Collocation: Verbs and Nouns

This page contains links to vocabulary resources, and a matching exercise on this vocabulary.

Collocation is a group of two or more words that often go together. This can be with

• verbs and nouns; e.g. 'to chair a meeting',
• adjectives and nouns; e.g. 'critical thinking', or
• adjectives and prepositions; e.g. 'interested in'.

In fact collocation happens between words of many parts of speech.

Knowing collocations will improve your English speaking and writing because:

• using the wrong collocations is an error
• using correct collocations shows that your English is good
• using correct collocations makes your English more like a native speaker

Instructions:
For each word you can click on the links to get a definition, example sentences, pronunciation or a Chinese translation.

List 1
1. express	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
2. disseminate	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
3. pose	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
4. formulate	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
5. cultivate	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
6. review	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
7. deliver	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
8. schedule	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
9. conduct	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
10. collaborate on	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation

List 2
1. a tutorial	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
2. an interest	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
3. a project	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
4. research	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
5. the literature	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
6. an opinion	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
7. a question	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
8. a proposal	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
9. a presentation	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation
10. knowledge	Definition	Example sentences	Pronunciation	Chinese Translation

Introduction:

Instructions:
Match the items in the boxes on the left with the items on the right:

1. Click in the table cell containing the item you want to move.
2. Click in the table cell where you want the item to go. The words will swap position.
3. If an item is in the right position, it will have a green background and a tick.
4. When all the table cells are green and have ticks, you have finished.

Score: / 10
Items to match		Move items into this column	Items to move
1	express		research
2	disseminate		a presentation
3	pose		a tutorial
4	formulate		a project
5	cultivate		knowledge
6	review		an opinion
7	deliver		the literature
8	schedule		a question
9	conduct		a proposal
10	collaborate on		an interest