Common Collocations in Use PDF

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COMMON COLLOCATIONS IN USE
Using words correctly and applying more collocations related to the topic given enable you
to improve the using style of languages, in particular, writing and speaking, to boost your
score band.
WORD COLLOCATIONS MEANING
ILLNESS have an illness/suffer from an illness
recover from an illness
serious illness
minor illness
short/long illness
childhood illness
acute illness (=an illness that

becomes serious very quickly)
chronic illness (=an illness that lasts

a long time and cannot be cured)
fatal illness (=an illness which

causes death)
terminal illness (=an illness which

cannot be cured and that causes
death, often slowly)
mental illness
the symptoms of an illness (=the

things that show that someone has
it)
through illness (=because of illness)
DISEASES have/suffer from a disease
NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC

DANANG 2015 1
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heart/liver/brain etc disease
a disease of the brain/stomach etc
catch a disease
contract a
disease
formal (=catch a disease)
a disease spreads/the spread of a

disease
infectious/contagious disease (=one

that spreads quickly from one
person to another)
a fatal/deadly disease (=one that

causes death)
an incurable disease (=one that

cannot be cured)
a degenerative disease (=one that

gradually gets worse and worse)
a cure for a disease
the symptoms of a disease (=the

things that show that someone has
it)
OPPORTUNITY opportunity to do something
ideal/perfect opportunity
rare/unique opportunity
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
ample opportunity

DANANG 2015 2
golden opportunity (=a very good

opportunity)
wasted/lost/missed opportunity
(=one you do not use)
take/seize/use an opportunity
provide/present/open up an
opportunity
an opportunity comes (along/up)
an opportunity arises
take the/this opportunity to do

something (=use a chance to say
something you want to say)
at the first/earliest opportunity (=as

soon as possible)
at every (possible) opportunity

(=whenever possible)
land of opportunity (=a country

where you have a lot of good
opportunities)
window of opportunity (=a time

when you can do something)
PROBLEM have a problem
big/serious/major problem
cause a problem
deal with/sort out a problem
solve/fix/overcome a problem
address/tackle a problem

DANANG 2015 3
pose/present a probem
a problem arises/occurs/comes up
(=it happens)
economic/financial problems
personal problem (=a problem in

someone's private life)
money/family problems
drink/drug problem (=when

someone drinks too much alcohol or
takes too many drugs)
thorny/knotty problem (=a difficult

problem)
KNOWLEDGE have knowledge
acquire/gain knowledge (=learn

something)
technical/scientific knowledge
in-depth knowledge
detailed knowledge
specialist knowledge (=knowledge

about a particular subject)
first-hand/personal knowledge
(=knowledge from experiencing
something for yourself)
background knowledge
(=knowledge you need to
understand or do something)

DANANG 2015 4
general knowledge (=knowledge

about a lot of different subjects)
a thirst for knowledge (=when you

want very much to learn things)
UNDERSTANDIN have an understanding/some

G understanding of something
have little/no understanding of

something
gain/get an understanding of
something
a better/greater/deeper
understanding of something
a clear understanding of something
a thorough/proper/full understanding
of something
a basic understanding of something
CHANCE there's a chance (that) (=it is

possible that)
there's every chance (that) (=it is

very likely)
some chance
little chance
no chance
a good/fair chance (=something is

likely)
a slight/slim/outside chance
(=something is unlikely)

DANANG 2015 5
a fifty-fifty chance (=the possibility

of something happening or not
happening is equal)
a million to one chance/a one in a

million chance (=something is
extremely unlikely to happen)
lessen/minimize/reduce the
chance(s) of something (=make it
less likely)
increase/improve the chance(s) of

something (=make it more likely)
chances are (=it is likely)
POSSIBILITY possibility (that)
possibility of (doing) something
a strong/real/distinct possibility
(=something that is quite likely to
happen)
a remote/faint possibility
(=something that is very unlikely to
happen)
not beyond the bounds/realms of

possibility (=not impossible, but
unlikely)
within the bounds/realms of

possibility (=possible)
raise the possibility (=say or show

that something may be possible)
ISSUE the issue of something

DANANG 2015 6
raise an issue (=say that an issue

should be discussed)
address an issue (=discuss or deal

with an issue)
resolve an issue
avoid/dodge/duck/evade an issue
(=avoid discussing an issue)
confuse/cloud an issue (=make an

issue more difficult by talking about
things not related to it)
important/key/major/big issue
thorny/vexed issue (=difficult issue)
complex issue
sensitive issue
political/social/economic/environme
ntal issues
something is not the

issue
spoken (=used to say that something

is not the important part of what you
are discussing)
LAW break the law (=do something

illegal)
obey the law
become law (=officially be made a

law)

DANANG 2015 7
enforce the law (=make people obey

the law)
by law (=according to the law)
be against the law (=be illegal)
within the law (=legal or legally)
tax/copyright/divorce etc law (=all

the laws about tax etc)
criminal law
civil law
international law
federal
law
American English (=the law of the

US, not of a particular state)
SUBJECT change the subject (=start talking

about something different)
get onto a subject (=start talking

about something)
get off a subject (=stop talking about

something)
keep/stay off a subject (=not talk

about something)
drop the subject (=stop talking about

something)
raise a subject (=mention a subject

and start talking about it)

DANANG 2015 8
broach a subject (=start talking

about something that people may be
sensitive about)
on the subject of something

(=talking about something)
subject of
discussion/debate
also subject for discussion/debate
touchy subject (=something people

are sensitive about)
subject area
VIEW have strong views (about something)
have different/conflicting/opposing
views
share somebody's view/this view etc

(=think the same as someone else)
express a view
take the view that (=think that)
hold a view
strongly/deeply/widely held views
in somebody's view (=used to show

whose opinion it is)
support a view (=help show that it is

right)
an exchange of views (=when

people say what they think)

DANANG 2015 9
the general view (=what most

people think)
IDEA have an idea
get an idea
give somebody an idea
come up with/hit on an idea (=think

of a new idea)
the idea of (doing) something
good/great/brilliant idea
bad/stupid/crazy idea
it is a good/bad idea to do something
be full of
ideas
also be bursting with ideas (=have a

lot of ideas)
toy with an idea (=think about a

plan, but not very seriously)
exchange/share
ideas
also an exchange of ideas
fire ideas off each other (=discuss

each other's ideas and think of good
new ones)
OPINION in somebody's opinion
general/popular opinion (=what

most people think about something)

DANANG 2015 10
public opinion (=what ordinary

people think about something)
somebody's personal opinion
difference of opinion
a matter of opinion
ask (for) somebody's opinion
express/give/state an opinion
strong opinion
keep your opinions to yourself (=not

say what you really think)
contrary to popular opinion

(=despite what most people think)
ADVANTAGE have an advantage
give somebody an advantage
big/great/major/distinct advantage
unfair advantage
enjoy an advantage (=have an

advantage)
be at an advantage (=have an
advantage)
be to your advantage/work to your

advantage (=something gives you an
advantage)
RISK risk (that)
reduce/minimize the risk of

something

DANANG 2015 11
increase the risk of something
carry/pose a risk
not be worth the risk
high/low risk
increased/reduced risk (=a higher or

lower risk than usual)
a real risk
a calculated risk (=a risk you think

will have a good result)
an element of risk (=some risk, but

not much)
the risks involved in/associated with

something
risk factor
the benefits outweigh the risks
BENEFIT be of benefit (to somebody) (=be

useful to someone)
have the benefit of something
get/gain/derive benefit (from

something)
reap the benefits (of something)

(=enjoy the advantages of
something)
the full benefit (of something)
for somebody's benefit
be to the benefit of somebody

DANANG 2015 12
mutual benefit (=useful to two or

more people)
with/without the benefit (of

something) (=using/not using
something)
economic/financial/social benefits
health benefits
something outweighs the benefits of

something (=something is more
important than the benefits)
HARM do harm (to something)/do

something harm
cause (somebody/something) harm
suffer harm
do more harm than good (=cause

more problems rather than
improving the situation)
serious harm
physical harm
psychological/emotional harm
there is no harm in (doing)

something (=used to say that
something seems reasonable)
where's the harm in

that?
spoken (=used when you think that

something seems reasonable,
although other people may not)

DANANG 2015 13
no harm
done
spoken (=used to tell someone not to

worry about something they have
done)
INSPIRATION provide inspiration (for something)
seek/look for inspiration
draw/take inspiration (from

somebody/something) (=get
inspiration from someone or
something)
inspiration comes from

somebody/something
have an inspiration
flash of inspiration
source of inspiration (for/to

somebody)
divine inspiration (=inspiration from

God)
creative/poetic/artistic inspiration
chieve/fulfil/realize an ambition
lifelong ambition
He always had this burning ambition

(=very strong
desire)
an ambition to do something/of
doing something

DANANG 2015 14
cherish/nurse/harbour an ambition
(=have it secretly for a long time)
TALENT have talent
show talent
talent contest/show/competition (=a

competition in which people show
how well they can sing, dance etc)
(a) natural talent
a hidden talent
musical/artistic/creative etc talent
a man/woman of many talents

(=someone who can do many things
well)
a wealth of talent (=when there are a

lot of people with talent)
WAR win/lose a war
fight a war/wage (a) war (=used

about countries or groups)
fight in a war (=used about people)
be at war (with somebody)
go to war (with somebody)
declare war (on somebody)
war breaks
out
also the outbreak of war

DANANG 2015 15
civil war (=a war between opposing

groups within a country)
world war
nuclear war
the war years
JOB apply for a job
offer somebody a job
get/find a job (as something)
land a
job
informal (=get a job)
take a job (=accept a job that you are

offered)
hold down a job (=keep a job when

this is difficult)
lose a job
leave/quit a job
be out of a job (=not have a job)
temporary job
permanent job
part-time job
full-time job
steady job (=a job that is likely to

continue)

DANANG 2015 16
job satisfaction (=the enjoyment you

get from your job)
job security (=how permanent your

job is likely to be)
HABIT good/bad habit
become a habit
be in the habit of doing something

also have a/the habit of doing
something (=do something
regularly)
get into/in the habit (of doing

something) (=start doing something
regularly)
get out of the habit (of doing

something) (=stop doing something
regularly)
develop/form a habit
change a habit
break/kick a habit (=stop doing

something which is bad for you)
change/break the habit(s) of a

lifetime (=stop doing what you have
done for many years)
out of habit/from habit (=because it

is a habit)
(by/from) force of habit (=because it

is a habit which is difficult to
change)

DANANG 2015 17
eating/drinking habits (=the kinds of

things you eat or drink regularly)
buying/spending habits (=the kinds

of things you buy regularly)
viewing habits (=the kind of

television shows you regularly
watch)
social habits
CONTROL have control (over/of something)
take/gain control (of/over

something)
fight/struggle for control (of/over

something)
lose control (of/over something)
be under control
keep something under control

(=keep something happening in the
way you want)
get/go out of control (=stop

happening in the way you want)
beyond/outside somebody's control

(=impossible for someone to
control)
full/total control
LUCK not have much/any luck
have no luck
have good luck

DANANG 2015 18
have more/better luck
have the luck to do something
can't believe your luck
sheer luck (=used to emphasize

something happened only by luck)
a piece of luck
a stroke of luck (=very good luck)
an element of luck (=used to say that

luck is involved in something)
dumb
luck
American English (=good luck that

happens by chance, without you
planning it at all)
DEBATE heated/fierce/intense debate (=one in

which people express strong and
very different opinions)
widespread debate
lively debate
public debate
a debate rages (=it happens over a

period of time and people have
strong feelings about it)
long-running debate
ongoing debate (=continuing debate)

DANANG 2015 19
provoke/trigger/spark off a debate

(=cause a debate)
DISPUTE be involved in a dispute
get into a dispute (=become

involved)
settle/resolve a dispute
bitter dispute
long-running dispute (=one that lasts

a long time)
political/legal dispute
pay dispute
industrial dispute British English

labor dispute American English
(=between workers and employers)
territorial dispute (=about land)
domestic dispute (=between a

couple who live together)
be in dispute with somebody (=be

involved in a dispute)
a dispute arises (=it starts)
CRIME commit crime
combat/fight crime
turn to crime (=start committing

crimes)
crime rate (=the amount of crime

that happens somewhere)

DANANG 2015 20
crime figures/statistics
crime prevention
violent crime
serious crime
petty crime (=crime that is not very

serious)
car
crime
British English
street crime
victim of crime
juvenile/youth crime (=by children

and teenagers)
tough on crime (=always punishing

crime severely)
HEALTH damage your health
improve your health
good/excellent health
poor/ill health
failing health (=when someone is

becoming more ill)
be in good/excellent/the best of
health
be in poor health
be good/bad for your health

DANANG 2015 21
somebody's state of health
mental health
health care
health problem
health benefits (of something)
health risk/hazard (=something that

could damage your health)
health warning (=a warning printed

on a product that can harm you)
LANGUAGE speak a language
master a language (=succeed in

learning a language)
language teacher/student/learner
foreign language
somebody's first language/native

language (=the first language
someone learned)
somebody's second language
somebody's command of a language

(=someone's ability to speak a
language)
the language barrier (=the problem

of communicating with people who
speak a different language)
the English/Japanese/German etc

language
the official language

DANANG 2015 22
modern languages (=languages that

are still spoken)
dead language (=a language that is

no longer spoken)
SCHOOL go to school
attend
school
formal (=go to school)
a new school (=a school that you are

going to for the first time)
somebody's old school (=the school

someone used to go to)
school children/pupils/teacher
school uniform
school playground/library/bus etc
school
meal/dinner
British English
school
holiday(s)
MONEY spend money
make/earn money
make money (=make a profit)

DANANG 2015 23
lose money (=not make a profit, so

that a business owes more than it
earns)
cost money/cost a lot of money
save money
lend/borrow/owe money
waste money (on something)
be a waste of money
charge (somebody) money
raise money
pay money (for something)
give somebody their money

back/refund somebody's money
a sum/an amount of money
get/earn good money (=be paid good

wages)
FAMILY the whole family/all the family
member of a family/family member
a family of three/four/five etc
a close/close-knit family (=a family

whose members have a close
relationship)
immediate family (=closest

relations)

DANANG 2015 24
nuclear family (=a family consisting

of a mother, a father, and their
children)
family background (=the sort of

family someone comes from)
one-parent family/single-parent
family
the Royal Family (=the King or

Queen and their family)
family home/car/holiday etc
a family film/show etc (=that is

suitable for children as well as
adults)
family life
family resemblance (=when

members of the same family look
like each other)
family gathering (=when members

of a family who do not live together
arrange to meet)
family unit
BEHAVIOUR good/bad behaviour
violent/aggressive/criminal etc
behaviour
human/social behaviour
pattern of behaviour/behaviour
pattern

DANANG 2015 25
behaviour problem (=when someone

often behaves badly)
change/modify your behaviour
influence somebody's behaviour
FRIEND a friend of mine/yours/Billy's etc
best friend (=the friend you like the

most)
good/close friend (=one of the

friends you like the most)
old friend (=a friend you have

known for a long time)
trusted friend
lifelong friend (=someone who is

your friend for the whole of your
life)
friend of a friend
circle of friends (=all the friends

someone has)
a mutual friend (=someone who is a

friend of both you and someone
else)
a childhood/boyhood/girlhood friend
DUTY do your duty
it is somebody's duty to do
something
have a duty to do something

DANANG 2015 26
have a duty to somebody/owe

somebody a duty
sense of duty
moral duty
legal duty
fail in your duty (=fail to do

something that you should do for
someone)
be duty-bound to do something
formal (=have a duty to do
something)
INTEREST have an interest in something
show interest (in something)
express (an) interest (in something)

(=say that you are interested in
something or want to buy it)
take an interest (in something) (=be

interested in something)
have no interest in something
lose interest (in something) (=stop

being interested)
arouse/generate/attract interest
(=make people interested)
pique somebody's
interest
American English (=make someone

interested)

DANANG 2015 27
great/keen interest
abiding interest (=an interest you

have had for a long time)
lack of interest
with interest
LACK a complete/total lack of something
an apparent lack of something
for lack of something (=because

something is not present or does not
exist)
a distinct/marked lack of something
no lack of something (=plenty of

something)
a relative/comparative lack of
something
no lack of something (=plenty of

something
REASONS reason (that)
reason why
reason for (doing) something
reason to do something
a good reason
a compelling reason (=a reason that

persuades you)
give a reason (for something)

DANANG 2015 28
for some reason (or other/or

another) (=for a reason that you do
not know)
for personal reasons
for sentimental reasons (=because of

your feelings, not for practical
reasons)
for the simple reason (that)
for obvious reasons
for reasons of something
for reasons best known to

himself/themselves etc (=used when
someone does something surprising)
no/any reason whatsoever
have your reasons (=have a secret

reason for doing something)
see no reason why/to do something
by reason of something formal

(=because of something)
FLOW serious/severe/major blow
shattering/devastating/bitter blow
(=something that makes you
extremely disappointed and upset)
cruel/heavy/grievous blow
deal a blow (to

somebody/something)/deal
(somebody/something) a blow

DANANG 2015 29
strike a blow
suffer/receive a blow
come as a blow (to somebody)
fatal/final/mortal blow (=one that

ends something)
CONDITION COLLOCATIONS
lay down/impose/set conditions

(=say what must be done)
strict condition
meet/satisfy/fulfil a condition (=do

what has been agreed)
terms and conditions (=what a

contract says must be done)
on condition that/on one condition

(=only if a particular thing is agreed
to)
subject to conditions (=if particular

things are agreed to)
INCREASE tax increase
wage/pay/salary increase
price increase
fare increase
substantial/large increase
huge/massive increase (=a very

large increase)

DANANG 2015 30
dramatic/sharp increase (=a sudden

large increase)
significant/marked increase (=a

definite and noticeable increase)
slight/small/modest increase
gradual increase
threefold/fourfold/fivefold etc
increase (=an increase by three, four
etc times)
be on the increase (=be increasing)
DISASTER air disaster
nuclear disaster
natural disaster (=caused by nature)
ecological/environmental disaster
(=one that causes great damage to
nature)
end in disaster
spell disaster (=mean that there will

be disaster)
disaster strikes (=it happens)
on the brink of disaster
prevent/avert a disaster
something is a disaster waiting to

happen
WEIGHT put on/gain weight (=get fatter)
lose weight (=get thinner)

DANANG 2015 31
watch your weight (=try not to get

fatter, by eating the correct foods)
get/keep your weight

down
also get/keep the weight off

(=become thinner or stay thin)
weight problem (=a tendency to be

too fat)
weight gain/loss
weight control (=ways of not getting

too fat)
somebody's ideal weight
ROLE have/play a role in (doing)

something
an important/key/vital/crucial role
a leading/major/central role
an active role
a dual role (=two functions)
take a role
OBSTACLE put/place obstacles in the way (of

something)
overcome an obstacle
remove an obstacle
main/biggest/greatest obstacle
major/serious obstacle

DANANG 2015 32
insuperable obstacle (=one that

makes it impossible to achieve
something)
formidable obstacle (=a very

difficult obstacle)
legal obstacle
political obstacle
OBLIGATION have an obligation (to do something)
be under an obligation (to do

something) (=have an obligation)
be under no obligation (to do

something)
meet/fulfil an obligation (=do

something that is your duty)
honour an obligation F (=meet an

obligation)
impose an obligation F (=make

someone have an obligation)
owe somebody an obligation F

(=feel that you must do something
for someone)
moral/legal/social obligation
contractual obligation (=something

that a contract says you must do)
a sense of obligation

DANANG 2015 33

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KNOW ENGLISH, KNOW SUCCESS

COMMON COLLOCATIONS IN USE

WORD COLLOCATIONS MEANING

ILLNESS have an illness/suffer from an illness

recover from an illness

acute illness (=an illness that

chronic illness (=an illness that lasts

fatal illness (=an illness which

terminal illness (=an illness which

the symptoms of an illness (=the

through illness (=because of illness)

DISEASES have/suffer from a disease

NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC

heart/liver/brain etc disease

a disease of the brain/stomach etc

formal (=catch a disease)

a disease spreads/the spread of a

infectious/contagious disease (=one

a fatal/deadly disease (=one that

an incurable disease (=one that

a degenerative disease (=one that

a cure for a disease

the symptoms of a disease (=the

OPPORTUNITY opportunity to do something

NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC

golden opportunity (=a very good

an opportunity comes (along/up)

take the/this opportunity to do

at the first/earliest opportunity (=as

at every (possible) opportunity

land of opportunity (=a country

window of opportunity (=a time

PROBLEM have a problem

deal with/sort out a problem

NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC

personal problem (=a problem in

drink/drug problem (=when

thorny/knotty problem (=a difficult

KNOWLEDGE have knowledge

acquire/gain knowledge (=learn

specialist knowledge (=knowledge

NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC

general knowledge (=knowledge

a thirst for knowledge (=when you

UNDERSTANDIN have an understanding/some

have little/no understanding of

a clear understanding of something

a basic understanding of something

CHANCE there's a chance (that) (=it is

there's every chance (that) (=it is

a good/fair chance (=something is

NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC

a fifty-fifty chance (=the possibility

a million to one chance/a one in a

increase/improve the chance(s) of

chances are (=it is likely)

POSSIBILITY possibility (that)

possibility of (doing) something

not beyond the bounds/realms of

within the bounds/realms of

raise the possibility (=say or show

ISSUE the issue of something

NGUYỄN KHẮC THỨC