do harm.
do good	The rain will do good to the crops.
do business	The firm does business with many countries.
do research	Students do research for their projects.
do your best	Just do your best in the exam.
do damage	The storm did serious damage.
do a favour	Could you do me a favour?
do exercise	She does exercise every morning.
do the shopping	We do the shopping on Saturdays.
do justice to	The photo does not do justice to the view.

7.Collocations with TAKE

Collocation	Example sentence
take a break	Let us take a break for ten minutes.
take a photograph	She took a photograph of the fort.
take a seat	Please take a seat.
take notes	Students should take notes in class.
take place	The ceremony will take place on Monday.
take care	Take care of your health.
take advantage of	He took advantage of the sale.
take part in	Everyone took part in the discussion.
take a chance	She took a chance and applied.
take a shower	He takes a shower before school.
take medicine	Take the medicine twice a day.
take the lead	Our team took the lead early.
take responsibility	Leaders must take responsibility.
take a risk	Do not take a risk with your health.
take into account	The judges took the difficulty into account.
take a look	Take a look at this map.
take an exam	She will take the exam in May.

8.Collocations with HAVE

Collocation	Example sentence
have a meal	We had a meal at a small restaurant.
have a bath	He had a bath after the match.
have fun	The children had fun at the fair.
have a rest	You should have a rest.
have a look	Have a look at this picture.
have a go	Have a go at the puzzle.
have a chat	Let us have a chat after class.
have an argument	They had an argument about money.
have a headache	She has a headache.
have a good time	Have a good time at the party.
have breakfast	We have breakfast at seven.
have a word with	I need to have a word with you.

9.Collocations with GET, GIVE, KEEP, PAY and BREAK

Collocation	Example sentence
get a job	He got a job at the bank.
get better	The patient is getting better.
get ready	Get ready for school.
get lost	We got lost in the old city.
get married	They got married last year.
get in touch	Please get in touch with me.
get rid of	We must get rid of this old stove.
give advice	The teacher gave useful advice.
give a hand	Can you give me a hand?
give birth	She gave birth to a baby girl.
give way	Give way to traffic from the right.
give permission	The principal gave permission.
keep a promise	A good friend keeps a promise.
keep a secret	Can you keep a secret?
keep quiet	Please keep quiet in the library.
keep calm	Keep calm during the exam.
keep in touch	We promised to keep in touch.
pay attention	Pay attention to the instructions.
pay a visit	He paid a visit to his old school.
pay a compliment	She paid him a compliment.
pay the bill	Who will pay the bill?
break a record	The athlete broke the national record.
break the law	Do not break the law.
break the news	The doctor broke the news gently.
break a promise	He never breaks a promise.
break the ice	A joke helped to break the ice.

10.Other Useful Verb Collocations

Collocation	Example sentence
catch a cold	He caught a cold in the rain.
catch a bus	She catches the bus at eight.
catch fire	The old barn caught fire.
catch sight of	I caught sight of the comet.
run a business	She runs a small business.
run a risk	You run a risk if you ignore the warning.
hold a meeting	The committee will hold a meeting.
hold an opinion	He holds a strong opinion on the matter.
hold your breath	Hold your breath and dive.
set an example	Teachers should set an example.
set a target	The firm set a high target.
set the table	Please set the table for dinner.
draw a conclusion	You cannot draw a conclusion from one result.
draw attention to	The report draws attention to the problem.
lose weight	He lost weight by walking daily.
lose your temper	Do not lose your temper.
tell a lie	It is wrong to tell a lie.
tell the truth	Always tell the truth.
say a prayer	She said a prayer before the exam.
save time	A map will save time.
spend money	Do not spend money carelessly.
waste time	Do not waste time.
ask a question	Ask a question if you are unsure.
answer the phone	Please answer the phone.
turn on the light	Turn on the light, please.

11.Academic and Exam Collocations

Collocation	Example sentence
conduct a survey	The students conducted a survey.
carry out research	Scientists carry out research in laboratories.
reach an agreement	The two sides reached an agreement.
raise awareness	The campaign raised awareness of pollution.
play a role	Education plays a key role in development.
pose a threat	Plastic poses a threat to wildlife.
meet a deadline	We must meet the deadline.
bridge the gap	Online classes can bridge the gap.
shed light on	The report sheds light on the causes.
make a contribution	She made a major contribution to science.
face a challenge	Farmers face a challenge from drought.
achieve a goal	He achieved his goal of becoming a doctor.
address an issue	The council must address the issue.
gain experience	Interns gain experience in the field.
pass a law	Parliament passed a law against pollution.
solve a problem	Engineers solved the problem.
tackle a problem	The government must tackle unemployment.
meet requirements	The candidate meets all requirements.
reach a verdict	The jury reached a verdict.
launch a campaign	The charity launched a campaign.
take measures	The school took measures to reduce noise.
express concern	Parents expressed concern about safety.
provide evidence	Scientists must provide evidence.
reduce the risk	Exercise reduces the risk of illness.
adopt a policy	The company adopted a new policy.
strike a balance	Students must strike a balance between study and play.
pursue a career	She wants to pursue a career in law.
exert pressure	Rising prices exert pressure on families.
foster growth	Good schools foster growth.
cast doubt on	The new data cast doubt on the theory.
lay the foundation	Early reading lays the foundation for learning.
spark a debate	The proposal sparked a debate.
draw a comparison	The writer draws a comparison between the two cities.

12.Collocations of Units and Groups: a _ of _

Collocation	Example sentence
a round of applause	The speaker received a round of applause.
a piece of advice	Let me give you a piece of advice.
a bar of chocolate	He bought a bar of chocolate.
a gust of wind	A gust of wind blew the papers away.
a pang of guilt	She felt a pang of guilt.
a flash of lightning	A flash of lightning lit the sky.
a burst of laughter	A burst of laughter filled the room.
a stroke of luck	Finding the key was a stroke of luck.
a ray of hope	A letter brought a ray of hope.
a sense of humour	He has a good sense of humour.
a loaf of bread	Buy a loaf of bread.
a bunch of keys	He lost a bunch of keys.
a pack of wolves	A pack of wolves roamed the hills.
a swarm of bees	A swarm of bees settled on the tree.
a herd of cattle	A herd of cattle crossed the road.
a flock of sheep	A flock of sheep grazed on the hill.
a pile of books	A pile of books lay on the desk.
a grain of rice	Not a grain of rice was wasted.
a drop of water	A drop of water fell on the page.
a spell of weather	We had a spell of dry weather.
a fit of rage	He left in a fit of rage.
a wave of panic	A wave of panic swept the crowd.
a glimmer of hope	There was a glimmer of hope.
a spark of genius	The design showed a spark of genius.
a speck of dust	There was not a speck of dust.
a slice of cake	She cut a slice of cake.
an item of news	It was a surprising item of news.
a trace of doubt	There was a trace of doubt in his voice.

13.Collocations with Prepositions

Collocation	Example sentence
good at	She is good at mathematics.
interested in	He is interested in history.
afraid of	The child is afraid of the dark.
proud of	We are proud of our school.
keen on	She is keen on gardening.
famous for	Agra is famous for its fort.
responsible for	The captain is responsible for the crew.
different from	My opinion is different from yours.
similar to	The two designs are similar to each other.
aware of	Are you aware of the rules?
capable of	He is capable of better work.
guilty of	The man was found guilty of theft.
tired of	I am tired of waiting.
worried about	She is worried about the test.
angry with (a person)	He was angry with his brother.
disappointed with	We were disappointed with the result.
satisfied with	The teacher was satisfied with the project.
married to	She is married to a doctor.
surprised at	I was surprised at the news.
kind to	Be kind to animals.
dependent on	The village is dependent on rainfall.
reason for	What is the reason for the delay?
solution to	We found a solution to the problem.
increase in	There was an increase in prices.
cause of	Pollution is a cause of illness.
effect on	Noise has an effect on sleep.
key to	Practice is the key to success.
access to	Students need access to books.
demand for	There is a high demand for nurses.
difference between	What is the difference between the two words?
attitude towards	His attitude towards work is positive.
respect for	Show respect for your elders.
depend on	Success depends on effort.
rely on	You can rely on him.
belong to	This book belongs to me.
believe in	I believe in hard work.
apologise for	He apologised for the delay.
suffer from	She suffers from headaches.
succeed in	They succeeded in finishing early.
insist on	He insisted on paying.
consist of	The team consists of ten players.
accuse of	They accused him of cheating.

14.Adjective and Noun Partners

Many adjectives have the same meaning but go with different nouns. Learn which nouns each adjective usually takes.

Adjective	Common nouns	Example sentence
heavy	rain, traffic, snow, smoker, burden, fine	There was heavy traffic on the bridge.
strong	tea, coffee, wind, evidence, feeling, accent	The wind was too strong for the boats.
high	price, speed, temperature, standard, hopes, risk	Expectations are high this year.
deep	sleep, breath, sorrow, concern, thought, voice	He fell into a deep sleep.
bitter	disappointment, cold, truth, enemy, taste	A bitter wind blew from the north.
light	rain, sleeper, meal, breeze, traffic	We had a light meal.
quick	glance, reply, decision, shower, look	She took a quick glance at the clock.
great	success, importance, pleasure, deal, difficulty	The festival was a great success.
big	mistake, surprise, problem, decision, fan	Skipping revision was a big mistake.
large	amount, number, quantity, population, crowd	A large number of students attended.
wide	range, variety, selection, gap	The shop offers a wide range of books.
slim	chance, hope, majority	There is a slim chance of rain.
close	friend, relative, attention, contact, call	They are close friends.
fierce	competition, storm, debate, loyalty	The race produced fierce competition.
vague	idea, memory, promise, answer	I have a vague memory of the trip.
rich	culture, history, harvest, diet	The country has a rich culture.
clear	evidence, instructions, view, conscience	The report gives clear evidence.
bright	future, idea, colour, student	She has a bright future.
mild	weather, climate, punishment, form	The weather was mild in March.
hard	work, luck, evidence, truth, time	Success needs hard work.
fresh	air, start, fruit, evidence	Let us make a fresh start.
sound	advice, judgement, sleep, reasoning	He gave sound advice.
raging	fire, storm, debate	A raging fire destroyed the barn.
wild	guess, applause, rumour, animals	It was a wild guess.

15.Adverb and Adjective Partners

Adverbs of degree are choosy. You can say deeply grateful but not highly grateful.

Adverb	Common adjectives	Example sentence
deeply	grateful, concerned, moved, rooted	We are deeply grateful for your help.
highly	successful, skilled, unlikely, recommended, competitive	The book is highly recommended.
utterly	ridiculous, impossible, miserable, exhausted	The idea is utterly ridiculous.
fully	aware, qualified, booked, loaded	She is fully aware of the risks.
bitterly	cold, disappointed, opposed	It was a bitterly cold night.
perfectly	clear, normal, safe, natural	The instructions are perfectly clear.
completely	different, wrong, satisfied, ignored	The two plans are completely different.
extremely	important, difficult, kind, useful	Water is extremely important.
seriously	ill, injured, damaged, considered	The driver was seriously injured.
widely	known, available, used, believed	The theory is widely believed.
absolutely	essential, necessary, certain, delighted	Sleep is absolutely essential.
fiercely	competitive, independent, loyal	The two schools are fiercely competitive.
painfully	slow, shy, aware, obvious	The progress was painfully slow.
strictly	forbidden, confidential, speaking	Smoking is strictly forbidden.

16.Adverb and Verb Partners

Adverb	Common verbs	Example sentence
strongly	recommend, disagree, believe, oppose	I strongly recommend this book.
firmly	believe, refuse, establish	She firmly believes in fair play.
seriously	consider, doubt, injure	Please consider the offer seriously.
deeply	regret, appreciate, respect	We deeply regret the delay.
sincerely	hope, apologise, thank	I sincerely hope you succeed.
warmly	welcome, greet, thank	The guests were warmly welcomed.
heavily	criticise, rely, depend	The report heavily criticised the plan.
gently	remind, push, correct	He gently reminded her of the time.
carefully	consider, examine, plan	Read the question carefully.
closely	follow, watch, resemble	Watch the demonstration closely.

17.Common Mistakes with Collocations

Many collocation mistakes come from translating directly from another language. The table gives the natural English form.

Incorrect	Correct	Why
She did a mistake.	She made a mistake.	The verb make is used with mistake.
I make my homework.	I do my homework.	Do is used with homework and chores.
strong rain	heavy rain	Rain is described as heavy or light.
heavy tea	strong tea	Tea is strong or weak.
quick food	fast food	Fast food is a fixed collocation.
do a decision	make a decision	Use make with decision.
make a photo	take a photo	Use take with photo.
do a speech	make a speech	Use make with speech.
say a lie	tell a lie	Use tell with lie and truth.
open the light	turn on the light	Use turn on for lights and machines.
take a bath (when you mean eat)	have a meal	Use have with meals.
do a noise	make a noise	Use make with noise.
big rain	heavy rain	Big does not collocate with rain.
catch a decision	reach a decision	Reach is more formal.
look TV	watch TV	Use watch with TV.

18.How to Learn Collocations

Learn words in chunks. Write make a decision, not just decision.
Use a collocations dictionary, or the example sentences in a learner's dictionary.
Notice partners while reading and highlight them.
Group by key words. Make a page for make, do, take and have.
Record in sentences, then reuse them in your own writing within a week.
Do not translate word by word. Check each new combination in a dictionary.

Key points to remember

A collocation is a natural combination of words that often go together.
Learn words in chunks, not alone.
Use make with mistake, decision, effort and progress; do with homework, research and damage; take with a break, a photograph and a risk.
Adjectives and adverbs are choosy: heavy rain, strong tea, deeply grateful.
Learn the preposition with the word: good at, depend on, reason for.
Do not translate collocations word by word from another language.

For teachers and parents

Activity: give students ten verbs (make, do, take, have, give, keep, pay, break, catch, hold) and ask them to match each with five nouns from a list, then to write one sentence for each. For older students, ask them to find five academic collocations in a news article and to use them in a short paragraph.

Please note: this guide uses British English. Some collocations differ in American English, for example have a bath (British) and take a bath (American), and take a decision (British) alongside make a decision (more common).

Where These Facts Come From

Cambridge DictionaryEntries with example sentences and word partners
British Council LearnEnglishFree vocabulary and collocation lessons
Oxford Learner's DictionariesCollocation notes in entries