When you speak or write in English, you probably say things like make a decision, take a shower, or fast food — but not do a decision, get a shower, or quick food. Why is that? After all, those alternatives are grammatically correct and make sense, yet they sound strange to native speakers. The reason lies in a fundamental concept of natural language use called collocation.
Collocations are combinations of words that frequently appear together and sound natural to native speakers. They are one of the most important elements of fluency, and mastering them helps learners sound more accurate, natural, and confident. But what exactly is a collocation? Why do certain words “go together,” and how can you learn them effectively?
The Meaning of Collocation
The word collocation comes from the Latin collocare, meaning “to place together.” In linguistics, a collocation refers to a habitual combination of words that frequently occur together in a language.
For example:
- make a mistake (not do a mistake)
- heavy rain (not strong rain)
- commit a crime (not make a crime)
Although the individual words might have similar meanings to alternatives (do, strong, make), only specific combinations sound natural. Collocations are therefore about convention, not logic.
Defining Collocation in Linguistics
Linguist J.R. Firth, who first popularized the term in the 1950s, famously said, “You shall know a word by the company it keeps.” This idea captures the essence of collocation: the meaning and natural use of a word depend on the words that usually accompany it.
For instance, the word blond typically collocates with hair (blond hair), while rancid collocates with butter or smell (rancid butter, rancid smell). You wouldn’t normally say rancid cheese or blond car because those pairings don’t occur in natural speech.
Collocations are thus a key part of how vocabulary is structured and processed in the mind.
Why Collocations Matter
Collocations are not just interesting quirks of English — they are essential to fluent and idiomatic language use.
1. They make language sound natural
Native speakers rarely think about collocations consciously. They say make an effort or take notes automatically. Learners who use unnatural combinations like do an effort or write notes may be understood, but their speech sounds awkward or “non-native.”
2. They improve fluency and comprehension
Collocations help language flow smoothly. Because they are predictable combinations, listeners and readers process them faster. Fluent speakers store and retrieve these word chunks as single units, not separate words.
3. They increase vocabulary depth
Knowing a word’s collocations means knowing how it behaves in real use. For example, learning the word decision includes learning that it collocates with make, reach, and announce.
4. They enhance writing quality
Writers use collocations to sound more natural and sophisticated. Compare:
- Unnatural: The company did a huge profit.
- Natural: The company made a huge profit.
The second version sounds authentic because it uses a natural collocation.
Types of Collocations
Collocations occur in many grammatical and lexical forms. Linguists commonly classify them into several types.
1. Verb + Noun
This is one of the most common types.
- Make a decision
- Take a shower
- Catch a cold
- Pay attention
- Set a goal
Each combination sounds natural, while alternatives like do a decision or take attention sound wrong.
2. Adjective + Noun
Certain adjectives naturally pair with specific nouns.
- Strong coffee
- Heavy rain
- Deep sleep
- High expectations
- Major problem
Notice how strong coffee is natural, but powerful coffee is not.
3. Noun + Noun
Two nouns often form fixed expressions or compound terms.
- Job interview
- Traffic jam
- Data analysis
- Climate change
- Family business
4. Adverb + Adjective
Adverbs frequently modify certain adjectives in predictable ways.
- Completely wrong
- Deeply disappointed
- Highly successful
- Absolutely necessary
- Perfectly clear
Each adverb intensifies the adjective in a way that sounds idiomatic.
5. Verb + Adverb
Verbs often appear with specific adverbs.
- Apologize sincerely
- Whisper softly
- Drive carefully
- Agree completely
- Behave badly
6. Verb + Preposition / Noun + Preposition
Prepositions also form strong collocational links.
- Depend on
- Believe in
- Interested in
- In charge of
- On purpose
7. Adjective + Preposition
Certain adjectives require specific prepositions.
- Afraid of
- Good at
- Famous for
- Capable of
- Responsible for
Learning these collocations prevents typical learner errors like good in or interested on.
Strong vs. Weak Collocations
Not all collocations are equally fixed. Some words are tightly bound, while others are more flexible.
Strong Collocations
These combinations are very specific and rarely vary.
- Rancid butter
- Foot the bill
- Shrug your shoulders
Replacing any word would sound unnatural.
Weak Collocations
These are more flexible because the words can combine with many others.
- Nice weather, nice person, nice day
- Big house, big opportunity, big mistake
Even though they’re flexible, weak collocations still follow patterns preferred by native speakers.
Fixed and Semi-Fixed Expressions
Some collocations are so common that they become idiomatic or nearly fixed.
- By the way
- As a matter of fact
- At the end of the day
Others are semi-fixed and can change slightly.
- A good deal of / a great deal of / a fair deal of
These expressions illustrate how collocations form a continuum between free word combinations and idioms.
Collocation vs. Idiom
Collocations and idioms often overlap but are not the same.
| Feature | Collocation | Idiom |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Often literal or partially predictable | Non-literal, figurative |
| Example | Strong coffee, Make a decision | Kick the bucket, Spill the beans |
| Flexibility | Can often be slightly modified | Usually fixed |
In short, idioms express figurative ideas, while collocations reflect natural word partnerships.
Examples of Common English Collocations
| Word | Common Collocations |
|---|---|
| Make | a mistake, a plan, a difference, progress |
| Do | homework, business, the dishes, a favor |
| Take | notes, a photo, a nap, responsibility |
| Give | advice, a presentation, permission, a call |
| Pay | attention, a visit, the bill, respect |
| Keep | a promise, a secret, calm, track of |
| Catch | a cold, a train, someone’s attention |
| Break | a record, a habit, the news, the rules |
These combinations are what make English sound natural and idiomatic.
The Role of Collocations in Fluency
Fluency is not just about knowing grammar or vocabulary — it’s about using words naturally and quickly. Collocations play a central role in this process.
Native speakers store word combinations in their mental lexicon as “chunks.” When speaking, they retrieve these chunks automatically. Instead of constructing each sentence word by word, they use pre-formed phrases like “take a look” or “as soon as possible.”
For language learners, developing collocational competence helps speech become faster, more natural, and more accurate.
How Collocations Reflect Culture and Meaning
Collocations are not random; they reflect how speakers of a language perceive the world.
For example, English speakers say “make a decision” but French speakers say “prendre une décision” (“take a decision”). Similarly, English has “strong tea” while Spanish prefers “té fuerte” (“strong tea”), but in other languages, the adjective might differ.
These differences show how each language has its own way of conceptualizing relationships between ideas. That’s why direct translation of collocations often sounds awkward — every language has its own preferred word pairings.
Collocations in Writing and Speaking
Using collocations correctly enhances both spoken and written communication.
In speaking:
They make conversation smoother and more natural. For instance:
- “Let’s grab a bite before class.”
- “I’m running late today.”
These sound fluent because they use everyday collocations.
In writing:
They add sophistication and precision. Compare:
- Unnatural: “There was a very big increase in sales.”
- Natural: “There was a sharp increase in sales.”
Writers and journalists often rely on collocations like mounting pressure, economic growth, deeply concerned, and fully aware to sound professional and idiomatic.
Collocations in Different Registers
Collocations also depend on register — the level of formality in language.
- Informal: Grab a drink, hang out, chill out, go crazy
- Formal: Conduct research, submit a report, reach an agreement, undertake a task
Recognizing which collocations suit which context is vital for mastering stylistic variation in English.
Learning and Practicing Collocations
Because collocations are based on habit and frequency, they must be learned through exposure and practice rather than pure memorization.
1. Learn Words in Pairs or Groups
Instead of learning single words, study their common partners.
- advice → give / follow / take advice
- interest → take an interest in / show interest in
2. Read and Listen Extensively
Collocations occur naturally in authentic texts. Reading books, articles, and dialogues exposes learners to real combinations.
3. Use Collocation Dictionaries
Specialized dictionaries, like the Oxford Collocations Dictionary or Macmillan Collocations Dictionary, list common word pairings.
4. Practice with Corpora and Tools
Online corpora like COCA (Corpus of Contemporary American English) show how words combine in real-life contexts.
5. Record and Review Collocations
Create a collocation notebook organized by keyword (do, make, have) or topic (work, travel, food).
6. Practice in Writing and Speech
Try to use new collocations actively in sentences, conversations, or essays.
Example: Instead of “I’m very tired,” say “I’m absolutely exhausted.”
Common Mistakes with Collocations
Language learners often create incorrect combinations by directly translating from their native languages or choosing logical but unnatural pairings.
Examples of common mistakes:
- ❌ Strong rain → ✅ Heavy rain
- ❌ Do a mistake → ✅ Make a mistake
- ❌ Big traffic → ✅ Heavy traffic
- ❌ High temperature (for fever) → ✅ A high fever
Recognizing these fixed expressions helps learners avoid unnatural phrasing.
Collocations and Language Teaching
In modern language education, collocations are central to the lexical approach, a theory proposed by linguist Michael Lewis in the 1990s. This approach emphasizes teaching language as a collection of meaningful chunks rather than isolated words or grammar rules.
According to this view, fluency comes from storing and recalling these chunks — such as “It’s up to you,” “I’ll keep in touch,” or “Don’t take it personally.” Teaching collocations helps learners sound more natural and use grammar correctly without overthinking.
Collocations in Other Languages
Every language has collocations, though the combinations vary widely.
- Spanish: cometer un error (commit an error)
- German: eine Entscheidung treffen (make a decision)
- French: prendre une douche (take a shower)
- Japanese: 時間を費やす (jikan o tsuiyasu, “spend time”)
These examples show that while meanings overlap, the preferred word pairings differ. Learning collocations in each language helps avoid literal translation errors and improves cultural fluency.
The Psychology of Collocations
Psycholinguistic research shows that native speakers store collocations as single mental units or “chunks.” This allows them to process and produce language faster.
When someone hears take a shower, their brain doesn’t analyze take and shower separately — it recognizes the phrase as one familiar expression. This explains why native speakers can speak so quickly and effortlessly.
For learners, developing this same intuitive grasp requires frequent exposure and repetition.
The Power of Collocation
Collocations are the glue that holds natural language together. They capture patterns of thought, culture, and usage that no grammar rule can fully explain.
By learning collocations, you don’t just memorize words — you learn how words live together in real communication. They are what make your English sound natural, expressive, and authentic.
Mastering collocations means mastering the rhythm of the language itself.
References
- Firth, J. R. (1957). Papers in Linguistics 1934–1951. Oxford University Press.
- Lewis, M. (1993). The Lexical Approach: The State of ELT and a Way Forward. Heinle ELT.
- McCarthy, M., & O’Dell, F. (2017). English Collocations in Use. Cambridge University Press.
- Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press.
- Sinclair, J. (1991). Corpus, Concordance, Collocation. Oxford University Press.