IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Listening 1 Language Quality 3

‘I have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or

broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided I have some time to get
familiar with the accent.’
‘‘I have a good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquilisms with an awareness of
implied meaning and meaning by association.’

Collocations in Context

Aim: Learners focus on the collocations and fixed expressions of a chosen podcast.

Topic: Current Affairs

Time: 50 – 60 mins (depending on length of podcast)

Concept: Podcasts are rich in collocations, idiomatic expressions and fixed phrases. But they can also
be long texts and challenging for learners even at this level. Focusing on chunks of colloquial
language aids understanding and increases vocabulary range, while providing motivating
and doable tasks based on longer texts. The following tasks are based on a podcast
downloaded from Business Daily bbc.co.uk but can be adapted easily for any other text and
theme.

Suggested Procedure:

1 Download a podcast which is both topical and relevant to your learners’ interests. An excellent
source of these is www.bbc.co.uk . The world service has some excellent podcasts, but also use
those from Radio 4 or Radio 1 as they are not specifically aimed at language learners. Lead in to the
theme with prediction of content or another suitable gist listening task.

2 Select any collocations or phrases from the podcast that you particularly like or think would be
useful for learners to transfer to other contexts. These can then be used for the following tasks:

Collocations in Context - Who Said It?

The collocations/phrases are typed up in order and learners have to identify who said them.

Collocations in Context - In What Order?

The collocations/phrases are typed up out of order so the learners have to number them as they hear them.

Collocations in Context - Disappearing Collocations

The collocations are gapped and the learners have to complete them as they listen.

Variations: Disappearing Collocations can be given before listening to the podcast, learners try and
predict as many of the collocations/phrases as possible. They then listen, check predictions
and complete.

Disappearing Collocations can also be given as a follow up to the listening where the
learners have to complete the collocations having heard the podcast. Then they could listen
again, providing the podcast is not too long.

Disappearing Collocations can be given as a follow on from Who Said It? in the following
class to check how many of the collocations the learners can recall.

Extension: Learners make statements using the selected collocations about their local context. E.g. The
present government has no qualms about trying to cover up the real rate of inflation.

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack

IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Listening 1 Language Quality 3

‘I have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or

broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided I have some time to get
familiar with the accent.’
‘‘I have a good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquilisms with an awareness of
implied meaning and meaning by association.’

Collocations in Context - Who Said It?

Business Daily Podcast - Coca Cola and the Olympics

Mark the following collocations according to who said them: The Interviewer (I) or The Chairman of Coca
Cola (C)

1. spreading obesity crisis

2. canny advertising

3. dogged by political controversy

4. pull out of sponsoring the Olympics

5. brings about fundamental change

6. no qualms about that.....

7. global marketing

8. the pinnacle of healthy activity

9. epidemic of obesity

10. vending machines

11. high local input

12. minimises our carbon footprint

13. rising price of commodities

14. unprecedented increase in raw materials

15. mystery shoppers

With your partner try and recall how the collocations were used in the interview.

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack

IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Listening 1 Language Quality 3

‘I have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or

broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided I have some time to get
familiar with the accent.’
‘‘I have a good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquilisms with an awareness of
implied meaning and meaning by association.’

Collocations in Context - In What Order?

Business Daily Podcast - Coca Cola and the Olympics

Number the following collocations in the order you hear them in the interview.

global marketing

brings about fundamental change

canny advertising

unprecedented increase in raw materials

rising price of commodities

no qualms about that.....

spreading obesity crisis

pull out of sponsoring the Olympics

dogged by political controversy

the pinnacle of healthy activity

vending machines

epidemic of obesity

minimises our carbon footprint

mystery shoppers

high local input

With your partner try and recall how the collocations were used in the interview.

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack

IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Listening 1 Language Quality 3

‘I have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or

broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided I have some time to get
familiar with the accent.’
‘‘I have a good command of idiomatic expressions and colloquilisms with an awareness of
implied meaning and meaning by association.’

Collocations in Context - Disappearing Collocations

Business Daily Podcast - Coca Cola and the Olympics

1. spr_________g ob_____ty crisis

2. c____y adv______sing

3. d______d by political c______ersy

4. p___l __t ___ sp______g the Olympics

5. br____s a____t fu_______tal change

6. no qu____s about that.....

7. gl_____l m____ting

8. the p______le of he_____y activity

9. ep______c of ob____ty

10. v______g machines

11. high l____l inp___t

12. minimises our car____n fo______t

13. r_____g price of com________ies

14. unp________ted inc____se ___ raw materials

15. m_______y sh_____ers

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack