100+ English Collocations to Sound More Fluent
When you’re learning English, one key thing to focus on is sounding natural and fluent.
A super helpful way to achieve this is by using collocations, which are pairs or groups of words that often go together in English.
Using collocations can make your speech sound more like a native speaker and help your language flow better.
In this blog post, I’ll teach you more than 100 common English collocations that can boost your fluency.
What Are Collocations?
Collocations are pairs or groups of words that often go together.
They are not random but are commonly found together in everyday speech and writing.
Using the right collocations can make your English sound more natural and less forced.
For example:
- Make a decision (not “do a decision”)
- Take a break (not “make a break”)
- Strong coffee (not “powerful coffee”)
When you learn collocations, you are not just learning individual words, but how words naturally fit together in English.
This will improve your speaking and writing skills, and help you sound more fluent.
Common Types of Collocations
Collocations can fall into several categories, including:
Verb + Noun
-
- Make a decision
- Take a break
- Have a party
- Give a presentation
- Do homework
- Take a chance
- Catch a cold
- Make a mistake
- Have a conversation
- Give advice
Adjective + Noun
-
- Strong coffee
- Fast food
- Heavy rain
- Good idea
- Bright light
- High temperature
- Rich person
- Bad luck
- Deep breath
- Serious problem
Noun + Noun
Verb + Adverb
Adverb + Adjective
Verb + Preposition
Noun + Preposition
100+ English Collocations to Sound More Fluent
Let’s dive deeper into some common and useful collocations.
These will help you in different situations, whether you are speaking casually, in business meetings, or during interviews.
Collocations for Daily Life
- Have a bath/shower
- Get dressed
- Make breakfast/lunch/dinner
- Take a nap
- Catch a bus/train
- Go shopping
- Do the laundry
- Clean the house
- Pick up the phone
- Make the bed
Collocations for Work and Study
- Make a presentation
- Do research
- Take notes
- Write an essay/report
- Give a talk/speech
- Have a meeting
- Work overtime
- Attend a conference
- Complete a task
- Study hard
Collocations for Relationships
- Make friends
- Have a fight/argument
- Get married
- Break up with
- Get to know
- Fall in love
- Keep in touch
- Spend time with
- Go on a date
- Meet someone new
Collocations for Travel
- Take a trip
- Go on holiday/vacation
- Book a flight
- Catch a plane/train
- Visit a place
- Go sightseeing
- Travel abroad
- Check in/check out
- Get a passport
- Rent a car
Collocations for Health and Fitness
- Do exercise
- Go to the gym
- Take medicine
- Eat healthy
- Get better
- Feel sick
- Have a headache
- Get a cold
- Stay in shape
- Lose weight
Collocations for Emotions and Feelings
- Feel happy/sad
- Be in a good/bad mood
- Make someone feel special
- Have a feeling
- Feel nervous
- Get upset
- Express feelings
- Show emotion
- Be excited about
- Be scared of
Collocations for Business and Meetings
- Make a deal
- Sign a contract
- Give feedback
- Hold a meeting
- Negotiate a contract
- Meet a deadline
- Run a business
- Offer a discount
- Close a deal
- Give a presentation
Collocations for Shopping and Money
- Buy something
- Spend money
- Save money
- Pay for
- Get a discount
- Go shopping
- Shop online
- Check the price
- Pay in cash
- Earn money
Collocations for Nature and the Environment
- Take a walk
- Go hiking
- Enjoy the sunshine
- Pick flowers
- Climb a mountain
- Look at the stars
- Go camping
- Plant a tree
- Watch the sunset
- Save energy
Collocations for Time and Dates
- Have a break
- Take time off
- Make an appointment
- Spend time with
- Lose track of time
- Wait for a moment
- Arrive on time
- Be on time
- Take forever
- Miss the deadline
Collocations for Food and Drink
- Make dinner
- Cook a meal
- Have breakfast/lunch/dinner
- Eat out
- Drink water/tea/coffee
- Order food
- Have a snack
- Try a new dish
- Eat healthy
- Serve food
Collocations for Weather
- Have a storm
- Heavy rain
- Bright sunshine
- Cloudy sky
- Strong winds
- Cold weather
- Snow falls
- Clear sky
- Warm weather
- Foggy morning
Collocations for Learning English
- Learn a language
- Take an English course
- Practice speaking
- Improve your vocabulary
- Study grammar
- Make progress
- Master English
- Watch movies in English
- Read English books
- Write essays in English
How to Use Collocations
To use collocations effectively:
- Practice regularly: Try to use them in your daily conversations or writing.
- Listen to native speakers: Watch movies, listen to podcasts, and pay attention to the way native speakers use these collocations.
- Read a lot: Reading books, articles, or blogs in English will expose you to common collocations.
- Use online resources: There are plenty of websites, books, and apps dedicated to collocations.
- Be patient: It takes time to become familiar with collocations, so don’t get discouraged.
Conclusion
Learning collocations is a great way to get better at speaking English.
They make your conversations sound more natural, just like a native speaker.
If you focus on common collocations and use them in your daily life, you’ll boost your language skills and feel more confident when you talk.
So, begin using these 100+ collocations now and see how much your English can get better!
Read more:
- 100+ English Collocations to Sound More Fluent
- 100+ English Collocations to Sound More Fluent
- 30 Common English Collocations You Should Know
- English Collocation Sentences
- Everyday English Expressions for Daily Use
