COLLOCATIONS:
I. Definition:
1.
Conventional combination of words are called collocations
2.
Collocation is the way in which some words are often used together.
3.
Collocation= word partners
4,
Collocation is the way in which particular words tend to occur or being
together
5. A
collocation refers to two or more words that often go together snd have a specific meaning
II. WHY
COLLOCATION:
·
Language
more natural, more easily understood.
·
Knowledge
of word partners is important for developing
a rich and more interesting use of English
·
Knowledge
of collocations help us to speak and write natural and correct English
·
Help
expressing the idea naturally and correctly
III. EXAMPLES:
1. We say heavy rain , but we don’t say
Strong
rain
Heavy collocates with the
noun rain, but strong does not.
2. We say a hard frost , but we don’t say
a strong frost
3. My grandfather made this
house. It sounds strange. Because we usually say
My grandfather built this house.
IV some
combinations are wrong.
You cannot say, ‘She did a mistake.’ But
You can say, ‘ She made
a mistake
V. SOME WORD PARTNERS:
1. a fine poem
2. an impressive performance
3. a brilliant career
4. a helpful suggestion
5. a great success
Note: Learners tend to use the same
basic word ( for example, good) again and again.
VI. We say:
Meals will be served outside on the terrace, weather permitting
Not
weather allowing
‘Allow’ and ‘permit’ have very similar meanings. But
in this combination only permitting is correct.
Permitting collocates with weather and allowing does not.
VII .We can say:
1. I fully understand but
not
I fully
like
2. I rather like but not
I rather understand
3. I firmly believe but not
I firmly think
4. a heavy smoker or a devoted friend but not
a devoted smoker or a heavy
friend
VIII SOME
MORE EXAMPLES:
1. a burning desire not a blazing desire
2. a blazing row but not a burning row
3. a golden opportunity not a golden
chance
4. change one’s mind not change
one’s thought
5. thanks a lot not thank you a lot
IX. All
languages have collocations:
Tamil
தென்னை மரம் கோழிக் குஞ்சு
ஆட்டுக் குட்டி கன்றுக் குட்டி
மாட்டுக்கன்று யானைக்குட்டி
நாய் குட்டி
X. SOME MORE EXAMPLES:
Heavy rain not thick rain
High temperature not tall temperature
A fast train not a quick train
Fast food not
quick food
A quick meal not a fast meal
XI We commit suicide
We do regular exercise
We give a round of applause
We propose a vote of thanks
XII.
EXERCISE:
1. Fill in the blanks with right
option to complete collocations(AU Dec/Nov 2017)
1. The prisoner tried
to………… suicide in the jail ( do/make/ commit/ take)
2. She ……….. her teacher a visit after returning from
abroad. (paid/ made/ gave/ did)
3. I cut all the vegetables the previous night to………..
Time in the morning.( make/ buy/ kill/ save)
4. The officer………. ( pay/ had) sympathy on the
manager and offered financial support.
5. The dog in our house……… ( went /get )
missing when we moved to a new place.
2. Give a word that collocates with
the following:
1. Mountainous…………… (region)
2. remote……………………… (
control/ car/ sensing/ place…)
3. drastic…………………………(
changes/ steps)
4. fast……………………………..(
food/ train/…)
3. Fill in the blanks with right
options to complete the collocations:
1. He tried to ……… ( give/ suggest/ recommend/
take) her some advice but she wouldn’t
listen.
2. She is slowly getting……….. ( well,/ better/
ok/ healthy) after the accident.
3. Castles are a ………….( common/frequent/ usual/
typical sight in Spain.
4. Cutting out sugar from his diet is………. ( top/
big/ up/ high) on his list.
4. Door…………. ( delivery, step)
5.
Mobile………. ( phone, court, library, van)
6. Tell me who you go with and I shall tell you
who you are
EXERCISE:
I. Choose the word that collocates
with the given word and complete the sentence:
1. the man had a miraculous…………. ( day/ escape)
when the bus ………. ( fell/ met)
with an accident.
2. the patient is
making ………….. ( progress/ attempt) after the accident. But his
dog went……….. ( alone/ missing)
2. Choose the word that collocates
with the given word and complete the sentence:
1. There was ………… ( heavy/ high) rain in Ooty
yesterday, yet we ………… ( went/ walked) for trekking.
2. He was …………
( wearing/ using) sunglasses and
………… ( carrying / wearing an umbrella.
Common collocations:
Common collocations – nouns which naturally
follow verbs
1.Three of the
following nouns follow the verb ‘catch’ very naturally. Which verb and noun
combination does NOT go together?
a) catch a fish
b) catch a bus
c)
catch a cold
d) catch a new word in English
2. “Excuse me, would you mind __________ a
photo of me and my girlfriend?”
a) making
b) taking
c)
catching
d) doing
3. Three of the following nouns follow the
verb ‘have’ very naturally. Which verb and noun combination does NOT go
together?
a)
have a meeting
b) have a baby
c) have a cup of coffee
d)
have business with someone
4. “Could you _________ me a favour? Would
you mind answering the phone for a minute – I need to pop out to the post
office.”
a)
do
b)
make
c) take
d) all of the above answers
5. Which of the following verbs do NOT fit
into this sentence: “The Health Authority has _____________ its decision and
will now allow the fertility treatment to go ahead.”
a)
altered
b)
changed
c) moved
d) reversed
6. Three of the following nouns follow the
verb ‘make’ very naturally. Which verb and noun combination does NOT go
together?
a)
make your bed in the morning
b)
make progress
c)
make a noise
d) make the weekly shopping
ANSWERS:
Common collocations – nouns which naturally follow verbs
1. Three of the following nouns follow the verb ‘catch’
very naturally. Which verb and noun combination does NOT go together?
a) catch a fish
b) catch a bus
c) catch a cold
d)
catch a new word in English
a) This is not the answer because we can
say: The number of fish being caught in the North Sea is decreasing.
b) This is not the answer because we can say: I usually catch the
number 22 into town.
c) This is not the answer because we can say: I feel awful – I’ve
caught a horrible cold.
d) You can say: ‘I
didn’t catch it’ if you didn’t understand, but usually you learn or pick up a
new word.
2. “Excuse me, would
you mind __________ a photo of me and my girlfriend?”
a) making
b) taking
c) catching
d) doing
a) You cannot make a
photo in this situation.
b) In English we say take a photo.
c) You cannot catch a photo in this situation.
d) You cannot do a
photo in this situation.
3.Three of the following nouns follow the verb ‘have’
very naturally. Which verb and noun combination does NOT go together?
a) have a meeting
b) have a baby
c) have a cup of coffee
d) have business with
someone
a) This is not the
answer because we can say: Don’t forget, we’re having a meeting at 11.00.
b) This is not the answer because we can say:
Have you heard? Jane’s having a baby!
c) This is not the
answer because we can say: I’m going to have a cup of coffee. Do you want one?
d) We usually use the verb ‘do’ with business,
e.g. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you!
4. “Could you _________ me a favour? Would
you mind answering the phone for a minute – I need to pop out to the post
office.”
a) do
b)
make
c) take
d) all of the above answers
a) If we want someone to help us, we say:
‘Could you do me a favour?”
b) What do we say if we want someone to
help us?
c)
What do we say if we want someone to help us?
d)
Only one of the verb + noun combinations is correct.
5. Which of the following verbs do NOT fit
into this sentence: “The Health Authority has _____________ its decision and
will now allow the fertility treatment to go ahead.”
a)
altered
b)
changed
c) moved
d) reversed
a) Alter is very similar in meaning to
change but it's used in more formal situations and can sometimes mean to
'change slightly’.
b) To 'change a decision' is a common
collocation which is used in many situations, both formal and informal.
c) This is the right answer because ‘move its decision’ is not correct.
d)
To 'reverse its decision' is often used in formal situations; it means to go
back to the situation as it was BEFORE the decision was made.
6. Three of the following nouns follow the verb ‘make’ very naturally. Which verb and noun combination does not go together?
a) make your bed in the morning
b) make progress
c) make a noise
d) make the weekly shopping
a) This is not the answer because we can say: I never make my bed in the morning – I never have enough time!
b) This is not the answer because we can say: I think I’m making quite good progress in my English studies.
c) This is not the answer because we can say: Stop making so much noise! I’m trying to sleep.
d) When we talk about going to the supermarket
we usually say ‘do the shopping’, e.g. My wife usually does the shopping when
I’m at work.
