ERCILIA DELANCER

ENGLISH LANGUAGE FELLOW

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
What is a collocation?

 A collocation is two or more words that

often go together. These combinations just
sound "right" to native English speakers,
who use them all the time. Other
combinations may be unnatural and just
sound "wrong".
What are collocations?
When two words co-occur, or are used together frequently, they are
said to collocate.
Gairns and Redman (1986)

Some pairs of words occur together very rarely, but other pairs occur
together so often that when you see one word, you strongly expect
that the other word might be there too.
Hill and Lewis (1997)

A collocation is a pair or group of words that are often used

together. These combinations sound natural to native speakers, but
students of English have to make a special effort to learn them …
McCarthy and O’Dell (2005)
SOME EXAMPLES:
Natural English…. Unnatural English…
the fast train the quick train
fast food quick food

a quick shower a fast shower

a quick meal a fast meal
Why should we learn collocations?
 Our brain tends to store language in chunks, rather than
individual words
 So, when we speak or write, it is more efficient for us to
remember and use phrases as chunks rather than
constructing them one word at a time. This increased
efficiency promotes fluency.
 Familiarity with collocations and the resulting ability to
make guesses about a speaker/writer's speech should
increase a non-native speaker's efficiency as a listener
or reader.
 Why learn collocations?

 Your language will be more natural and more easily

understood.

 You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing

yourself.

 It is easier for our brains to remember and use

language in chunks or blocks rather than as single
words.
It is important to learn collocations because:

You will use the words you know more accurately. In other words,
you’ll do make fewer mistakes.

Give you alternative ways of saying something, which may be more

colorful / expressive or more precise: instead of repeating:
“It was very cold and very dark”, we can say
“It was bitterly cold and pitch dark”.

Vary your speech and your writing. Instead of repeating everyday

words like very, good or nice, you will be able to exploit a wider
range of language. You will gain more marks in an exam, for writing,
“We had a blissfully happy holiday in a picturesque little village”,
instead of “We had a very happy holiday in a nice little village.”

McCarthy and O’Dell (2005)

What are some characteristics of collocations?
 Collocations can be described in a number of ways.
 One way of thinking about them is in terms of
"fixedness" - in other words, the degree to which
you can vary the basic pattern and still have a
collocation.
 We can only define the fixedness or unfixedness of
collocations in terms of a continuum - all we can
say is that some are more fixed than others but we
can't make a neat dividing line between "fixed" and
"unfixed".
 What are some characteristics of
collocations?
 A very fixed collocation is one in which the
pattern has very few expected variations.
 So, for example, the phrase "kick the bucket" is an
idiom, a relatively fixed collocation meaning "to
die“
 Like "kick the bucket", most collocations which are
very fixed form a particular expected meaning
rather than a structure.
What are some characteristics of
collocations?
 Less fixed collocations are often more structural - common
patterns that help structure a sentence but don't carry as
much specific meaning by themselves. For example a less
fixed collocation might be something like:
 Let's + verb which directs an audience's attention +
preposition + noun which describes an idea. This is a
commonly used structural pattern into which you can insert
a variety of words and still have commonly used patterns:
 Let's move on to the next point.
 Let's go back to the last chapter.
 Let's move away from this paragraph
What are some characteristics of
collocations?
 However, there are still a limited number of words which will
"fit" into this pattern. So, for example, we don't typically say
"Let's go out of this paragraph".
 Words that are commonly used with other words are examples of
less fixed collocations which are not as structural in nature. So
for example, we use "bus" and "car" with only certain sets of
other words:
 We say "Get on a bus"/"climb on a bus" but usually not "enter a bus"
or "get in a bus". However, we say "get in a car".
 We say "take the bus"/"ride the bus"/"go there on the bus" but
usually not "We can drive there on the bus". However we say "We can
drive there in her car."
 What are some characteristics of
collocations?
 It's not important to be able to classify collocations
according to their exact degree of fixedness.
 However, it probably is helpful to know that some
collocations are more fixed than others: if you
recognize a collocation as very fixed, you can learn
it as one item; if you recognize it as less fixed, you
understand that there's a pattern there that you
can use to build a collection of useful related
phrases.
Collocations act like idioms
 Collocations are somewhat similar to
English idioms. Just like idioms they’re
word combinations that are used by native
English speakers and you just have to learn
those phrases to be able to use them; you
can’t just translate the same meaning
from your native language and stick
relevant English words together
Collocations follow no grammar
rules
 The tricky part is that there are no English
Grammar rules stipulating how and when
certain words go together, you simply have
to develop “the feel” of how words are
naturally used. Basically you have to learn
English collocations and incorporate them
into your spoken and written English.
DO NOT DESPAIR
 There are thousands upon thousands of
English collocations, and learning them all
would be a very time-consuming process
that would take you long years of study to
accomplish.
 Collocations can be:
 1.
 We entered a richly decorated room.
 Are you fully aware of the implications of
your action?
 2.
 The doctor ordered him to take regular
exercise.
 The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage. .
 3.
 Let's give Mr. Jones a round of applause.
 I'd like to buy two bars of soap please.
 4.
 Snow was falling as our plane took off.
 5.
 He has been asked to give a
presentation about his work.
 6.
 We had to return home because we had run out of money.
 At first her eyes filled with horror, and then she burst into
tears.
 Their behavior was enough to drive anybody to crime.
 7.
 She placed her keys gently on the table and sat down.
 I vaguely remember that it was growing dark when we left.
 READING IS THE KEY!

 Read as much as possible. Reading is an

excellent way to learn vocabulary and
collocations in context and naturally.

 Revise what you learn regularly. Practice using

new collocations in context as soon as possible
after learning them.
LEARNING STYLE IS IMPORTANT

 Learn collocations in groups that work for you. You

could learn them by topic (time, number, weather,
money, family) or by a particular word (take action,
take a chance, take an exam).

 You can find information on collocations in any good

learner's dictionary. And you can also find specialized
dictionaries of collocations.
STRATEGIES THAT HELP
 Through highlighting word combinations to encourage
the learners to notice them
 By raising students’ consciousness about them
 Through feedback from the teacher on wrong
word combinations in students’ essays or when
speaking
 Through exercises
 By using collocation dictionaries
 By recording all the noticed collocations in a
notebook in order to revise them later
STRATEGIES THAT HELP
 Learners can be given a text or some sentences that
include collocational errors and asked to correct them
using collocation dictionaries
 Intermediate and higher-level students can try to find
synonyms which can collocate with certain words.
 Students can be given several word combinations that
collocate with certain verbs, but include a combination
that does not belong. Students must identify which
words do not collocate with the verb, as in the
following example: miss: a chance, the point, the
school, the train, an opportunity, the boat, and so on.
STRATEGIES THAT HELP
 Students from different levels can create gap-fill or
matching exercises for each other.
 Intermediate and higher-level learners can summarize
a text orally one day and again a few days later to keep
learned words and expressions active.
 A brainstorming activity can be done to let students
revise collocations containing a particular word. It
makes students aware of the different constructions
that a particular word can form. One example could be
the words that go with the verb get.
How to learn collocations

 Be aware of collocations, and try to recognize

them when you see or hear them.

 Treat collocations as single blocks of language.

Think of them as individual blocks or chunk.

 Remember to learn strongly support, not strongly +

support.
WRITE IT DOWN!
 When you learn a new word, write down other
words that collocate with it, such as:

remember distinctly
 remember vaguely
remember vividly
Some examples of wrong uses of
collocations in students’ writing

 There are several different types of collocation made

from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of
the most common mistakes are as follows:

 Adverb + Adjective: completely satisfied

(NOT downright satisfied)
 Adjective + Noun: excruciating pain
(NOT excruciating joy)
 Noun + Noun: a surge of anger
(NOT a rush of anger)
 Noun + Verb: lions roar
(NOT lions shout)

 Verb + Noun: commit suicide

(NOT undertake suicide)

 Verb + Expression With Preposition: burst into tears

(NOT blow up in tears)

 Verb + Adverb: wave frantically

(NOT wave feverishly)
1. Identify this expression:
2. Identify this expression
3. Identify this expression
4. Identify this expression
5. Identify this expression:
 IMAGE ANSWERS
 1.MAKE A FACE
 2.MAKE A WISH
 3.DO TIME
 4.DO HOMEWORK
 5.LOST AND FOUND
 Some collocation list

Have Take Break

have a bath take a break break a habit

have a drink take a chance break a leg

have a good time take a look break a promise

Match the correct verb on the left to the proper noun phrase on the right.
(verb + noun)
MAKE HAVE BREAK PAY DO expressions

a rest
a window
money
attention
the shopping
a drink
the rules
the bill
your homework
a mistake
 1. I usually __________dressed before breakfast.
 2. I like _____________ my homework at night.
 3. Last night mom _____ dinner and dad ______the dishes.
 4. The kids _______ a lot of fun at the fair the other day.
 5. One of my classmates _______an accident last week by
colliding his bike with a tree.
 6. The teacher was late this morning because he ____stuck in
the traffic jam.
 7. Many people nowadays rarely read the papers; they
only ______the crosswords and Sudoku.
 8. Dad’s car broke down on the highway but he did not have
enough credit on his phone to _______ a phone call.
 9. My boss was mad at me because I forgot _______
reservations for dinner.
Can you identify the collocations in these sentences?
Please pass the salt and pepper.

We regret to inform you that you have not been

accepted to the program this year.

It is clear to everyone that Mr. Abraham is going

through a mid-life crisis.

The company took a severe blow with the arrest of

the CEO.

Once upon a time, there lived a princess in castle...

Can you identify the collocations in these sentences?
Please pass the salt and pepper.

We regret to inform you that you have not been

accepted to the program this year.

It is clear to everyone that Mr. Abraham is going

through a mid-life crisis.

The company took a severe blow with the arrest of

the CEO.

Once upon a time, there lived a princess in castle...

Practice Activity 2: Correct these collocations.

1 Exam candidates often make faults in their use of verbs

like do, make, go and get.
2 Try to use a bigger range of language when you write.

3 Exam candidates who use collocations will win better

marks.
4 You have to know what normal collocation patterns
are before you can make them.
5 The writer used colloquial language to form an effect.

(McCarthy and O’Dell (2005)

Practice Activity 2: Correct these collocations.

1 Exam candidates often make faults in their use of verbs

like do, make, go and get. (mistakes)
2 Try to use a bigger range of language when you write.
(wider)
3 Exam candidates who use collocations will win better
marks. (earn / gain)
4 You have to know what normal collocation patterns
are before you can (depart
makefrom)
them.
5 The writer used colloquial language to form an effect.
(create)

(McCarthy and O’Dell (2005)

USING YOUR COMPUTER: Match the action
on the left with noun on the right
1. browse music
2. be connected online
3. enter to the Internet
4. access a chat room
5. compose a file
6. attach a website
7. go an option
8. visit the web address
9. download a message
10. select the web
Practice Activity 1: Collocate the words.
1 adhere to blow
2 arouse contradict
3 blond of wisdom
4 come up with your principals
5 flatly wrong
6 fundamentally a seminar
7 go on suspicion
8 heavy contradict
9 lead hair
10 a lick the stock market
11 play of work
12 words a suggestion

McCarthy and O’Dell (2005)

Practice Activity 3: Supply four verbs that collocate
with the nouns below.

advice an answer

a complaint the experience

Practice Activity 3: Supply four verbs that collocate
with the nouns below.
accept accept
act on come up with
advice an answer
disregard expect
take supply

deal with describe

examine have
a complaint the experience
ignore enjoy
respond to share

ANSWER KEY
Clarifying Collocations: Use the following words to
complete the expressions below: speak, talk, say, and tell.

Verb Phrase
the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth
One thing and do another
behind one’s back
lies
garbage / rubbish
what you’re thinking
me what you’re thinking
the first thing that comes into your head
English
more slowly please
your mind
 ACTIVITY N 1
Read carefully the expressions in the chart and form the correct collocation using those
verbs.

(verb + noun)
MAKE HAVE BREAK PAY DO expressions

a rest
a window
money
attention
the shopping
a drink
the rules
the bill
your homework

. a mistake
Teaching collocations
with songs.
 Get up now, get up now, get up out of bed,
Wash your face, brush your teeth, comb your sleepy
head.
Here’s your clothes and your shoes, hear the words I
said,
Get up now, get up and make your bed.

Are you hot, are you cold, are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your
homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and
hat.
Don’t forget, you’ve gotta feed the cat.
 Teaching collocations
with songs
 Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it’s the most
important meal of all,
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big
and tall.
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at
three today,
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must
play.
Don’t shovel, chew slowly, but hurry, the bus is here,
Be careful, come back here, did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside, don’t play rough, would you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don’t forget to share,
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare,
Get along, don’t make me come down there.
 Teaching collocations
with song
 Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away,
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?

Answer the phone, Get off the phone,

Don’t sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table.
No more computer time tonight,
Your iPod's my iPod if you don’t listen up.

Where you going and with whom and what time do you
think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me, makes you welcome
everywhere you roam.
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and
you’re grown.
Can’t wait till you have a couple little children of your own.
 Teaching collocations
with songs

And, if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump to?
If I’ve said once I’ve said it at least a thousand times before,
That you’re too old to act this way,
It must be your father’s DNA.

Look at me when I am talking, stand up straighter when you walk.

A place for everything, and everything must be in place.
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about.


Brush your teeth, wash your face, get your pjs on.
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with Mom.
Don’t forget I love you (kiss)

And tomorrow we will do this all again

 because a Mom’s work never ends.
 Teaching collocations
with songs
And, if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump to?
If I’ve said once I’ve said it at least a thousand times before,
That you’re too old to act this way,
It must be your father’s DNA.

Look at me when I am talking, stand up straighter when you walk.

A place for everything, and everything must be in place.
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about.


Brush your teeth, wash your face, get your pj’s on.
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with Mom.
Don’t forget I love you (kiss)

And tomorrow we will do this all again

 because a Mom’s work never ends.
 Teaching collocations
with songs
 You’ll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly,
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me.
Close your mouth when you chew, we’d appreciate,
Take a bite, maybe two, of the stuff you hate.
Use your fork, do not burp or I’ll set you straight.
Eat the food I put upon your plate.

Get an A, get in the door, don’t be smart with me,

Get a grip, get in here or I’ll count to three,
Get a job, Get a life, get a PhD, get a dose of

I don’t care who started it,

 You’re grounded until you’re 36,
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once for
heaven sake
 Bibliography

 Coe, Norman 'Vocabulary must be learnt, not taught' MET

Vol 6 No3 July 1997
 Ellis, Nick C 'Vocabulary acquisition: word structure,
collocation, word-class, and meaning' in Schmitt and
McCarthy
 Gough, Cherry 'Words and words: helping learners to help
themselves with collocations' MET Vol5 No1 Jan 1996
 Hill, Jimmie 'Collocational competence' ETP April 1999
Issue 11
 Hunt, Roger 'The Iron, the Witch and the Wardrobe' IH
Journal Issue No2 Nov 1996
 Lewis, Michael and Hill, Jimmie Practical Techniques for
Language Teaching (LTP 1985)
Bibliography
 Moon, Rosamund 'Vocabulary connections: multi-word items in
English' in Schmitt and McCarthy
 Newton, Jonathan 'Options for vocabulary learning through
communication tasks' ELT Journal Vol55/1 Jan 2001
 Read, John Assessing Vocabulary (CUP 2000)
 Schmitt, Norbert and McCarthy, Michael (eds.) Vocabulary:
Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy (CUP 1997)
 Sökmen, Anita J 'Current trends in teaching second language
vocabulary' in Schmitt and McCarthy
 Thornbury, Scott 'Reformulation and reconstruction: tasks that
promote noticing' ELT Journal Vol51 October 1997
 Thornbury, Scott 'The Lexical Approach: a journey without
maps?' MET Vol7 No4 Oct 1998
 Thornbury, Scott How to Teach Vocabulary (Longman 2002)
THE END!

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