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IELTS Academic

Collocations: words that belong together

Why *make research* sounds wrong, and how collocations lift your vocabulary band.

12 minutes · A free lesson from Vocabulary for IELTS

A collocation is a pair or group of words that native speakers naturally use together. Using them correctly is one of the clearest signs of a band 7+ Lexical Resource: examiners reward heavy traffic, a heated debate and raise awareness more than rare words used awkwardly.

Collocations for essays

raise awareness (of)make people know about a problemCampaigns can raise awareness of road safety.
play a key role (in)be very important inParents play a key role in a child's education.
pose a threat (to)be a danger toPlastic waste poses a serious threat to marine life.
meet the demand (for)supply enough of somethingCities are struggling to meet the demand for housing.
have a significant impact (on)affect stronglyTechnology has had a significant impact on how we work.
draw a conclusiondecide something from evidenceIt is too early to draw a firm conclusion.

Lesson quiz

Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.

Quick check: Which is the natural collocation?

  1. raise awareness
  2. lift awareness
  3. grow awareness
Show the answer

A: raise awareness — Campaigns can raise awareness of road safety.

Quick check: Which is correct?

  1. Plastic waste makes a serious threat to marine life.
  2. Plastic waste does a serious threat to marine life.
  3. Plastic waste poses a serious threat to marine life.
Show the answer

C: Plastic waste poses a serious threat to marine life. — A danger poses a threat.

Quick check: Which do examiners reward more?

  1. Rare words used awkwardly
  2. Natural collocations such as “heavy traffic”
  3. A long word in every sentence
Show the answer

B: Natural collocations such as “heavy traffic” — Correct collocations are one of the clearest signs of a band 7+ vocabulary.

Quick check: Which is the natural collocation?

  1. do research
  2. make research
  3. take research
Show the answer

A: do research — We do research. make research sounds wrong to a native speaker.

Practise: make, do, take or pay?
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