What is a What is a collocation?collocation?What is a What is a

collocation?collocation?

Group of words often used together because they sound ‘natural’:

fast car / quick look

Understandable? probably. Natural? no

Group of words often used together because they sound ‘natural’:

fast car / quick look

Understandable? probably. Natural? no

Fixed / Open collocationsFixed / Open collocationsFixed / Open collocationsFixed / Open collocations

Fixed:

You must make an effort (not do!)

watch TV (not look!)

Take a photo

Open:

stick to / keep to the rules

Fixed:

You must make an effort (not do!)

watch TV (not look!)

Take a photo

Open:

stick to / keep to the rules

Why learn collocations?Why learn collocations?Why learn collocations?Why learn collocations?They can:

give you the most natural way to say sth:

smoking is strictly / strongly forbidden. Which one?

give you alternative ways of saying sth (repertoire):

It was very cold and very dark / It was bitterly cold and pitch dark.

They can:

give you the most natural way to say sth:

smoking is strictly / strongly forbidden. Which one?

give you alternative ways of saying sth (repertoire):

It was very cold and very dark / It was bitterly cold and pitch dark.