Collocations

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. On the other hand, other combinations may be
unnatural and just sound "wrong". Look at these examples:
Natural English... Unnatural English...
the fast train
fast food

the quick train

quick food

a quick shower
a quick meal

a fast shower
a fast meal

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.

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 chunks,
and learn strongly support, not strongly + support.

When you learn a new word, write down other words that collocate with it (remember rightly,
remember distinctly, remember vaguely, remember vividly).

Read as much as possible. Reading is an excellent way to learn vocabulary and collocations in
context and naturally.

Revise what you learn regularly. Practise using new collocations in context as soon as possible
after learning them.

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.

Types of Collocation
There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc.
Some of the most common types are:

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)

1

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)

Collocations - Further Information

The "father" of collocation is usually considered to be J.R. Firth, a British linguist who died in 1960. It
was he that first used the term "collocation" in its linguistic sense.
Some definitions:

to collocate (verb): to appear with another word more frequently than by chance - The word
"white" collocates with "coffee".
collocation (noun): the combination of two or more words more frequently than by chance Learning about collocation helps us speak more fluent English.
a collocation (noun): an example of collocation - "White coffee" is a collocation.

An easy way to remember the meaning of collocation: think of "col-" or "co-" (together) and "location"
(place) = place together, locate together, go together
Note also (non-linguistic senses):
collocate (verb): place side by side or in relation
collocation (noun): the action of placing things side by side or in position
colocate/co-locate (verb): share a location or facility with someone or something

Strong and weak collocation

If we look deeper into collocations, we find that not only do the words "go together" but there is a
degree of predictability in their association. Generally, in any collocation, one word will "call up"
another word in the mind of a native speaker. In other words, if I give you one word, you can predict the
other word, with varying degrees of success. This predictability is not 100%, but it is always much
higher than with non-collocates.
The predictability may be strong: for example "auspicious" collocates with very few words, as in:

auspicious occasion
auspicious moment

auspicious event

Or the predictability may be weak: for example, "circuit" collocates with more than 20 words, as in:
circuit collocates left with...

CIRCUIT circuit collocates right with...

racing

circuit

lecture

circuit
2

talk-show

circuit

short

circuit

closed

circuit

integrated

circuit

printed

circuit

printed

circuit

board

circuit

board

circuit

breaker

circuit

training

circuit

judge

Lexical and Grammatical Collocations

A distinction may if wished be made between lexical collocations and grammatical collocations.
A lexical collocation is a type of construction where a verb, noun, adjective or adverb forms a
predictable connection with another word, as in:

Adverb + Adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)

Adjective + Noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)

Noun + Verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)

Verb + Noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)

A grammatical collocation is a type of construction where for example a verb or adjective must be
followed by a particular preposition, or a noun must be followed by a particular form of the verb, as in:

Verb + Preposition: depend on (NOT depend of)

Adjective + Preposition: afraid of (NOT afraid at)

Noun + Particular form of verb: strength to lift it (not strength lifting it)

When is a collocation NOT a collocation?

The term "collocation" in its linguistic sense is relatively new (dating from the 1950s) and not all
linguists agree on its definition. In fact there is considerable disagreement and even some confusion.
Some linguists treat fixed phrases as extended collocations (as far as I'm concerned, not on your life,
rather you than me, under the weather, if you've got the time). Others suggest that when a sequence of
words is 100% predictable, and allows absolutely no change except possibly in tense, it is not helpful to
treat it as a collocation. Such sequences they generally treat as fixed expressions ("prim and proper") or
idioms ("kick the bucket").
A good dictionary of collocations is the Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English.