50 Common Collocations in English

have breakfast

eat the first meal of the day

I have breakfast before I leave for work.

get ready

prepare yourself for something

I get ready for class while the coffee is brewing.

take a break

stop working for a short time

Let us take a break after this exercise.

spend time

use time doing something

We spend time together on the weekend.

make plans

decide what you will do

We made plans to visit the museum on Saturday.

do some exercise

be physically active

I do some exercise before I start my day.

catch a bus

get on a bus before it leaves

I need to leave now if I want to catch the bus.

get home

arrive at your house

I usually get home before seven o’clock.

keep in touch

continue communicating with someone

We moved to different cities but still keep in touch.

save time

use less time than usual

Preparing lunch the night before saves time in the morning.

make progress

improve or move forward

You will make progress if you practice a little every day.

take notes

write down important information

I take notes during every training session.

pay attention

listen or look carefully

Please pay attention to the final instruction.

meet a deadline

finish something by the required time

The team worked late to meet the deadline.

do research

study information to learn about a subject

She is doing research for her university project.

give a presentation

speak to a group about a subject

Omar will give a presentation about renewable energy.

gain experience

develop knowledge through practice

Volunteering helped me gain experience in customer service.

solve a problem

find an answer to a difficulty

We solved the problem by checking the instructions again.

reach a goal

achieve something you planned to do

He reached his goal of reading twelve books this year.

take responsibility

accept a duty or obligation

Everyone should take responsibility for their part of the project.

ask a question

say something to get information

Please ask a question if the instructions are unclear.

give advice

tell someone what you think they should do

My sister gave me useful advice about the interview.

tell the truth

say what is really true

It is usually best to tell the truth calmly.

keep a promise

do what you said you would do

She always keeps her promises to her children.

make a mistake

do something incorrectly

Everyone can make a mistake when learning a new skill.

have a conversation

talk with someone about something

We had a short conversation after the meeting.

express an opinion

say what you think or believe

Students should feel safe to express an opinion.

make a suggestion

offer an idea for someone to consider

Can I make a suggestion about the timetable?

make a difference

have an important effect

Small daily choices can make a difference to your health.

build trust

develop a strong belief in someone’s honesty or ability

Clear communication helps teams build trust.

heavy traffic

a large number of vehicles on the road

We left early to avoid heavy traffic.

public transport

buses, trains, and other shared travel services

Public transport is convenient in the city center.

book a room

reserve a room to stay in

I need to book a room for two nights.

catch a flight

get on an aircraft before it leaves

We arrived at the airport early to catch our flight.

miss a train

arrive too late to travel on a train

If we do not hurry, we will miss the train.

local area

the place near where you are

A guide showed us the best cafés in the local area.

tourist attraction

a place that many visitors want to see

The old bridge is the town’s most popular tourist attraction.

guided tour

a visit led by someone who explains a place

We joined a guided tour of the historic market.

travel abroad

go to a foreign country

She hopes to travel abroad after finishing her course.

strong accent

a way of speaking that sounds noticeably different

The receptionist had a strong accent, but she spoke very clearly.

strong coffee

coffee with a powerful taste or effect

I need a cup of strong coffee before the early meeting.

deep sleep

a state of sleeping very soundly

The baby finally fell into a deep sleep.

heavy rain

a large amount of rain

The match was canceled because of heavy rain.

high temperature

a temperature that is above normal

The forecast says there will be a high temperature this afternoon.

fast food

food prepared and served quickly

We only bought fast food because we had a short lunch break.

fresh air

clean air from outside

A walk in the park gave us some fresh air.

good news

welcome or positive information

I have good news: your application was accepted.

bad weather

rain, wind, or other unpleasant conditions

The picnic moved indoors because of the bad weather.

common sense

practical understanding of what is sensible

It is common sense to check the door before you leave.

close relationship

a strong personal connection

The two cousins have a close relationship despite living far apart.