IELTS Tips: Types of Collocations
Collocations are phrases or combinations of words that work together and sound natural to native English speakers. Learning collocations can not only improve your vocabulary and fluency, but using collocations during the speaking and writing tests are an effective way to describe and convey particular situations and feelings.
noun + noun
“By the time I got to the theatre, the tickets were all sold out. It was a total waste of time.”
noun + verb
“The rain was pouring all night, but luckily it cleared up the morning before the wedding.”
verb + noun
“The manager already made a decision to hire another candidate, but please feel free to apply for other job openings.”
verb + adverb
“I don’t really like seafood, but my friends highly recommended this salmon dish and it was delicious!”
verb + expression with preposition
“It’s only a 15 minute drive, but keep in mind that the commute time is almost double during rush hour.”
adverb + adjective
“The students spent all week studying and were fully prepared for the exam.”
adjective + noun
“My favourite thing after a late night is making a pot of strong coffee.”