English Collocations – Types and Examples

Collocations are the keys to use ENGLISH more like a native speaker. Learning English Collocations may help students and readers build essential vocabulary and learn to speak more fluent and natural-sounding English.

In general, a Collocation is a pair or group of two or more words that are often used together by native speakers.

Some common examples are:

blond hair (Not Yellow Hair)
make friends (Not Get Friends)
make mistakes (Not Do Mistakes)
heavy rain (Not Strong Rain)

When we make mistakes with collocations, the listeners will usually understand us but our English won’t sound natural because it’s different from how a native speaker would talk.

Therefore, if you want your English to sound natural, you have to make efforts to learn collocations since they are difficult to guess.

Types of Collocations –

Verb + Noun
Verb + Verb
Noun + Verb
Noun + Noun
Adjective + Noun
Adjective + Adjective
Adverb + Adjective
Adverb + Adverb
Verb + Adverb
Phrase

1. Verb + Noun

Some common examples are: launch a product, play a joke/trick, create opportunities, do homework, make the bed, abuse drugs, accept a challenge, accept an apology, commit murder etc.

Example 1 – Attend a school (to go to a school)

It is important for children to attend a school.
Her daughter prefers to attend a school that provides education for females only.

Example 2 – Abuse drugs (to use illegal drugs in a way that is harmful to your health)

Alex has abused drugs for over 4 years.
He died early due to abusing drugs for many years.

2. Verb + Verb

Some common examples are: can’t afford, can’t help, can’t stand, don’t care, don’t mind, keep going, make believe etc.

Example 1 – Get changed (to take off the clothes you are wearing and put on different ones)

She got changed and went to the party.
Your clothes are wet, so you should go and get changed right now.

Example 2 – Hate to think (do not want to think or imagine about something because it is unpleasant or upsetting)

Peter hates to think how much money he has spent on gambling.
Joe hates to think she has lost over $10000.

3. Noun + Verb

Some common examples are: phone rings, lion roars, the plane took off, the bomb went off etc

Example 1 – Ideas flow (ideas follow each other in a natural way without anything stopping, especially in an easy)

His ideas flow smoothly in the essay because of his skillful use of varied sentence structures.
The ideas flow freely from least to most important.

Example 2 – Phone rings (telephone rings) (if your phone rings, it makes a loud clear sound)

You might be in trouble if your phone rings in private places.
Her phone rang while she was taking a shower in the bathroom.

4. Noun + Noun

Some common examples are: action movie, abuse of power, block of flats, contact details, desk job, interest rate, job opportunity, junk food, living conditions etc.

Example 1 – Piece of advice (a particular suggestion that someone gives you about the best thing to do in a particular situation)

Would you like me to give you a piece of advice?
I think you should get a piece of advice from your doctor.

Example 2 – Return ticket (a ticket for travel to a place, and then back again)

If you buy a return ticket, it will be cheaper than two one-way tickets.
Bill was not allowed to board the flight back to USA due to his invalid return ticket.

5. Adjective + Noun

Some common examples are: empty promise, tough question, alternative medicine, bad breath, bad temper, big brother, big money, regular exercise, clean energy, common knowledge, bright future, bright idea, broken home, casual clothes etc.

Example 1 – Rough draft (the first version of a piece of writing, a book or a document which is unedited)

Alex has just completed a rough draft of his first book.
The teacher requested him to edit or rewrite the rough draft of his essay.

Example 2 – Good team player (a person who works well with other people as part of a team or group)

Alex is a good team player. I always like to work with him.
Are you a good team player.

6. Adjective + Adjective

Some common examples are: boiling hot, neat and tidy, safe and sound etc.

Example 1 – Neat and tidy (clean and organized, not messy)

Marry’s house looks very neat and tidy.
My mom likes everything neat and tidy.

Example 2 – Safe and sound (free from damage, danger, hurt or injury)

It was a rough trip, but we arrived home safe and sound.
We are glad to see you here safe and sound.

7. Adverb + Adjective

Some common examples are: bitterly cold, badly hurt, bitterly disappointed, fully aware, utterly stupid, fast asleep, seriously ill etc.

Example 1 – Utterly ridiculous (extremely silly or unreasonable)

You’ll look utterly ridiculous in that short skirt.
I though his idea was utterly ridiculous.

Example 2 – Well worth (be certainly deserving of something or doing something)

Your idea is well worth consideration.
Paris is well worth a visit.

8. Adverb + Adverb

Some common examples are: all along, almost certainly, far away, hardly ever, just now, long ago, quite a lot/a bit, right away, straight ahead, quite often etc.

Example 1 – Well ahead (further advanced than someone or something/much earlier or sooner than someone or something)

Marry is trying to finish her doctoral thesis well ahead of the deadline.
Tom finished the race well ahead of the other racers.

Example 2 – Yet again (one more time, after many other times)

The flight was delayed yet again.
Prices of oil increased yet again.

9. Verb + Adverb

Some common examples are: become increasingly, arrive on time, ear properly, need badly, try hard, do likewise, fight hard, read aloud, whisper softly, vaguely remember etc.

Example 1 – Ask a question (to ask somebody to tell you something when you want information)