Master collocations (natural word combinations) and common word pairs. Learn which words go together naturally in English to sound more fluent and accurate in writing and speech.
✅ Recommended for: Class 8-10 (Foundation) | Class 11-12 (Advanced Usage)
1. What Are Collocations & Word Pairs?
Collocations: Words that frequently go together in a natural way.
Word Pairs: Fixed combinations of words that are always used together.
Importance: Makes English sound natural and fluent; avoids awkward phrasing.
| Type | Correct Collocation | Incorrect Combination | Why It's Wrong | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verb + Noun | make a decision | do a decision | "Do" doesn't collocate with "decision" | I need to make a decision soon. |
| Adjective + Noun | strong coffee | powerful coffee | Coffee is "strong," not "powerful" | I prefer strong coffee in the morning. |
| Adverb + Adjective | fully aware | completely aware | Both correct, but "fully" is more common | He was fully aware of the risks. |
| Verb + Adverb | rain heavily | rain strongly | Rain "heavily," not "strongly" | It will rain heavily today. |
| Noun + Noun | a round of applause | a circle of applause | Fixed expression is "round of applause" | Let's give her a round of applause. |
2. Essential Collocations List
| Type | Collocation | Alternative (Wrong) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb + Noun | make a mistake | do a mistake | Everyone can make a mistake. |
| Verb + Noun | do homework | make homework | I need to do my homework. |
| Verb + Noun | take a break | make a break | Let's take a break for 10 minutes. |
| Verb + Noun | catch a cold | take a cold | Don't go out in rain or you'll catch a cold. |
| Verb + Noun | save time | keep time | This shortcut will save time. |
| Verb + Noun | keep a secret | hold a secret | Can you keep a secret? |
| Verb + Noun | break a promise | crack a promise | Don't break your promise to me. |
| Verb + Noun | tell a lie | say a lie | It's wrong to tell a lie. |
| Verb + Noun | take a shower | make a shower | I'll take a shower before dinner. |
| Verb + Noun | make a suggestion | give a suggestion | May I make a suggestion? |
| Verb + Noun | do damage | make damage | The storm did damage to the roof. |
| Verb + Noun | take notes | make notes | Please take notes during the lecture. |
| Verb + Noun | make progress | do progress | She's making good progress in math. |
| Verb + Noun | have breakfast | take breakfast | I usually have breakfast at 8 AM. |
| Verb + Noun | give advice | say advice | Can you give me some advice? |
| Verb + Noun | take a photo | make a photo | Let me take a photo of you. |
| Verb + Noun | make an effort | do an effort | You should make an effort to improve. |
| Verb + Noun | pay attention | give attention | Please pay attention to the teacher. |
| Verb + Noun | do business | make business | They do business with many countries. |
| Verb + Noun | make a phone call | do a phone call | I need to make a phone call. |
| Adjective + Noun | heavy rain | strong rain | We can't go out in this heavy rain. |
| Adjective + Noun | strong wind | heavy wind | The strong wind blew the trees. |
| Adjective + Noun | bright colors | strong colors | She loves wearing bright colors. |
| Adjective + Noun | fast food | quick food | Don't eat too much fast food. |
| Adjective + Noun | quick shower | fast shower | I'll take a quick shower. |
| Adjective + Noun | deep sleep | heavy sleep | After work, I fell into a deep sleep. |
| Adjective + Noun | sharp turn | strong turn | The car made a sharp turn left. |
| Adjective + Noun | high hopes | big hopes | I have high hopes for your future. |
| Adjective + Noun | big mistake | large mistake | That was a big mistake. |
| Adjective + Noun | sore throat | painful throat | I have a sore throat today. |
| Adjective + Noun | busy schedule | full schedule | I have a very busy schedule this week. |
| Adjective + Noun | close friend | near friend | She's my close friend since childhood. |
| Adjective + Noun | major problem | big problem | We have a major problem to solve. |
| Adjective + Noun | strong accent | heavy accent | He speaks English with a strong accent. |
| Adjective + Noun | mild weather | soft weather | We're having mild weather this spring. |
| Adjective + Noun | loud noise | strong noise | Please don't make loud noise. |
| Adverb + Adjective | fully aware | completely aware | I'm fully aware of the situation. |
| Adverb + Adjective | deeply concerned | strongly concerned | Parents are deeply concerned about safety. |
| Adverb + Adjective | highly recommended | strongly recommended | This book is highly recommended. |
| Adverb + Adjective | bitterly cold | strongly cold | It was bitterly cold yesterday. |
| Adverb + Adjective | ridiculously expensive | very expensive | This car is ridiculously expensive. |
| Adverb + Adjective | painfully obvious | very obvious | The answer was painfully obvious. |
| Adverb + Adjective | seriously ill | very ill | He's seriously ill in the hospital. |
| Adverb + Adjective | terribly sorry | very sorry | I'm terribly sorry for being late. |
| Verb + Adverb | rain heavily | rain strongly | It's raining heavily outside. |
| Verb + Adverb | work hard | work hardly | You need to work hard to succeed. |
| Verb + Adverb | think carefully | think hardly | Think carefully before deciding. |
| Verb + Adverb | speak softly | speak lowly | Please speak softly in the library. |
| Verb + Adverb | drive carefully | drive safely | Always drive carefully in rain. |
| Verb + Adverb | listen attentively | listen carefully | Students should listen attentively. |
| Verb + Adverb | remember vividly | remember clearly | I remember vividly that day. |
| Noun + Noun | business trip | business travel | He's on a business trip to Delhi. |
| Noun + Noun | credit card | money card | Can I pay by credit card? |
| Noun + Noun | traffic jam | traffic block | We're stuck in a traffic jam. |
| Noun + Noun | birthday party | birthday celebration | We're having a birthday party. |
| Noun + Noun | job interview | job meeting | I have a job interview tomorrow. |
| Noun + Noun | health problem | health issue | He has some health problems. |
| Noun + Noun | phone number | telephone number | What's your phone number? |
| Noun + Noun | bank account | money account | I need to open a bank account. |
| Noun + Noun | email address | email ID | Please share your email address. |
| Noun + Noun | weather forecast | weather prediction | Check the weather forecast before going. |
| Noun + Noun | time management | time control | Good time management is important. |
| Noun + Noun | bus stop | bus station | Wait for me at the bus stop. |
| Noun + Noun | train station | train stop | The train station is very crowded. |
| Noun + Noun | post office | mail office | I need to go to the post office. |
| Noun + Noun | police station | police office | Report the theft at the police station. |
| Noun + Noun | fire station | fire office | The fire station is nearby. |
| Noun + Noun | shopping mall | shopping center | Let's meet at the shopping mall. |
| Noun + Noun | movie theater | film theater | We're going to the movie theater. |
| Noun + Noun | grocery store | food store | I need to go to the grocery store. |
| Noun + Noun | book store | book shop | I bought this from the book store. |
| Noun + Noun | coffee shop | coffee store | Let's meet at the coffee shop. |
| Noun + Noun | gas station | petrol station | We need to stop at a gas station. |
| Noun + Noun | parking lot | parking area | The parking lot is full. |
| Noun + Noun | rest room | wash room | Where is the rest room? |
| Noun + Noun | living room | sitting room | We watch TV in the living room. |
| Noun + Noun | dining room | eating room | Let's have dinner in the dining room. |
| Noun + Noun | bed room | sleeping room | My bed room is on the second floor. |
| Noun + Noun | bath room | washing room | The bath room needs cleaning. |
| Noun + Noun | kitchen table | kitchen desk | Put the groceries on the kitchen table. |
| Noun + Noun | office chair | office seat | I need a new office chair. |
| Noun + Noun | school bus | school vehicle | The school bus arrives at 7:30. |
| Noun + Noun | library book | library novel | Return the library book on time. |
| Noun + Noun | house key | home key | I lost my house key. |
| Noun + Noun | car key | vehicle key | Where are the car keys? |
| Noun + Noun | room temperature | room heat | Serve at room temperature. |
| Noun + Noun | body temperature | body heat | My body temperature is normal. |
| Noun + Noun | blood pressure | blood level | Check your blood pressure regularly. |
| Noun + Noun | eye glasses | eye lenses | I need new eye glasses. |
| Noun + Noun | wrist watch | hand watch | My wrist watch stopped working. |
| Noun + Noun | alarm clock | wake clock | Set the alarm clock for 6 AM. |
| Noun + Noun | cell phone | mobile phone | My cell phone battery is dead. |
| Noun + Noun | laptop computer | laptop device | I use a laptop computer for work. |
| Noun + Noun | desktop computer | desktop device | The desktop computer is in the office. |
| Noun + Noun | internet connection | internet link | The internet connection is slow. |
| Noun + Noun | web site | web page | Visit our web site for more information. |
| Noun + Noun | email message | email note | I sent you an email message. |
| Noun + Noun | text message | text note | I'll send you a text message. |
3. Fixed Word Pairs (Always Together)
| Word Pair | Meaning/Usage | Wrong Version | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| bread and butter | basic needs/main source of income | butter and bread | Teaching is my bread and butter. |
| black and white | clear distinction/simple | white and black | This is a black and white issue. |
| give and take | compromise/mutual concession | take and give | Marriage requires give and take. |
| ups and downs | good and bad times | downs and ups | Every relationship has its ups and downs. |
| safe and sound | unharmed/secure | sound and safe | They arrived safe and sound. |
| peace and quiet | calmness/tranquility | quiet and peace | I need some peace and quiet. |
| law and order | enforcement of laws | order and law | The police maintain law and order. |
| life and death | extremely serious | death and life | This is a life and death situation. |
| short and sweet | brief and pleasant | sweet and short | Keep your speech short and sweet. |
| fast and furious | very quick and intense | furious and fast | The action was fast and furious. |
| back and forth | movement in both directions | forth and back | The pendulum swings back and forth. |
| here and there | in various places | there and here | Books were scattered here and there. |
| now and then | occasionally | then and now | I visit my grandparents now and then. |
| day and night | all the time/continuously | night and day | He works day and night. |
| high and low | everywhere | low and high | I searched high and low for my keys. |
| first and foremost | most importantly | foremost and first | First and foremost, be honest. |
| odds and ends | miscellaneous items | ends and odds | The drawer is full of odds and ends. |
| tried and tested | proven to work | tested and tried | This is a tried and tested method. |
| hustle and bustle | busy activity | bustle and hustle | I love the hustle and bustle of cities. |
| to and fro | back and forth | fro and to | Children ran to and fro in the park. |
| wear and tear | damage from use | tear and wear | The carpet shows signs of wear and tear. |
| aches and pains | various pains | pains and aches | Old age brings aches and pains. |
| bits and pieces | small fragments | pieces and bits | The vase broke into bits and pieces. |
| by and large | generally/for the most part | large and by | By and large, the plan worked well. |
| fair and square | honest/just | square and fair | We won the game fair and square. |
| part and parcel | essential part | parcel and part | Hard work is part and parcel of success. |
| prim and proper | very formal/neat | proper and prim | She's always prim and proper. |
| rough and tough | strong/durable | tough and rough | He's a rough and tough football player. |
| slow and steady | gradual but consistent | steady and slow | Slow and steady wins the race. |
| spick and span | very clean and tidy | span and spick | Keep your room spick and span. |
| through and through | completely/thoroughly | He's a gentleman through and through. | |
| time and again | repeatedly | again and time | I've told you time and again. |
| touch and go | uncertain/risky | go and touch | It was touch and go for a while. |
| wait and see | be patient and observe | see and wait | We'll have to wait and see what happens. |
| wine and dine | entertain with food/drink | dine and wine | He likes to wine and dine his clients. |
| year in, year out | every year consistently | year out, year in | Year in, year out, he works hard. |
| body and soul | completely/with all energy | soul and body | He put body and soul into the project. |
| heart and soul | with complete devotion | soul and heart | She put her heart and soul into singing. |
| lock, stock and barrel | completely/everything | barrel, stock and lock | They sold the business lock, stock and barrel. |
| hook, line and sinker | completely/totally | sinker, line and hook | He fell for the story hook, line and sinker. |
| hem and haw | hesitate in speaking | haw and hem | Don't hem and haw, just tell me. |
| rant and rave | shout angrily | rave and rant | He began to rant and rave about politics. |
| trial and error | experimental method | error and trial | We learned by trial and error. |
| vim and vigor | energy and enthusiasm | vigor and vim | She approached the task with vim and vigor. |
| whys and wherefores | reasons/explanations | wherefores and whys | I don't need to know all the whys and wherefores. |
| aid and abet | help in wrongdoing | abet and aid | He was accused of aiding and abetting the criminal. |
| bag and baggage | with all belongings | baggage and bag | They left bag and baggage. |
| beck and call | always ready to serve | call and beck | He's at her beck and call all day. |
| dribs and drabs | small amounts | drabs and dribs | Information came in dribs and drabs. |
| hale and hearty | healthy and strong | hearty and hale | At 90, he's still hale and hearty. |
4. Types of Collocations
| Type | Pattern | Examples | Rules/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb + Noun | do/make/take/have/give + noun | do homework, make a decision, take a break, have breakfast, give advice | Most common type; verbs are fixed with specific nouns |
| Adjective + Noun | adjective describing noun specifically | strong coffee, heavy rain, bright colors, quick shower | Adjectives have specific nouns they modify naturally |
| Adverb + Adjective | adverb intensifying adjective | fully aware, deeply concerned, highly recommended | Certain adverbs collocate with specific adjectives |
| Verb + Adverb | verb modified by specific adverb | rain heavily, work hard, speak softly, drive carefully | Verbs have natural adverb partners |
| Noun + Noun | noun modifying another noun | credit card, traffic jam, birthday party, job interview | Fixed compound nouns; order cannot be changed |
| Verb + Preposition | verb followed by specific preposition | depend on, believe in, wait for, listen to | Preposition is fixed with the verb |
| Noun + Preposition | noun followed by specific preposition | reason for, solution to, advantage of, interest in | Nouns have fixed prepositions that follow them |
| Adjective + Preposition | adjective followed by specific preposition | afraid of, interested in, good at, famous for | Adjectives have fixed prepositions |
5. Common Collocation Mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Rule/Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| do a mistake | make a mistake | "Make" collocates with "mistake" | It's normal to make mistakes when learning. |
| say the truth | tell the truth | "Tell" collocates with "truth" | Always tell the truth. |
| give an exam | take an exam | Students "take" exams; teachers "give" exams | I need to take an exam tomorrow. |
| strong rain | heavy rain | Rain is "heavy," not "strong" | We can't go out in heavy rain. |
| powerful coffee | strong coffee | Coffee is "strong," not "powerful" | I like my coffee strong. |
| do a phone call | make a phone call | "Make" collocates with "phone call" | I need to make a phone call. |
| big noise | loud noise | Noise is "loud," not "big" | Please don't make loud noise. |
| fast food | quick meal | "Fast food" is specific; for general, use "quick meal" | Let's have a quick meal before leaving. |
🎯 Collocations & Word Pairs Challenge
Choose the correct collocation or word pair.
1. Which is correct? (make a mistake/do a mistake/take a mistake)
Answer: make a mistake (verb "make" collocates with "mistake")
2. Which word pair means "basic needs/source of income"? (black and white/bread and butter/peace and quiet)
Answer: bread and butter (fixed expression meaning main source of income)
3. Which adjective goes with "coffee"? (strong/powerful/heavy)
Answer: strong ("strong coffee" is the correct collocation)
4. Which is the fixed word pair for "good and bad times"? (give and take/ups and downs/back and forth)
Answer: ups and downs (means both good and bad periods)
5. Which verb collocates with "homework"? (make/do/take)
Answer: do ("do homework" is the correct collocation)
7. Memory Aids & Tips
Verb + Noun Patterns:
• DO: homework, business, damage, exercise, research
• MAKE: a decision, a mistake, progress, an effort, a phone call
• TAKE: a break, a shower, notes, a photo, an exam
• HAVE: breakfast, lunch, dinner, a party, fun
• GIVE: advice, a suggestion, permission, a speech
Create your own lists for each verb.
Word Pair Memory Tricks:
• Bread and butter: Think of basic food needs
• Black and white: Think of old photos (clear distinction)
• Give and take: Relationships need both giving and taking
• Ups and downs: Life has both up (good) and down (bad) times
• Safe and sound: Both words start with "s"
Many word pairs follow alphabetical order or rhyme.
Learning Strategy:
1. Learn in chunks (whole phrases), not individual words
2. Read extensively to see collocations in context
3. Keep a collocation notebook organized by verb
4. Practice with fill-in-the-blank exercises
5. Listen to native speakers for natural usage
The more you read and listen, the more natural collocations will feel.
📝 Practice Collocations & Word Pairs
Master collocations and word pairs with our comprehensive worksheet covering all types and common errors!
Go to Collocations & Word Pairs WorksheetIncludes answer key • Verb + noun exercises • Word pair identification • Error correction • Contextual usage
