What are common collocations in English?

 If you’ve ever wondered why we say "make a decision" and not "do a decision," or "strong coffee" instead of "powerful coffee," you’re already thinking about collocations! Understanding collocations is a major key to sounding natural and fluent in English.

Collocation connections. Image by Englishconv.com

In this article, we’ll explore what collocations are, why they matter, and introduce you to some of the most common collocations in English—with clear examples and practical tips.

📌 What are collocations?

Collocations are natural combinations of words that native speakers use together. They are pairs or groups of words that “go together” more often than by chance.

For example:

• ✅ take a photo (natural)

• ❌ do a photo (unnatural)

Collocations can be made up of different word types:

• verb + noun (e.g. make a mistake)

• adjective + noun (e.g. strong wind)

• noun + noun (e.g. traffic jam)

• adverb + adjective (e.g. deeply concerned)

Learning collocations helps you:

• Speak and write more naturally

• Understand native speakers better

• Avoid awkward or incorrect word combinations

🔍 Common types of collocations (with examples)

Let’s break down some of the most common collocation patterns with examples you can use in everyday conversation:

1. Verb + Noun

Collocation	Example Sentence
make a decision	I need to make a decision soon.
have a shower	She always has a shower at 7.
take a break	Let’s take a break now.
catch a cold	He caught a cold last week.

2. Adjective + Noun

Collocation	Example Sentence
strong coffee	I need a cup of strong coffee.
heavy rain	We had heavy rain last night.
fast car	He drives a fast car.
hard work	Learning English is hard work.

3. Noun + Noun

Collocation	Example Sentence
traffic jam	I was late due to a traffic jam.
a piece of cake	This test is a piece of cake.
language barrier	We faced a language barrier.

4. Adverb + Adjective

Collocation	Example Sentence
deeply sorry	I’m deeply sorry for your loss.
highly recommended	This book is highly recommended.
seriously injured	Two people were seriously injured.

5. Verb + Adverb

Collocation	Example Sentence
apologize sincerely	He apologized sincerely.
wait patiently	Please wait patiently in line.
try hard	She tried hard to succeed.

💡 Tips for Learning Collocations

1. Learn in chunks, not single words.
   Instead of memorizing “decision,” learn “make a decision.”

2. Read and listen actively.
   Pay attention to how words are used together in books, songs, movies, and podcasts.

3. Use a collocation dictionary.
   Online resources like the Oxford Collocations Dictionary are helpful.

4. Practice with exercises.
   Fill-in-the-blank and matching exercises improve recall.

5. Use flashcards or apps.
   Tools like Anki or Quizlet can help you review collocations daily.

🗣️ Practice time!

Choose the correct collocation:

1. I need to ___ a decision.
   a) do
   b) make ✅

2. It was raining ___ all night.
   a) strongly
   b) heavily ✅

3. She gave me some ___ advice.
   a) strong
   b) good ✅

✅ Conclusion

Collocations are essential for mastering natural English. The more you pay attention to common word pairings and practice using them, the more fluent and confident you’ll become.

Keep reading, listening, and speaking—and collocations will become second nature!