Learning about vocabulary


Collocation


A collocation is a pair of words that are often used together. There are many different types of
collocation. Here are some examples:


ADJECTIVE + NOUN

                                                                                                    private school

                                            VERB + NOUN

                                                                                                   do your homework

                                        ADVERB + ADJECTIVE

                                                                                                    highly educated

                                           VERB + ADVERB

                                                                                                      study hard


Collocations are sometimes very different in English and your first language, for example:


In English we say...

                                                                                                   We don't say...

                                           take an exam

                                                                                              [DEL: write :DEL] an exam

                                          make a mistake

                                                                                              [DEL: did :DEL] a mistake

                                         a primary school

                                                                                             a [DEL: basic :DEL] school

                                          a tall student

                                                                                             a [DEL: high :DEL] student


Native speakers will usually understand mistakes like write an exam, but learning collocations will
help you sound more natural and fluent.



Finding collocations with SKELL


Sketch Engine for Language Learning (SKELL)[1] is an online tool that helps language learners
understand more about how words are used in English. The Word sketch tool (1) will help you find
useful collocations to learn, and the Examples tool (2) will show you simple examples of how words
and phrases are used in real life.


[LINK]






(1) Word sketch


To find useful collocations, enter a word in the search box and click on 'Word sketch' with the
mouse. For example, the word school:




Here you can see the most useful collocations with the word school. To see more information, click
on 'Context'.







Now click on a collocation to see example sentences. For example, the collocation attend school:




For common collocations like attend school, you can see up to 40 example sentences.



Practice


1. Brainstorm words on the topic of the education. Choose a word that interests you and use the
Word sketch tool to search for collocations. Draw a mind map with your word and four or five
collocations.








2. Click on the collocations to see example sentences. Write down two or three sentences that show
how each collocation is often used in real life.



(2) Examples


To find examples of words or phrases, enter a single word or phrase in the search box and click on
'Examples' with the mouse. For example, the phrase graduate from university:




For common words or phrases, you can see up to 40 example sentences.



Practice


1. Brainstorm phrases (two or more words) on the topic of the education. Choose a phrase that
interests you and use the Examples tool to search for example sentences. Write down two or three
sentences that show how the phrase is often used in real life.
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[1] SKELL is available for free here: https://skell.sketchengine.co.uk/run.cgi/skell