1.

I am wearing t-shirt,
2. I am using t-shirt
3. I am putting on t-shirt
4. I am using a microscope to look
at small creatures.
1. The doctor investigated the
patient
2. The doctor examined the patient
 COLLOCATIONS
(WORD PARTNERS)
What is collocation?
• Collocation refers to words that are frequently
used together, for example which prepositions are
used with particular verbs, or which verbs and
nouns are used together.
• For instance, in English the verb perform is used
with operation, but not with discussion:
a. The doctor performed the operation.
b. *The committee performed a discussion.
instead we say:
The committee held/had a discussion
perform is used with (collocates with) operation,
and hold and have collocates with discussion.
Next …
• High collocates with probability, but not with
chance:
a high probability but a good chance
• do collocates with damage, duty, and wrong,
but not with trouble, noise, and excuse:
do a lot of damage make trouble
do one’s duty make a lot of noise
do wrong make an excuse
Next …
• I missed the bus. (or I didn’t catch the bus; but
not I lost the bus.)
• A serious illness
• She committed a crime. (not she did a crime)
• Rescuers did everything humanly possible to
save the people trapped in the building.
(everything a person is able to do)
Verb + Noun
• START
Start the car (turn on the engine)
start a family (have your first child)
• TELL
tell a story tell a joke tell the truth
• GET
get on a bus
get off (leave a bus, train, aircraft or boat)
get in(to) a car
get out (of) a car
• MISS
Miss a person (be unhappy because that person is not there)
Miss a class (when you don’t come to a class)
Next …
• CATCH
We can catch the bus at the corner. (get on the
bus)
How did you catch that cold? (get that cold)
Catch the ball and throw it the Sue
• BREAK
Many people break the law at some point in their
life
Politician often break their promise.
• WEAR
She is wearing t-shirt (not she is using t-shirt)
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
• A soft drink A soft voice (≠ a loud voice)
• Strong coffee (≠ weak coffee)
a strong/heavy accent (≠ a slight accent)
I can’t understand his English because he has such a strong
accent.
• Hard work (hard physically or mentally)
A great success (very successful)
It was hard work organizing the conference, but I think it was
a great success.
• Heavy traffic ( a lot of cars on the road)
Heavy rain (raining a lot)
A heavy smoker
There’s always heavy traffic during rush hour.
I used to be a heavy smoker.
The plane could not take off because of heavy rain
NEXT …
• A sunny day, a narrow escape, broad
shoulder, fresh fruit, a steep hill, a large
size, wide range, vast majority.
• The fast train NOT The quick train
Fast food NOT quick food
• A quick shower NOT A fast shower
A quick meal NOT A fast meal
ADVERB + ADJECTIVE
• I was terribly/awfully sorry to hear about your
accident.
• It’s highly unlikely he’ll come now (I’m almost
sure he will not come)
• She was bitterly disappointed when she didn’t
get the job.