A collocation is a combination of words that are commonly
used together. The simplest way of describing collocations is to say that they ‘just sound right’
to native English
speakers. It is important
to learn collocations because they naturalise one’s speech. Besides, they
broaden one’s scope for expression.
Collocations starting with the verb ‘Do’
a) Do me a favour: The boss asked Varun to do him a favour.
b) Do the cooking: As the guests came home unannounced, mother asked her daughter to
do the cooking.
c) Do the housework: The maid was directed to do the housework.
d) Do the shopping: On the last day of our exams, we decided
to do the shopping.
e) Do your best: Father told his children to do the best in Athletics.
Collocations with the verb ‘Have’
a) Have a bath: During summer, one should have a bath twice in a day.
b) Have a haircut: Students should regularly have a haircut
for a disciplined look.
c) Have a holiday: Do you have a holiday on Monday?
d) Have a problem: Some people have a problem in every situation.
e) Have lunch:
Why don’t you have a lunch at
this restaurant?
f) Have sympathy: People should have sympathy for
the underprivileged.
Collocations with the verb ‘Break’
a) Break the law: Few people feel proud when they break the law.
b)
Break the leg: The police threatened
the thief to break his leg if he doesn’t tell the truth.
c) Break a promise: Gentlemen never break a promise.
d) Break a record: Students these days break a record
in scoring above 90 percent
marks.
e) Break the news to someone: It’s difficult to break the news of somebody’s death.
f) Break the rules: The principal warned
the students not to break the rules of
the college.
Collocations with the verb ‘Take’
a) Take an exam: To judge the IQ level, it is important to take an exam.
b) Take a break: Arvind’s mother told him to take a break from his studies.
c) Take a look: Take
a look at the breathtaking sight.
d) Take a rest: The traveller decided
to take a rest.
e) Take a seat: The interviewer told the candidate to take a seat.
f) Take a taxi: It’s better to take a taxi in rainy season.
g) Take notes: The teacher told the students to take notes during her lecture.
Collocations with the verb ‘Make’
a) Make a difference: Ajay asked his friend how he could
make a difference in
someone’s life?
b) Make a mess: The boys in the hostel
make a mess of
their room.
c) Make a mistake: One should not make
a mistake repeatedly.
d)
Make a noise: The Head of the Department requested the students
not to make a noise
during college gathering.
e) Make an effort: To excel in life you have to make an effort.
f) Make money:
Father told his son not to make money by
doing wrong things.
g) Make progress: Entrepreneurs make progress
by doing hard work.
Collocations with the verb ‘Pay’
a) Pay respect:
It is an honor to pay respect
to the martyrs
who sacrificed their lives for our country.
b) Pay a fine: In USA one has to pay a fine for breaking
the rules.
c) Pay attention: The teacher told Kumar to pay attention during the lecture.
d) Pay by credit card: These days it is easy to pay by credit card.
e) Pay someone a visit: Avoid paying someone a visit on
Sundays.
Collocations with the verb ‘Keep’
a) Keep a secret: It is not easy to keep a secret.
b) Keep calm: Keep calm even if someone
upsets you.
c) Keep in touch: Tarun asked Tanay to keep in touch through e-mails.
d) Keep quite: Students were asked to keep quite during the seminar.
Collocations with the verb ‘Save’
a) Save yourself
the trouble: By regular exercises, you save yourself the trouble of
getting obese.
b) Save electricity: It is our moral responsibility to save electricity.
c) Save money: Intelligent people save money for future.
d) Save someone’s life: Have you ever saved someone’s life?
Collocations with the verb ‘Go’
a) Go bald: It’s a fashion
to go bald these
days.
b) Go abroad: Many students go
abroad for higher studies.
c) Go bankrupt: Spendthrifts usually go bankrupt.
d) Go sailing:
It’s fun to go sailing
on the seas.
e) Go to war: Soldiers are always ready to go to war.
Collocations with the verb ‘Come’
a) Come into view: In jungle safaris, tourists have
to wait for the wild animals
to come into view.
b) Come on time: Anu requested her friends to come on time for her birthday party.
c) Come prepared: The candidates were asked to come prepared for the Aptitude Test.
d) Come to an agreement: To maintain
peace and order,
the two countries should come to an agreement.
e) Come to an end: Finally, the session
has come to an end.
Collocations with the verb ‘Get’
a) Get a job: To get a job, candidate should
be confident and fluent.
Get angry: People should not get angry on petty issues.
c) Get frightened: Children get frightened during night.
d) Get permission: The students
approached the Principal
to get permission for
an industrial visit.
e) Get ready:
Mother told her daughter
to get ready for
the party.
Collocations related
to ‘Time’
a) Free time: I like to listen to music in my free time.
b) From dawn till dusk: Farmers work from dawn till dusk to earn a living.
c) Make time for: We should make time for our
hobbies.
d) Right on time: Bina reached the examination hall right on time.
e) Waste time: Do not waste time, because
time once gone never comes back.
Collocations related to ‘Business
English’
a) Annual turnover:
The annual turnover
of the companies
depends on the effective team work, marketing
and other strategies.
b) Break off negotiations: It’s important to break off the negotiations during
business meetings.
c) Come to the point: The teacher told Arjun to directly come to the point.
d) Dismiss an offer: Vinay had to dismiss an offer of job as he met with an accident.
e) Draw a conclusion: In every experiment, students draw
a conclusion at the end.
f) Launch a new product: Marketing plays an important
role in launching a new product.
4.2
IDIOMS
Dictionary defines
an idiom ‘as a form of expression peculiar to a language.’ Every language has its own collection of wise sayings.
They offer advice about how to live and also transfer some underlying ideas, principles and values of a given
culture/society. These sayings are called
‘idioms’. These combinations of words
have (rarely complete sentences) a ‘figurative meaning’. In short, idioms are a
source of sparkle and polish. This list of commonly used idioms and sayings
can help to speak fine English.
a)
Action speaks louder than words: People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they
say.
Example: Without any arguments, we completed our project successfully; after all,
action speaks louder than words!
b)
A hot potato: Speak of an issue (mostly current) which many people are talking about
and which is usually disputed.
Example: I-Phone is
a
hot potato.
c)
Add insult to injury: To further a
loss with mockery
or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.
Example: Pessimistic people have a habit of adding insult to injury.
d)
At the drop of a hat: without any hesitation; instantly.
Example: On my call, she was ready
to help me at the drop of a hat.
e)
Back
to the drawing board: When an attempt
fails and it's time to start all over. Example: Twice Veena had to go back to the drawing board
for her new project again.
f)
Ball
is in your court: It is up to you to make the next decision or step.
Example: The manager told the employees that now the ball was in their court.
g)
Barking up the wrong tree: Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the
wrong person.
Example: Nisha was barking up the wrong tree for
her demotion.
h)
Beat around the bush: Avoiding
the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
Example: People with less knowledge
and low confidence always beat around the bush.
i)
Best
of both worlds: All
the advantages.
Example: My decision of joining this
institute is best of both worlds.
j)
Bite off more than you can chew: To take on a task that is way too
big. Example: Some people always
bite off more than they can chew just
to build their
impression.
k)
Blessing in disguise: Something good that
isn't recognized at first.
Example: My colleagues are blessing in disguise for
me.
l)
Burn the midnight oil: To work late
into the night,
alluding to the time before
electric lighting.
Example: During exams, students burn the midnight oil.
Example: I was caught between
two stools when
I got the offer letters
of two renowned companies at a time.
o)
Cross the bridge when
you come across
it: Deal
with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.
Example: To avoid hassles, cross the bridge
when you come across it.
Example: Mr. Sharma from our team always cries over the spilt milk.
r)
The
show has come to an end:
It’s all over.
Example: The show has come to an end due to disputes among
family members.
s)
Every dark cloud has a silver lining: Be optimistic, even
difficult times will lead to better days.
Example : Mr. Tripathi had
a loss in business, but he did not lose hope as he believed
that every dark cloud
has a silver lining.
t)
Hear it on the grapevine: to hear rumors about something or someone.
Example :The Team Manager couldn’t believe what he heard on the grapevine about his team members.
u)
Hit
the nail on the head:
Do or say something exactly right.
Example :Today we hit the nail
on the head by putting the matter rationally in front of the Manager.
v)
Keep something at bay:Keep something away.
Example :A good leader always keeps prejudice at bay.
w)
Kill two birds with one stone: to accomplish two different things at
the same time. Example :My trip to Germany
will kill two birds
with one stone. I will do my work as well as have a great time with my family.
x)
Last straw: The final problem in a series of problems.
Example :We are now stress
free as this is the last straw.
y)
A
man of letters: A well-read man
Example :Dr. Mehta is
a
man of letters and his views are scholarly.
z)
Let the cat out of the bag:To share information that was previously concealed; Make a long story short.
Example :The ministry
has now let the cat out of the bag.
aa) Crocodile tears: Pretended sorrow
Example :Cheaters shed crocodile tears.
Example :Mr. Kulkarni got selected as his performance in
the interview was up to the mark.
Example :Decisions regarding the development of our country happen once in a blue moon.dd) Picture paints a thousand words: A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
Example :In the kindergarten, pictorial experiences help
to learn the things faster
as a
picture paints thousand
words.
Example :Daily exercise
is a piece of cake for
my brother.
Example :Shreyas was selected as the class representative with one voice.
Example :A few employees often sit on the fence in
a critical situation.
Example :Mrs. Neha steals someone’s thunder and boasts of herself.
Example :The workers agreed to
the new policy
only when they listened to it from the
horse’s mouth.
Example :Sardar Patel was a man of iron will.
Example :My friend builds castles in the air and actually does nothing to accomplish it.
ll) By hook or by crook: By fair or foul means
Example :He was so desperate for the post that he decided to achieve it by hook or by crook.
mm) Once for all: Finally
Example : Once for all, my daughter finished
with all her school projects.
Example :We have been working on the task at a stretch.
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