Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

UNIT 2: COLLOCATIONS
PART 1: INTRODUCTORY NOTES
1. Collocation is the way words combine in a language to produce a natural-sounding
speech and writing. For example, in English you say strong wind but heavy rain. It
would not be a normal to say heavy wind and strong rain. To a native-speaker these
combinations are highly predictable; to a learner, they are anything but.
Combinations of words in a language can be ranged on a cline from the totally free –
see a man/car/book- to the totally fixed and idiomatic – not see the wood for the trees.
Between these two extremes there is a whole range of nouns that takes the verb see in
a way that is neither totally predictable nor totally opaque as to meaning. These run
from the fairly weak collocations see a film through the medium strength see a doctor
to the stronger collocations of see danger/reason/see the point. All these
combinations, apart from those at the very extremes of the cline, can be called
collocation. And it is combinations such as these – particular in the medium strength
area – that are vital to communicative competence in English. (Source: Adapted from
Oxford Collocations – dictionary for students of English)
2. Collocation is a fundamental feature in any language(Q4). In Vietnamese, for
example, while words like “quả, củ, trái, bắp” are similar in the meaning they cannot
be used interchangeably when collocated with such nouns as “chuối, cam, ngô, khoai,
cà rốt, trứng, nhãn, etc.”
And collocations differ across languages, in the sense that combinations that sound
perfectly normal in one may not be acceptable in another. For example, in Vietnamese
the word “thực hiện” (“carry out, “perform”, and “undertake”) can go with “chuyến
viếng thăm”, “cam kết”, “nhiệm vụ”, or “giấc mơ”. However, in English each of the
nouns above must be preceded by a different verb, such as “pay a visit”, “undertake a
commitment”, “carry out a task”, or “realize a dream”, etc.
The dictionary meanings of certain words may change depending on the words they
are collocated with. For example, the word “dry” in “dry clothes, dry river, dry
weather” has a Vietnamese equivalent “khô”. However, in combinations like “dry

Page 1
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

cow, dry wine, dry wall”, the element “khô” is no longer appropriate. Consider the
word “tough” in the following table for similar examples:
Dictionary meaning English Corresponding Vietnamese
combinations combinations
Tough = không Tough guy Chàng trai mạnh mẽ, dẻo dai
nhượng bộ Tough meat Thịt dai
Tough soldier Người lính bất khuất (kiên cường)
Tough question Câu hỏi khó (hóc búa, khó nhằn)
Tough journey Cuộc hành trình vất vả (gian nan)
Tough enemy Kẻ thù ngoan cố
Tough measure Giải pháp cứng rắn

Take another example of “ăn”. This is a Vietnamese equivalent of “eat” in English,

but this does not mean that all verbal collocations that consist of the word “ăn” can be
translated into English, using the verb “eat”. Such collocations as “ăn hối lộ, ăn bữa
tối, không ăn lương, ăn Tết” must be translated into English with different verbs, for
example, “take bribes, have dinner, without pay, enjoy Tet”.
For these cases, there can be at least two following ways of translation: paraphrasing
and explanation or target language (TL) equivalent collocation. For example, “dry
wall” can be translated as “tường chưa trát lớp vữa ngoài” – explanation or “tường
thô” – equivalent instead of saying “tường khô” which is incorrect rendition of the
original term. (Source: Đỗ Minh Hoàng)

PART 2: PRACTICE
Task 1: Translate the following sentences into English, paying greater attention
to the words and phrases in italics. Use the adverbs given below to collocate with
the words in brackets: “badly, sincerely, categorically, strongly, deeply, firmly,
totally, thoroughly, seriously, freely”
1. Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam luôn hết sức tin tưởng vào thắng lợi của chủ nghĩa xã
hội. (believe in)

Page 2
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

=> The Communist Party of Vietnam has always firmly believed in the victory of
socialism.
2. Anh ta ra sức phủ nhận những lời buộc tội chống lại mình. (deny)
=> He categorically denied the accusations/ charges against him.
3. Ông ta công khai thừa nhận đã mắc môt số sai lầm trong nhiệm kỳ của mình.
(admit)
=> He freely admits making some mistakes in his tenure/ freely admits he has made a
number of mistakes during his term of office.
4. Tôi hết sức lấy làm tiếc về những gì đã xảy ra. (regret)
=> I deeply regret (about) what happened.
5. Tai nạn xảy ra là do anh ta hoàn toàn bỏ qua những qui tắc an toàn tối thiểu.
(ignore)
=> The accident happened because he had strongly ignored the minimum safety rules.
6. Tôi hết sức ngưỡng mộ lòng dũng cảm và sức chịu đựng của dân tộc Việt Nam.
(admire)
=> I thoroughly admire the courage and endurance of the people of Vietnamese.
7. Tôi chân thành khuyên anh nên đến dự cuộc họp đó. (advise)
=> I sincerely advise you to go to that meeting
8. Đồng bào ở vùng lũ lụt đang hết sức cần sự giúp đỡ của chúng ta. (need)
=> People in flood zones badly need help from us.
9. Tôi thực sự không cho rằng mình có thể làm được tốt hơn nếu ở vào vị trí của anh
ta. (doubt)
=> I seriously doubt that I would be able to do better if I were in his position.
10. Chúng tôi hết sức tán thành kế hoạch này. (approve)
=> We totally approve of this plan.
Task 2: Match the adverbs in the following box with the bolded adjectives in the
sentences 1-5 below. The adverbs, in most cases, can be translated as “hết sức, vô
cùng, rất”. Then translate the completed sentences into Vietnamese.

most bitterly seriously perfectly greatly

Page 3
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

1. The sergeant was seriously wounded in the battle and had to be flown home to
hospital.
=> Trung sĩ bị thương vô cùng nghiêm trọng trong trận chiến và anh ấy được đưa/
chuyển tới bệnh viện bằng máy bay.
2. I can’t understand why you’re having such trouble with the video- it’s really greatly
simple to operate.
=> Tôi không thể hiểu tại sao bạn lại gặp vấn đề với đầu đĩa/băng hình này. Nó dễ
dùng không ấy mà/ Nó dễ dùng cực kỳ luôn ấy.
3. I am just warning you that you would be perfectly mistaken to think I’m going to
give in without a fight.
=> Bạn đã sai lầm rất nghiêm trọng khi nghĩ tôi sẽ nhượng bộ mà không đánh trả lại.
4. It is bitterly cold in North Canada in the winter- the temperature is never above
zero.
=> Mùa đông ở Bắc Canada lạnh cắt ra cắt thịt. Nhiệt độ không bao giờ trên 0 độ/
nhiệt độ luôn ở mức dưới 0 độ.
5. It was most kind of you to lend me the car, and I’m just writing to say how much I
appreciated it.
=> Cậu/ Bạn thật tốt bụng khi cho mình/ tôi mượn xe của cậu/bạn, vì vậy mình/tôi viết
thư này để nói rằng mình/tôi trân trọng điều đó như thế nào.

Task 3: Complete each sentence with one of the words given in the following
table. Then translate it into Vietnamese, paying attention to the collocations
between adjective and nouns, and nouns linked by of.

standing Calculated sound matter term

evasion Sole heavy lapse slip

1.She was the …………….……. survivor of the air crash in the Brazilian jungle.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

Page 4
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
2.Terry’s old car is a ……………….…… joke among people at her office.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

3.The management bears a ………………..……. responsibility for this strike.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
4.Janet has a …….……………..… grasp of nuclear physics.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
5.Buying the shares was a ……………….…… risk, luckily it came off.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
6.The opposition accused the government of a/an …………………..of responsibility.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
7.I feel that we should treat this a/an ……………………….. of importance.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

Page 5
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
8.I’m sorry I said that, it was just a/an ………………..… of the tongue.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
9.As people get older they often suffer from this kind of ……………..…… memory.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
10.She said the use of the word “baldy” was a/an ……………..……...of endearment.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
Task 4:
1. Only five years ago, a quiet, mossy and rather gloomy little place, Hoi An has
changed into a crowded town bursting with energy. In Hoi An, you can stay in an
ancient-style hotel, walk along narrow streets and have a drink on the riverbank as
the sun sets. But the most attractive thing about Hoi An is its people: candid,
hospitable, and always smiling. Their lives seem peaceful and simple, far removed
from the stormy pace of the modern world.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Page 6
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

2.Thành phố Đà Lạt nằm ngay ở trung tâm vùng cao nguyên phía Nam. Đà Lạt nổi
tiếng là một thành phố mát mẻ, xanh tươi với môi trường như một công viên. Bạn
có thể tản bộ qua khu Pháp cổ với những ngôi biệt thự lộng lẫy, tới thăm Dinh Bảo
Đại- nơi nghỉ hè của vị Hoàng đế cuối cùng- nằm uy nghiêm trên một quả đồi hay đi
khám phá Thung lũng Tình yêu đầy thơ mộng nằm cách trung tâm thành phố 5km về
phía Bắc. Đà Lạt nổi tiếng với những quán cà phê độc đáo và là địa điểm đặc biệt ưa
thích đối với du khách trong nước và những cặp vợ chồng đi hưởng tuần trăng mật.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

Page 7
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. After more than 900 years of existence, repairs and renovations, Quoc Tu Giam is
still an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture. Also
preserved within these confines are valued relics representing the millenary
civilization, such as stelae with inscriptions of the names of distinguished scholars,
the Well of Heavenly Clarity (Thiên Quang Tỉnh), the pavilion in dedication of the
Constellation of Literature (Khue Van Cac). Particularly impressive is the collection
of 82 stone stelae which rest upon large stone tortoises. They were created between
1484 and 1780 and are engraved with names, places of birth and achievements of the
1,306 doctor laureates that received their degrees during this time span. These stelae
were erected to encourage learning and bestow honor on the talented men who
assisted the Kings in defending the country. An important historical honor cultural
vestige of Vietnam, Van Mieu and Quoc Tu Giam are currently under repair to restore
their original appearance.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

Page 8
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Hạ Long là một vịnh kín trong một vùng biển rộng, có diện tích khoảng 1.500km2,
có đường bờ biển khúc khuỷu với bãi tắm đẹp- Bãi Cháy- ở ngay trung tâm, và cả
một thế giới với hàng nghìn đảo nhỏ, chủ yếu là các đảo đá vôi quần tụ rất tự nhiên.
Thế giới trong vịnh Hạ Long thật muôn hình muôn vẻ, nhiều đảo được gọi tên theo
hình dáng tự nhiên của nó và nhiều hang động đẹp có tên gọi gắn liền với các truyền
thuyết.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.

Page 9
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

PART 3: LESSON’S TAKEAWAYS

1. Find out the equivalents for these words in English/ Vietnamese. The first word has
done for you as an example.

No English Vietnamese English

1 Outmuscle (v) Tì, đè, chèn ép X

2 X Số liệu thống kê

3 X Công nghệ sạch

4 X Công nghệ cổ truyền

5 A region of dynamic X
development

6 The accelerating X
point

7 X Bội chi ngân sách

8 X Xã hội hóa giáo dục

Page 10
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

10 X Tuân theo luật lệ

11 X Ủy ban nhân dân

12 State Administration X

13 Social welfare X

14 X Cải cách hành chính

15 X Mức tăng trưởng kinh tế

16 Vocational X
orientation education

17 Major school X
subjects

18 Seni-state owned X
schools

19 State owned schools X

20 Budgetary X
appropriations

2. Look on the internet or in other sources (books, article, people you meet, etc.) for
more examples sentences or paragraphs which contain elements of ambiguity and
polysemy.
3. Revisions
1. What is collocation?

Page 11
Trần Thị Liên Hồng – 646133

2. What are levels of collocations in term of combination?

3. What is the importance of collocations?
4. What are features of collocations?
5. Give some examples of collocations and explain.
6. How many ways of translation with collocations are there? What are they?

Page 12