An Introduction to Collocations

What are collocations? collocations?

When two words co-occur, or are used together frequently, they are said to collocate.
Gairns and Redman (1986)

Some pairs of words occur together very rarely, but other pairs occur together so often that when you see one word, you strongly expect that the other word might be there too.
Hill and Lewis (1997)

A collocation is a pair or group of words that are often used together. These combinations sound natural to native speakers, but students of English have to make a special effort to learn them
McCarthy and ODell (2005)

Can you identify the collocations in the sentences? sentences?

Please pass the salt and pepper. We regret to inform you that you have not been accepted to the program this year. It is clear to everyone that Mr. Abraham is going through a mid-life crisis. The company took a severe blow with the arrest of the CEO. Once upon a time, there lived a princess in castle...

It is important to learn collocations because: because:

You will use the words you know more accurately. In other words, youll do make fewer mistakes. Give you alternative ways of saying something, which may be more colorful / expressive or more precise: instead of repeating: It was very cold and very dark, we can say It was bitterly cold and pitch dark. Vary your speech and your writing. Instead of repeating everyday words like very, good or nice, you will be able to exploit a wider range of language. You will gain more marks in an exam, for writing, We had a blissfully happy holiday in a picturesque little village, instead of We had a very happy holiday in a nice little village.

McCarthy and O Dell (2005)

Practice Activity 1: Collocate the words. words.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 adhere to arouse blond come up with flatly fundamentally go on heavy lead a lick play words rain different of wisdom your principals an economy drive a seminar someones interest contradict hair the stock market of paint a suggestion

McCarthy and O Dell (2005)

Practice Activity 2: Correct these collocations. collocations.

1 Exam candidates often make faults in their use of verbs like do, make, go and get. mistakes 2 Try to use a bigger range of language when you write. wider 3 Exam candidates who use collocations will win better marks. earn / gain 4 You have to know what normal collocation patterns are before you can make them. depart from 5 The writer used colloquial language to form an effect. create
(McCarthy and O Dell (2005)

Practice Activity 3: Supply 4 verbs for that collocate with the main word. word.
accept act on disregard take deal with examine ignore respond to accept come up with expect supply describe have enjoy share

advice

an answer

a complaint

the experience

END OF PRESENTATION

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gairns, Ruth and Redman Stuart (1986) Working with words Cambridge: CUP Hill, Jimmie, Lewis, Morgan and Lewis Michael (2000) Classroom strategies, activities and exercises in Lewis, Michael ed. Teaching collocation Boston: Thomson Heinle Lewis, Michael (1996a) Implementing the lexical approach Hove: LTP McCarthy, Michael and ODell, Felicity (2005) English Collocations in use Cambridge: CUP