What Are Collocations?
Collocations are words that naturally go together in English. Using the right collocations is essential for achieving Band 7-8 in IELTS Writing!
💡 Why Collocations Matter
Band 7 Descriptor: "Uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation"
Band 8 Descriptor: "Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings"
Translation: Knowing which words go together shows linguistic sophistication!
Examples of Collocations
| ✅ Correct Collocation | ❌ Common Error | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| make a decision | Native speakers always use "make" | |
| take measures | "Take" is the natural verb here | |
| raise awareness | "Rise" takes no object — you raise something | |
| pose a threat | "Pose" suggests potential danger | |
| conduct research | One of the most common learner errors |
⚠️ Important Warning
Do NOT memorize phrases like:
- ❌ "In today's modern society..."
- ❌ "Nowadays, more and more..."
- ❌ "It is crystal clear that..."
- ❌ "Last but not least..."
- ❌ "As far as I am concerned..."
Why? Examiners immediately recognize these overused phrases. They signal memorization rather than flexible language use!
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- ✅ Identify natural vs unnatural word combinations
- ✅ Use topic-specific academic collocations
- ✅ Avoid memorized phrases that examiners recognize
- ✅ Build sophisticated sentences with strong collocations
- ✅ Paraphrase effectively using varied vocabulary
🔗 Collocation Matching Game
Match the verbs on the left with the correct nouns on the right to form natural collocations!
Your Score
Verbs
Nouns
💡 How to Play
- Click a verb on the left
- Then click the noun that goes with it on the right
- If correct, both will turn green! ✅
- If incorrect, both will turn red briefly and you can try again
- Try to match all 8 collocations!
✅ Natural vs Unnatural Phrases
Click on each phrase to discover if it's natural or unnatural in academic English!
This is a strong, academic collocation. "Tackle" suggests actively dealing with a difficult problem.
Native speakers don't say "do a problem." Use "tackle," "address," or "solve" instead.
Excellent academic collocation! "Witness" is sophisticated and pairs perfectly with "significant growth."
Not wrong, but too basic for Band 7-8. Use "witness significant/substantial growth" instead.
Perfect for expressing opinions in academic writing. Much better than "have the opinion."
We don't "make" opinions. Use "hold the view," "take the position," or "believe."
Excellent way to show importance! This collocation appears frequently in academic texts.
Roles "play," they don't "do." Always use "play a role" (crucial/vital/significant).
📌 Key Learning Points
- Collocations don't follow logical rules - you must learn them!
- Using natural collocations shows linguistic sophistication
- Simple phrases are often "correct" but too basic for Band 7-8
- Always check collocations in a dictionary when learning new words
🗝️ Build Your Own Sentences
Drag words from the word bank to complete these sentences with the correct collocations!
Sentence 1:
Sentence 2:
Sentence 3:
✅ Correct Answers
- "pose a threat" - Standard collocation for dangers/risks
- "raise awareness" - "raise" (not "rise") is the natural verb with awareness
- "take measures" - "Take" is the correct verb for measures/steps/action
📚 Topic-Specific Collocations
Learn essential collocations for common IELTS topics. Click each topic to see key vocabulary!
🎓 Education Collocations
| Collocation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| acquire knowledge | Students acquire knowledge through hands-on experience. |
| gain qualifications | Higher education enables individuals to gain qualifications. |
| develop skills | Vocational training helps people develop practical skills. |
| pursue higher education | Many young people choose to pursue higher education. |
| foster creativity | Arts programs foster creativity in children. |
| enhance learning outcomes | Technology can significantly enhance learning outcomes. |
💡 How to Learn Topic Collocations
- Create a personal "Collocation Bank" organized by topic
- Always learn collocations in full sentences (not isolation)
- Read Band 8 model essays and highlight collocations
- Use the Oxford Collocations Dictionary
- Practice using 3-5 collocations in each paragraph you write
⚠️ Memorized Phrases to AVOID
Examiners immediately recognize these overused phrases. They signal memorization rather than flexible language use!
❌ Never Use These Phrases
Why? These appear in thousands of IELTS essays. Examiners know them by heart!
| ❌ Memorized Phrase | ✅ Better Alternative | Why It's Better |
|---|---|---|
| In contemporary society... | More academic, less clichéd | |
| There is a growing trend toward... Increasingly, ... |
Shows sophistication | |
| Evidence suggests that... It is widely acknowledged that... |
More academic tone | |
| It is evident that... Clearly, ... |
More direct and natural | |
| Finally, ... Most importantly, ... |
Less clichéd | |
| I firmly believe that... In my view, ... |
More confident tone | |
| While some hold the view that..., others take the position that... | More sophisticated | |
| Ultimately, ... In conclusion, ... |
More formal |
📌 Key Principles
- Natural is better than clever: Simple, natural phrases score higher than memorized templates
- Flexibility shows competence: Using the same idea in different ways demonstrates language range
- Quality over quantity: 3-5 well-placed collocations are better than forcing 20
- Context matters: Make sure collocations fit naturally into your argument
✅ What Band 8 Writers Do Instead
They use natural academic language that shows linguistic flexibility:
- Vary their sentence structures naturally
- Use collocations that fit the context perfectly
- Paraphrase the question effectively in the introduction
- Choose precise vocabulary for their specific argument
- Never sound like they're following a template
✏️ Final Practice Quiz
Test your collocation knowledge! Choose the correct option for each sentence.
Quiz Progress
0 / 10 correct
Question 1:
Governments should measures to reduce unemployment.
Question 2:
Rising sea levels a serious threat to coastal cities.
Question 3:
The documentary helped to awareness of plastic pollution.
Question 4:
Many economists the view that free trade benefits developing countries.
Question 5:
Parents a crucial role in shaping their children's reading habits.
Question 6:
Graduates need to practical experience before they apply for senior roles.
Question 7:
The tourism industry has remarkable growth since the new airport opened.
Question 8:
The university plans to a survey of student wellbeing next year.
Question 9:
Team projects can innovation in the workplace.
Question 10:
The new minister promised to the housing shortage without delay.