🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What are Collocations?

Collocations are words that naturally pair together in English. In academic and professional writing, mastering collocations like 'conduct research', 'draw a conclusion', or 'undergo training' makes your language sound native and precise.

Short answer

Collocations are word pairs or groups that are habitually associated together — 'strong coffee', 'make a decision', 'conduct research'. They carry meaning and style in academic and professional contexts.

Step-by-step worked examples

Complete the collocation: 'We will _____ a meeting at 3 PM.'

The common collocation is 'conduct/hold a meeting'.
Correct: 'We will conduct a meeting at 3 PM.'
Other options: 'make a meeting' or 'do a meeting' are incorrect.

Which verb collocates with 'research'?

Common collocations: 'conduct research', 'carry out research', 'undertake research'.
Not: 'make research' or 'do research'.
Correct: 'She conducts research in molecular biology.'

Complete: 'Please _____ a conclusion from the data.'

The collocation is 'draw a conclusion'.
Correct: 'Please draw a conclusion from the data.'
Not: 'make a conclusion' (although 'reach a conclusion' works too).

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Which phrase is correct?

Correct answer: B. 'Conduct research' is the standard academic collocation. 'Make/do/take research' are not used in English.

Q2.Complete: 'She will _____ a presentation tomorrow.'

Correct answer: C. 'Give a presentation' is the correct collocation. 'Make/do/take' don't work with presentation.

Q3.What does 'draw a conclusion' mean?

Correct answer: B. 'Draw a conclusion' means to reach or arrive at a reasoned judgment based on evidence.

Q4.Which is a professional collocation?

Correct answer: B. 'Conduct a meeting' is a professional collocation used in business contexts. The others are everyday phrases.

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Common mistakes

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'Make research' or 'do research' — Correct: 'Conduct research' or 'carry out research' — the standard academic phrase.

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'Make a conclusion' — Correct: 'Draw a conclusion' or 'reach a conclusion' — to form a judgment.

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'Do a presentation' — Correct: 'Give a presentation' — to deliver a talk to an audience.

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'Take training' — Correct: 'Undergo training' or 'receive training' — to go through instruction.

FAQ

What are collocations and why are they important?

Collocations are word pairs that naturally occur together. They're important because native speakers use them automatically, and mastering them makes you sound fluent and professional.

How do I recognize academic collocations?

Academic collocations often combine verbs like 'conduct', 'carry out', 'undertake' with nouns like 'research', 'analysis', 'investigation'. Read academic texts and note which words pair together.

Is 'make' used in any professional collocations?

Yes — 'make a decision', 'make a recommendation', 'make progress', 'make a contribution'. But NOT with research, presentation, or training.

How can I practice collocations?

Read professional texts, use collocation dictionaries, and create flashcards of pairs you see. Also, note which words are NOT used together — e.g., 'do research' is wrong.