Friday 15 January 2021

COLLOCATIONS

 

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.

Tuesday 12 January 2021

ONE WORD SUBSTITUTE

 

ONE WORD SUBSTITUTE

Introduction

       In a world where time is money, brevity in communication is appreciated. In the professional world, you are expected to be precise and efficient with words.

       Let us look at two sentences with the same meaning, but with different word counts.

       1. I would like to study the branch of science that studies space and celestial objects.

       One word for ‘ the branch of science that studies space and celestial objects is “ astronomy

       So the sentence 1 can be written as

2. I would like to study astronomy

 

One word substitutes (Examples)

       1. One who can use both hands equally well- ambidextrous

       2. Animals that can live on both land and water-amphibious

       3. A person who loves books-bibliophile

       4. The art of beautiful writing-calligraphy

       5. One who journeys on foot- pedestrian

       6. One who eats human flesh- cannibal

       7. A period of ten years-decade

       8. A period of 15 days-fortnight

       9. A specialist who treats skin diseases-dermatologist

       10. a person who leaves his country to live in another-  emigrant

       11. mercy killing-euthanasia

       12. Animal that eats only plants herbivore

       13. Animal that eats only flesh   -carnivore

       14. Animal that eats plants and flesh-omnivore

       15. that which cannot be eaten inedible

       16. One who is unable to read and write   illiterate

       17. One who collects coins- numismatist

       18. One who collects stamps- philatelist

       19. One who looks at the brighter side of life- optimist

       20. One who looks at the dark side if the life-pessimist

       21.  The study of birds- ornithology

       22. murder of one’s father- patricide

       23. murder of one’s mother- matricide

       24. killing of one’s brother or sister- fratricide

       25. murder of one’s wife- uxoricide

       26. murder of a husband by his wife-matricide

       27. murder of a king-regicide

       28. killing oneself deliberately- suicide

       29. one who loves mankind- philanthropist

       30. one who carves on stone- sculptor

       31.Some one who does not take alcohol- teetotaler

       32. A woman whose husband is dead-widow

       33. A man whose wife is dead- widower

       34. fear of strangers- xenophobia

       35. one who is all powerful - omnipotent

       36.one who si present everywhere- omnipresent

       37. one who knows many languages- polyglot

       38. practice of having several wives-polygamy

       39. practice of having several husbands-polyandry

       40. a study of animals- zoology

       41. life history of a person written by some one- biography

       42. Life history of a person written by himself-autobiography

       43. practice of having two wives/ husbands-bigamy

       44. a study of a man- anthropology

       45. murder of human being- homicide

       46. murder of infant-infanticide

       47. a medical examination of a dead body-postmortem

       48. a sound which can not be heard- inaudible

       49. an instrument of seeing distant objects- telescope

       50. fear of water- hydrophobia

       51. one who can not be corrected-incorrigible

       52. one who hates man kind- misanthrope

       53. the scientific study of plants-botany

       54. the scientific study of insects-entomology

       55. a person who does not believe in god- atheist

       56.a collection of poems- anthology

       57. a list of headings of the business to be transacted in a meeting-agenda

       58. government by officials- bureaucracy

       59. specialist in heart diseases- cardiologist

       60. murder of race -genocide

       61. the art of cultivating and managing gardens-horticulture

       62. one who supervises in the exam hall-invigilator

       63. a place where dead bodies are kept for post mortem- mortuary

       64. one who knows everything-omniscient

       65. a place for horses- stable

       66. a partner in crime- accomplice

       67. one who has strange habits- eccentric.

       68. one who copies from other writers- plagiarist

       69. a pleasant  song used for causing children to sleep-lullaby

       70. an instrument for measuring temperature- thermometer

 

Additional exercises:

       A. Substitute a single word from the list, for the underlined words in the sentence(November/December 2019)

       ( malnourished, illiterate. Irreparable, sculpture)

       1. The children on Somalia are not given good food

       2. One could find lots of art in stones in Mahapalipuram.

       3.The bag is old and can not be repaired

       4. The man does not know to read and write

       B.Give single word substitute for the following: (April/May 2019)

       1. A company with branches in many countries

       multinational

       2. One who looks at the brighter side of things

       optimist

       3. a speech made without preparation

       extempore

       4. fit to be eaten

       Edible

       C. Substitute a single word from the list for underlined words in the sentence( November/ December 2019

 Horrible          heritage          ignited       petrified

 

1. The weather was bad and unpleasant

2. The girl was frightened and unable to move

3. India has a rich history and tradition

4. The flame was started by a short circuit.

Answers:

1. was bad and unpleasant: horrible

2. frightened and unable to  move- petrified

3. history and tradition- heritage

4.  was started- ignited

               

                D. Substitute a single word for the underlined words in the sentence (model question paper)

                (Inflate                 exotic   itinerary              marvelous          souvenir              enjoyment)

                1. We are going to make the plan of our journey

                2. You need to fill air into your life jacket

                3. I bought some things  as a reminder of the place

                4. These trees are from South America. They are introduced from another country

                Answers

                1. the plan of our journey                            itinerary                             

                2. fill air into                                                  Inflate

                3. things  as a reminder of the place            souvenir

                4. introduced from another country             exotic  

Assignment:

       Find one word substitute for the following:

       1. The study of birds

       2. the murder of infants-

       3. writing that cannot be read-

       4. an uneducated person-

       5. The scientific study of animals and their behaviour-

       6. The study of sounds made by human voice in speech-

       7. The scientific study of living things-

       8. the scientific study of human mind and behaviour-

       9. the branch of science that studies space and celestial objects-

       10. one who comes to a country from another in order to settle there-

       11. murder of human beings-

       12. a person who leaves his country to live in another-

       13. the animal that eats only plants-

       14. a five sided plane figure-

       15. one who carves on stone-

       16. a government by the people-

       17. a life history written by oneself- -

       18.  one who is able to make eloquent speech-

       19. That which cannot be conquered-

       20. an instrument for measuring temperature-

Answers:

                1.ornithology

                2. infanticide

                3. illegible

                4. illiterate

5. zoology

6.phonetics

7. biology

8. psychology

9. astronomy

10. immigrant

11.homicide

12. emigrant

13. herbivore

14. pentagon

15. sculptor

16. democracy

17. autobiography

18. orator

19.invincible

20. thermometer