A collocation is a combination of two or more words that are commonly used together, in a way that sounds natural to a native English speaker.

Learn the Words That Go Together.

What are collocations?
a waste of money
brand new
a collection of
test results
front and back
phone number
in the middle of
pleasantly surprised
a soccer player
catch fire
smoke a cigarette
hotel room
eat breakfast / have breakfast
fresh air
throw a party
birthday party
unacceptable behaviour
commit suicide
newly appointed

All of word combinations listed above sound ‘right’ and natural to a native English speaker. While a speaker of French or Spanish might say “the room of the hotel,” that sounds odd to an English speaker. The natural English combination is ‘hotel room.’

Instead of saying, “I made a birthday party for my son,” which is not correct in English, say “I threw a birthday party for my son.” ‘Throw’ and ‘party’ go together in English.

 

Why are collocations important?
To be fluent in English, you need to know which words go together. Learning the correct combination of words will help you sound more natural.

When English learners translate directly from their language into English, they often say unnatural word combinations, such as ‘make exercise‘ or ‘take breakfast‘ or ‘I married with him.’ All of those combinations are incorrect and unnatural in English.

 

How can I learn collocations?
Read, read, and read some more. Listen, listen, and listen some more. Notice the words that are used together. Memorize groups of words instead of just a single word.

Use a dictionary specifically for English learners. Dictionaries such as the Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary or the Macmillan Dictionary usually include collocations for words.