Collocations

Vocabulary

1. Collocations

A collocation is a group of two or more words that have a certain meaning when they go together. They must be learnt by heart, as there is no basic rule on how to formulate them.
IMG UNIT 39-01
We have holidays in winter.
IMG UNIT 39-02
I'm sleeping. Please, don't make a noise!

2. The most common collocations

Different combinations of words can form a collocation: verb and noun, adjective and noun, noun and verb, among others.

HAVE
IMG UNIT 39-05
Have a shower
To wash your body in a shower.
IMG UNIT 39-06
Have a drink
To go to a place and drink something, usually alcohol.
IMG UNIT 39-07
Have a problem
To have an issue that needs to be solved.
IMG UNIT 39-08
Have breakfast
To eat your morning meal.
IMG UNIT 39-09
Have a break
To stop doing something for a short time in order to rest or relax.
IMG UNIT 39-10
Have fun
To enjoy yourself.
IMG UNIT 06-18
Have a look
To look at something quickly, usually in order to check something.
IMG UNIT 06-18
Have a party
To organize a party.
IMG UNIT 06-20
Have a rest
To spend a short period of time relaxing or sleeping.
IMG UNIT 06-21
Have an argument
To have a verbal fight with someone because you disagree on something.
IMG UNIT 06-22
Have feelings for someone
To be in love with someone.
IMG UNIT 32-06
Have a go
To make an attempt to do something.
IMG UNIT 32-07
Have a haircut
To go to the hairdresser’s because your hair needs cutting.
IMG UNIT 33-01
Have a nap
To sleep for a short time, usually during the day.
IMG UNIT 33-02
Have a word with someone
To talk to someone because you want to tell them something.
MAKE
IMG UNIT 39-11
Make a noise
To produce a loud and usually unpleasant sound.
IMG UNIT 39-12
Make friends
To become friends with someone.
IMG UNIT 39-13
Make a decision
To decide about something.
IMG UNIT 06-06
Make a phone call
To speak to someone on the phone.
IMG UNIT 06-07
Make plans
To organise activities to be done at certain time or in certain order.
IMG UNIT 06-08
Make an appointment
To arrange a day to meet someone for a particular purpose.
IMG UNIT 32-09
Make room
To create space by moving other things.
IMG UNIT 32-10
Make sense
To be clear and easy to understand.
IMG UNIT 33-03
Make a list
To write a set of things, usually one below the other.
DO
IMG UNIT 39-14
Do the housework
To do different tasks in the house to keep it clean and tidy.
IMG UNIT 39-15
Do your homework
To do the tasks your teacher gives you out of school.
IMG UNIT 06-03
Do your best
To try as hard as you can to do something.
IMG UNIT 06-04
Do the shopping
To go to a shop and buy food or things you need regularly.
IMG UNIT 06-05
Do someone a favour
To do something because you want to help someone.
IMG UNIT 32-05
Do your hair
To arrange your hair so that it looks nice.
BREAK
IMG UNIT 39-16
Break a record
To overcome the best achievement so far in a particular activity.
IMG UNIT 06-23
Break someone's heart
To upset someone because you tell them you don’t love them any more.
IMG UNIT 06-24
Break the rules
To disobey a rule.
PAY
SAVE
IMG UNIT 39-17
Pay attention
To listen or watch carefully.
IMG UNIT 39-18
Pay in cash / Pay by credit card
To give money for what you have bought, either with notes and coins or by using a credit card.
SAVE
IMG UNIT 39-19
Save money
To keep money aside in order to be used in the future.
GO
IMG UNIT 39-24
Go abroad
To travel to foreign country.
IMG UNIT 32-03
Go bald
To lose your hair.
IMG UNIT 32-04
Go online
To connect to the internet.
COME
APPLY
IMG UNIT 39-20
Come late
To arrive after the expected or correct time.
IMG UNIT 39-21
Come on time
To arrive at the expected or correct time.
APPLY
IMG UNIT 32-12
Apply for a job
To make a formal request to get a job.
CATCH
BLOW
IMG UNIT 06-25
Catch a cold
To get an illness that usually blocks your nose and makes you cough.
IMG UNIT 06-26
Catch the bus / train
To get on a public transport vehicle.
BLOW
IMG UNIT 32-08
Blow your nose
To clean your nose by forcing air through it into a handkerchief or tissue.
TAKE
IMG UNIT 39-22
Take a taxi
To use a taxi as a means of transport.
IMG UNIT 06-09
Take a seat
To sit down.
IMG UNIT 06-11
Take notes
To write down information one hears in order to remember it later.
IMG UNIT 06-10
Take someone's temperature
To measure how hot your body is because of an illness.
IMG UNIT 33-04
Take time
o need a certain amount of time for something to happen or to do something.
IMG UNIT 33-05
Take a chance
To do something even though it might be risky.
GET
IMG UNIT 39-25
Get a job
To be employed by a company or employer to work.
IMG UNIT 06-15
Get angry
To become annoyed because of an unfair or unacceptable situation.
IMG UNIT 06-16
Get lost
To not know where you are or how to get to the place you want to go.
IMG UNIT 06-17
Get ready
To prepare.
IMG UNIT 39-15
Get into trouble
To become involved in an unpleasant, difficult or dangerous situation.
IMG UNIT 33-06
Get started
To start doing something.
KEEP
IMG UNIT 39-23
Keep calm
To remain quiet and relaxed.
IMG UNIT 06-12
Keep in touch
To continue to write or speak to someone you don’t see very often.
IMG UNIT 06-13
Keep a secret
To not tell anyone a piece of information because you don’t want them to know about it.
IMG UNIT 06-14
Keep an eye on
To watch somebody or something to make sure everything is all right.
IMG UNIT 33-07
Keep a diary
To write regularly in your diary.
IMG UNIT 33-08
Keep fit
To do exercise in order to continue being strong and healthy.
CHANGE
IMG UNIT 32-13
Change your mind
To decide or think in a different way than you did before.
GIVE
IMG UNIT 32-16
Give someone a lift
To take someone somewhere in your vehicle.
HOLD
IMG UNIT 32-11
Hold an election
To put ballot boxes for people to vote and elect their representatives
REACH
IMG UNIT 32-17
Reach an agreement
To finally agree on something after some discussion or negotiation.
RUN
IMG UNIT 32-18
Run a business
To manage or be in charge of a company, shop…
SET
IMG UNIT 32-19
Set an alarm / alarm clock
To register a time on an alarm clock or other device so that it starts or finishes working when you want.
TELL
IMG UNIT 32-20
Tell a lie
To deliberately say something that is not true.
TRY
IMG UNIT 32-14
Try hard
To make a lot of effort to do or achieve something.
MISS
IMG UNIT 33-09
Miss the bus / train...
Not to get on a means of transport because you are late.
HEAVY
STRONG
IMG UNIT 32-21
Heavy traffic
A lot of cars, usually moving slowly.
IMG UNIT 32-22
Heavy rain
Mucha lluvia / lluvia intensa
STRONG
IMG UNIT 32-23
Strong coffee
Coffee with a very intense and bitter flavour.
SERIOUS
IMG UNIT 32-24
Serious illness
An illness that is bad or dangerous enough to be worried about.
FULL
IMG UNIT 32-25
Full instructions
Very detailed instructions.
CLOSE
IMG UNIT 32-26
Close friend
A friend you like or love very much.

Remember!

HAVE
Have a shower
Have a drink
Have a problem
Have breakfast
Have a break
Have fun
Have a look
Have a party
Have a rest
Have an argument
Have feelings for someone
Have a go
Have a haircut
Have a nap
Have a word with someone
MAKE
Make a noise
Make friends
Make a decision
Make a phone call
Make plans
Make an appointment
Make room
Make sense
Make a list
DO
Do the housework
Do your homework
Do your best
Do the shopping
Do someone a favour
Do your hair
BREAK
Break a record
Break someone's heart
Break the rules
PAY
SAVE
Pay attention
Pay in cash / Pay by credit card
SAVE
Save money
GO
Go abroad
Go bald
Go online
COME
APPLY
Come late
Come on time
APPLY
Apply for a job
CATCH
BLOW
Catch a cold
Catch the bus / train
BLOW
Blow your nose
TAKE
Take a taxi
Take a seat
Take notes
Take someone's temperature
Take time
Take a chance
GET
Get a job
Get angry
Get lost
Get ready
Get into trouble
Get started
KEEP
Keep calm
Keep in touch
Keep a secret
Keep an eye on
Keep a diary
Keep fit
CHANGE
Change your mind
GIVE
Give someone a lift
HOLD
Hold an election
REACH
Reach an agreement
RUN
Run a business
SET
Set an alarm / alarm clock
TELL
Tell a lie
TRY
Try hard
MISS
Miss the bus / train...
HEAVY
STRONG
Heavy traffic
Heavy rain
STRONG
Strong coffee
SERIOUS
Serious illness
FULL
Full instructions
CLOSE
Close friend