common collocations in use

KNOW ENGLISH, KNOW SUCCESS

NGUYN KHC THC

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1 DANANG 2015

COMMON COLLOCATIONS IN USE

Using words correctly and applying more collocations related to the topic given enable you

to improve the using style of languages, in particular, writing and speaking, to boost your

score band.

WORD COLLOCATIONS MEANING

ILLNESS have an illness/suffer from an illness

recover from an illness

serious illness

minor illness

short/long illness

childhood illness

acute illness (=an illness that

becomes serious very quickly)

chronic illness (=an illness that lasts

a long time and cannot be cured)

fatal illness (=an illness which

causes death)

terminal illness (=an illness which

cannot be cured and that causes

death, often slowly)

mental illness

the symptoms of an illness (=the

things that show that someone has

it)

through illness (=because of illness)

DISEASES have/suffer from a disease
mailto:[email protected]


NGUYN KHC THC


2 DANANG 2015

heart/liver/brain etc disease

a disease of the brain/stomach etc

catch a disease

contract a

disease

formal (=catch a disease)

a disease spreads/the spread of a

disease

infectious/contagious disease (=one

that spreads quickly from one

person to another)

a fatal/deadly disease (=one that

causes death)

an incurable disease (=one that

cannot be cured)

a degenerative disease (=one that

gradually gets worse and worse)

a cure for a disease

the symptoms of a disease (=the

things that show that someone has

it)

OPPORTUNITY opportunity to do something

ideal/perfect opportunity

rare/unique opportunity

once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

ample opportunity


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3 DANANG 2015

golden opportunity (=a very good

opportunity)

wasted/lost/missed opportunity

(=one you do not use)

take/seize/use an opportunity

provide/present/open up an

opportunity

an opportunity comes (along/up)

an opportunity arises

take the/this opportunity to do

something (=use a chance to say

something you want to say)

at the first/earliest opportunity (=as

soon as possible)

at every (possible) opportunity

(=whenever possible)

land of opportunity (=a country

where you have a lot of good

opportunities)

window of opportunity (=a time

when you can do something)

PROBLEM have a problem

big/serious/major problem

cause a problem

deal with/sort out a problem

solve/fix/overcome a problem

address/tackle a problem


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4 DANANG 2015

pose/present a probem

a problem arises/occurs/comes up

(=it happens)

economic/financial problems

personal problem (=a problem in

someone's private life)

money/family problems

drink/drug problem (=when

someone drinks too much alcohol or

takes too many drugs)

thorny/knotty problem (=a difficult

problem)

KNOWLEDGE have knowledge

acquire/gain knowledge (=learn

something)

technical/scientific knowledge

in-depth knowledge

detailed knowledge

specialist knowledge (=knowledge

about a particular subject)

first-hand/personal knowledge

(=knowledge from experiencing

something for yourself)

background knowledge

(=knowledge you need to

understand or do something)


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5 DANANG 2015

general knowledge (=knowledge

about a lot of different subjects)

a thirst for knowledge (=when you

want very much to learn things)

UNDERSTANDIN

G

have an understanding/some

understanding of something

have little/no understanding of

something

gain/get an understanding of

something

a better/greater/deeper

understanding of something

a clear understanding of something

a thorough/proper/full understanding

of something

a basic understanding of something

CHANCE there's a chance (that) (=it is

possible that)

there's every chance (that) (=it is

very likely)

some chance

little chance

no chance

a good/fair chance (=something is

likely)

a slight/slim/outside chance

(=something is unlikely)


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6 DANANG 2015

a fifty-fifty chance (=the possibility

of something happening or not

happening is equal)

a million to one chance/a one in a

million chance (=something is

extremely unlikely to happen)

lessen/minimize/reduce the

chance(s) of something (=make it

less likely)

increase/improve the chance(s) of

something (=make it more likely)

chances are (=it is likely)

POSSIBILITY possibility (that)

possibility of (doing) something

a strong/real/distinct possibility

(=something that is quite likely to

happen)

a remote/faint possibility

(=something that is very unlikely to

happen)

not beyond the bounds/realms of

possibility (=not impossible, but

unlikely)

within the bounds/realms of

possibility (=possible)

raise the possibility (=say or show

that something may be possible)

ISSUE the issue of something


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7 DANANG 2015

raise an issue (=say that an issue

should be discussed)

address an issue (=discuss or deal

with an issue)

resolve an issue

avoid/dodge/duck/evade an issue

(=avoid discussing an issue)

confuse/cloud an issue (=make an

issue more difficult by talking about

things not related to it)

important/key/major/big issue

thorny/vexed issue (=difficult issue)

complex issue

sensitive issue

political/social/economic/environme

ntal issues

something is not the

issue

spoken (=used to say that something

is not the important part of what you

are discussing)

LAW break the law (=do something

illegal)

obey the law

become law (=officially be made a

law)


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8 DANANG 2015

enforce the law (=make people obey

the law)

by law (=according to the law)

be against the law (=be illegal)

within the law (=legal or legally)

tax/copyright/divorce etc law (=all

the laws about tax etc)

criminal law

civil law

international law

federal

law

American English (=the law of the

US, not of a particular state)

SUBJECT change the subject (=start talking

about something different)

get onto a subject (=start talking

about something)

get off a subject (=stop talking about

something)

keep/stay off a subject (=not talk

about something)

drop the subject (=stop talking about

something)

raise a subject (=mention a subject

and start talking about it)


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9 DANANG 2015

broach a subject (=start talking

about something that people may be

sensitive about)

on the subject of something

(=talking about something)

subject of

discussion/debate

also subject for discussion/debate

touchy subject (=something people

are sensitive about)

subject area

VIEW have strong views (about something)

have different/conflicting/opposing

views

share somebody's view/this view etc

(=think the same as someone else)

express a view

take the view that (=think that)

hold a view

strongly/deeply/widely held views

in somebody's view (=used to show

whose opinion it is)

support a view (=help show that it is

right)

an exchange of views (=when

people say what they think)


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10 DANANG 2015

the general view (=what most

people think)

IDEA have an idea

get an idea

give somebody an idea

come up with/hit on an idea (=think

of a new idea)

the idea of (doing) something

good/great/brilliant idea

bad/stupid/crazy idea

it is a good/bad idea to do something

be full of

ideas

also be bursting with ideas (=have a

lot of ideas)

toy with an idea (=think about a

plan, but not very seriously)

exchange/share

ideas

also an exchange of ideas

fire ideas off each other (=discuss

each other's ideas and think of good

new ones)

OPINION in somebody's opinion

general/popular opinion (=what

most people think about something)


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11 DANANG 2015

public opinion (=what ordinary

people think about something)

somebody's personal opinion

difference of opinion

a matter of opinion

ask (for) somebody's opinion

express/give/state an opinion

strong opinion

keep your opinions to yourself (=not

say what you really think)

contrary to popular opinion

(=despite what most people think)

ADVANTAGE

have an advantage

give somebody an advantage

big/great/major/distinct advantage

unfair advantage

enjoy an advantage (=have an

advantage)

be at an advantage (=have an

advantage)

be to your advantage/work to your

advantage (=something gives you an

advantage)

RISK risk (that)

reduce/minimize the risk of

something


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12 DANANG 2015

increase the risk of something

carry/pose a risk

not be worth the risk

high/low risk

increased/reduced risk (=a higher or

lower risk than usual)

a real risk

a calculated risk (=a risk you think

will have a good result)

an element of risk (=some risk, but

not much)

the risks involved in/associated with

something

risk factor

the benefits outweigh the risks

BENEFIT be of benefit (to somebody) (=be

useful to someone)

have the benefit of something

get/gain/derive benefit (from

something)

reap the benefits (of something)

(=enjoy the advantages of

something)

the full benefit (of something)

for somebody's benefit

be to the benefit of somebody


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13 DANANG 2015

mutual benefit (=useful to two or

more people)

with/without the benefit (of

something) (=using/not using

something)

economic/financial/social benefits

health benefits

something outweighs the benefits of

something (=something is more

important than the benefits)

HARM do harm (to something)/do

something harm

cause (somebody/something) harm

suffer harm

do more harm than good (=cause

more problems rather than

improving the situation)

serious harm

physical harm

psychological/emotional harm

there is no harm in (doing)

something (=used to say that

something seems reasonable)

where's the harm in

that?

spoken (=used when you think that

something seems reasonable,

although other people may not)


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14 DANANG 2015

no harm

done

spoken (=used to tell someone not to

worry about something they have

done)

INSPIRATION provide inspiration (for something)

seek/look for inspiration

draw/take inspiration (from

somebody/something) (=get

inspiration from someone or

something)

inspiration comes from

somebody/something

have an inspiration

flash of inspiration

source of inspiration (for/to

somebody)

divine inspiration (=inspiration from

God)

creative/poetic/artistic inspiration

chieve/fulfil/realize an ambition

lifelong ambition

He always had this burning ambition

(=very strong

desire)

an ambition to do something/of

doing something


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15 DANANG 2015

cherish/nurse/harbour an ambition

(=have it secretly for a long time)

TALENT have talent

show talent

talent contest/show/competition (=a

competition in which people show

how well they can sing, dance etc)

(a) natural talent

a hidden talent

musical/artistic/creative etc talent

a man/woman of many talents

(=someone who can do many things

well)

a wealth of talent (=when there are a

lot of people with talent)

WAR win/lose a war

fight a war/wage (a) war (=used

about countries or groups)

fight in a war (=used about people)

be at war (with somebody)

go to war (with somebody)

declare war (on somebody)

war breaks

out

also the outbreak of war


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16 DANANG 2015

civil war (=a war between opposing

groups within a country)

world war

nuclear war

the war years

JOB apply for a job

offer somebody a job

get/find a job (as something)

land a

job

informal (=get a job)

take a job (=accept a job that you are

offered)

hold down a job (=keep a job when

this is difficult)

lose a job

leave/quit a job

be out of a job (=not have a job)

temporary job

permanent job

part-time job

full-time job

steady job (=a job that is likely to

continue)


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17 DANANG 2015

job satisfaction (=the enjoyment you

get from your job)

job security (=how permanent your

job is likely to be)

HABIT good/bad habit

become a habit

be in the habit of doing something

also have a/the habit of doing

something (=do something

regularly)

get into/in the habit (of doing

something) (=start doing something

regularly)

get out of the habit (of doing

something) (=stop doing something

regularly)

develop/form a habit

change a habit

break/kick a habit (=stop doing

something which is bad for you)

change/break the habit(s) of a

lifetime (=stop doing what you have

done for many years)

out of habit/from habit (=because it

is a habit)

(by/from) force of habit (=because it

is a habit which is difficult to

change)


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18 DANANG 2015

eating/drinking habits (=the kinds of

things you eat or drink regularly)

buying/spending habits (=the kinds

of things you buy regularly)

viewing habits (=the kind of

television shows you regularly

watch)

social habits

CONTROL have control (over/of something)

take/gain control (of/over

something)

fight/struggle for control (of/over

something)

lose control (of/over something)

be under control

keep something under control

(=keep something happening in the

way you want)

get/go out of control (=stop

happening in the way you want)

beyond/outside somebody's control

(=impossible for someone to

control)

full/total control

LUCK not have much/any luck

have no luck

have good luck


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19 DANANG 2015

have more/better luck

have the luck to do something

can't believe your luck

sheer luck (=used to emphasize

something happened only by luck)

a piece of luck

a stroke of luck (=very good luck)

an element of luck (=used to say that

luck is involved in something)

dumb

luck

American English (=good luck that

happens by chance, without you

planning it at all)

DEBATE heated/fierce/intense debate (=one in

which people express strong and

very different opinions)

widespread debate

lively debate

public debate

a debate rages (=it happens over a

period of time and people have

strong feelings about it)

long-running debate

ongoing debate (=continuing debate)


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20 DANANG 2015

provoke/trigger/spark off a debate

(=cause a debate)

DISPUTE be involved in a dispute

get into a dispute (=become

involved)

settle/resolve a dispute

bitter dispute

long-running dispute (=one that lasts

a long time)

political/legal dispute

pay dispute

industrial dispute British English

labor dispute American English

(=between workers and employers)

territorial dispute (=about land)

domestic dispute (=between a

couple who live together)

be in dispute with somebody (=be

involved in a dispute)

a dispute arises (=it starts)

CRIME commit crime

combat/fight crime

turn to crime (=start committing

crimes)

crime rate (=the amount of crime

that happens somewhere)


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21 DANANG 2015

crime figures/statistics

crime prevention

violent crime

serious crime

petty crime (=crime that is not very

serious)

car

crime

British English

street crime

victim of crime

juvenile/youth crime (=by children

and teenagers)

tough on crime (=always punishing

crime severely)

HEALTH damage your health

improve your health

good/excellent health

poor/ill health

failing health (=when someone is

becoming more ill)

be in good/excellent/the best of

health

be in poor health

be good/bad for your health


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22 DANANG 2015

somebody's state of health

mental health

health care

health problem

health benefits (of something)

health risk/hazard (=something that

could damage your health)

health warning (=a warning printed

on a product that can harm you)

LANGUAGE speak a language

master a language (=succeed in

learning a language)

language teacher/student/learner

foreign language

somebody's first language/native

language (=the first language

someone learned)

somebody's second language

somebody's command of a language

(=someone's ability to speak a

language)

the language barrier (=the problem

of communicating with people who

speak a different language)

the English/Japanese/German etc

language

the official language


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23 DANANG 2015

modern languages (=languages that

are still spoken)

dead language (=a language that is

no longer spoken)

SCHOOL go to school

attend

school

formal (=go to school)

a new school (=a school that you are

going to for the first time)

somebody's old school (=the school

someone used to go to)

school children/pupils/teacher

school uniform

school playground/library/bus etc

school

meal/dinner

British English

school

holiday(s)

MONEY spend money

make/earn money

make money (=make a profit)


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24 DANANG 2015

lose money (=not make a profit, so

that a business owes more than it

earns)

cost money/cost a lot of money

save money

lend/borrow/owe money

waste money (on something)

be a waste of money

charge (somebody) money

raise money

pay money (for something)

give somebody their money

back/refund somebody's money

a sum/an amount of money

get/earn good money (=be paid good

wages)

FAMILY the whole family/all the family

member of a family/family member

a family of three/four/five etc

a close/close-knit family (=a family

whose members have a close

relationship)

immediate family (=closest

relations)


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25 DANANG 2015

nuclear family (=a family consisting

of a mother, a father, and their

children)

family background (=the sort of

family someone comes from)

one-parent family/single-parent

family

the Royal Family (=the King or

Queen and their family)

family home/car/holiday etc

a family film/show etc (=that is

suitable for children as well as

adults)

family life

family resemblance (=when

members of the same family look

like each other)

family gathering (=when members

of a family who do not live together

arrange to meet)

family unit

BEHAVIOUR good/bad behaviour

violent/aggressive/criminal etc

behaviour

human/social behaviour

pattern of behaviour/behaviour

pattern


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26 DANANG 2015

behaviour problem (=when someone

often behaves badly)

change/modify your behaviour

influence somebody's behaviour

FRIEND a friend of mine/yours/Billy's etc

best friend (=the friend you like the

most)

good/close friend (=one of the

friends you like the most)

old friend (=a friend you have

known for a long time)

trusted friend

lifelong friend (=someone who is

your friend for the whole of your

life)

friend of a friend

circle of friends (=all the friends

someone has)

a mutual friend (=someone who is a

friend of both you and someone

else)

a childhood/boyhood/girlhood friend

DUTY do your duty

it is somebody's duty to do

something

have a duty to do something


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27 DANANG 2015

have a duty to somebody/owe

somebody a duty

sense of duty

moral duty

legal duty

fail in your duty (=fail to do

something that you should do for

someone)

be duty-bound to do something

formal (=have a duty to do

something)

INTEREST have an interest in something

show interest (in something)

express (an) interest (in something)

(=say that you are interested in

something or want to buy it)

take an interest (in something) (=be

interested in something)

have no interest in something

lose interest (in something) (=stop

being interested)

arouse/generate/attract interest

(=make people interested)

pique somebody's

interest

American English (=make someone

interested)


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28 DANANG 2015

great/keen interest

abiding interest (=an interest you

have had for a long time)

lack of interest

with interest

LACK a complete/total lack of something

an apparent lack of something

for lack of something (=because

something is not present or does not

exist)

a distinct/marked lack of something

no lack of something (=plenty of

something)

a relative/comparative lack of

something

no lack of something (=plenty of

something

REASONS reason (that)

reason why

reason for (doing) something

reason to do something

a good reason

a compelling reason (=a reason that

persuades you)

give a reason (for something)


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29 DANANG 2015

for some reason (or other/or

another) (=for a reason that you do

not know)

for personal reasons

for sentimental reasons (=because of

your feelings, not for practical

reasons)

for the simple reason (that)

for obvious reasons

for reasons of something

for reasons best known to

himself/themselves etc (=used when

someone does something surprising)

no/any reason whatsoever

have your reasons (=have a secret

reason for doing something)

see no reason why/to do something

by reason of something formal

(=because of something)

FLOW serious/severe/major blow

shattering/devastating/bitter blow

(=something that makes you

extremely disappointed and upset)

cruel/heavy/grievous blow

deal a blow (to

somebody/something)/deal

(somebody/something) a blow


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30 DANANG 2015

strike a blow

suffer/receive a blow

come as a blow (to somebody)

fatal/final/mortal blow (=one that

ends something)

CONDITION COLLOCATIONS

lay down/impose/set conditions

(=say what must be done)

strict condition

meet/satisfy/fulfil a condition (=do

what has been agreed)

terms and conditions (=what a

contract says must be done)

on condition that/on one condition

(=only if a particular thing is agreed

to)

subject to conditions (=if particular

things are agreed to)

INCREASE tax increase

wage/pay/salary increase

price increase

fare increase

substantial/large increase

huge/massive increase (=a very

large increase)


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31 DANANG 2015

dramatic/sharp increase (=a sudden

large increase)

significant/marked increase (=a

definite and noticeable increase)

slight/small/modest increase

gradual increase

threefold/fourfold/fivefold etc

increase (=an increase by three, four

etc times)

be on the increase (=be increasing)

DISASTER air disaster

nuclear disaster

natural disaster (=caused by nature)

ecological/environmental disaster

(=one that causes great damage to

nature)

end in disaster

spell disaster (=mean that there will

be disaster)

disaster strikes (=it happens)

on the brink of disaster

prevent/avert a disaster

something is a disaster waiting to

happen

WEIGHT put on/gain weight (=get fatter)

lose weight (=get thinner)


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32 DANANG 2015

watch your weight (=try not to get

fatter, by eating the correct foods)

get/keep your weight

down

also get/keep the weight off

(=become thinner or stay thin)

weight problem (=a tendency to be

too fat)

weight gain/loss

weight control (=ways of not getting

too fat)

somebody's ideal weight

ROLE have/play a role in (doing)

something

an important/key/vital/crucial role

a leading/major/central role

an active role

a dual role (=two functions)

take a role

OBSTACLE put/place obstacles in the way (of

something)

overcome an obstacle

remove an obstacle

main/biggest/greatest obstacle

major/serious obstacle


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33 DANANG 2015

insuperable obstacle (=one that

makes it impossible to achieve

something)

formidable obstacle (=a very

difficult obstacle)

legal obstacle

political obstacle

OBLIGATION have an obligation (to do something)

be under an obligation (to do

something) (=have an obligation)

be under no obligation (to do

something)

meet/fulfil an obligation (=do

something that is your duty)

honour an obligation F (=meet an

obligation)

impose an obligation F (=make

someone have an obligation)

owe somebody an obligation F

(=feel that you must do something

for someone)

moral/legal/social obligation

contractual obligation (=something

that a contract says you must do)

a sense of obligation

FACE a long face (=an unhappy

expression)


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34 DANANG 2015

pull/make a face (=change your

expression to make people laugh or

to show you are angry, disappointed

etc)

a blank face (=an expression that

shows you do not know or recognize

something)

a face like thunder (=a very angry

expression)

somebody's face lights up/brightens

(=they start to look happy)

somebody's face falls (=they start to

look unhappy)

somebody's face darkens (=they

start to look angry or threatening)

see something in somebody's face

show in somebody's face

something is written all over

somebody's face (=something is

obvious from someone's expression)

you should have seen his/her

face

spoken (=used to say that someone

was very angry, surprised etc)

the look/expression on somebody's

face

a smile/grin/frown etc on

somebody's fac


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35 DANANG 2015

BAIL (out) on bail

release somebody on bail

grant somebody bail

refuse somebody bail

post bail

hold somebody without bail (=make

someone stay in prison until their

trial)

stand bail/put up bail BrE (=pay

someone's bail)

jump bail also skip

bail

British English (=not return to trial

as you promised)

set somebody's bail at something

(=say how much bail they must pay)

conditional bail British English

(=bail given if someone agrees to do

something)

unconditional bail British English

(=bail given without having to agree

to do something)

TREND recent trend

current/present/latest trend

general trend

alarming/worrying/disturbing trend


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36 DANANG 2015

growing/increasing/rising trend

underlying/long-term trend (=the

trend over a long period of time)

economic trends

downward/upward trend (=a

tendency for something to increase

or decrease)

reverse/buck the trend (=make a

trend go in the opposite direction)

common collocations in use

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