Collocations

"Is your mother at home?"

A collocation is two words which we use together as a

at large = not yet captured

set phrase. For example we say a "tall building" rather

"Police say that the criminal is still at large."

than a "high building". We use collocations all the time

at last = finally

in English, so learning and using them will make you

"We're on holiday at last!"

sound more natural.

(Also "at long last!")

There are different types of collocations. For example:

at least = something you say to show that there's one

adjective + noun ("blonde hair", not "yellow hair")

positive thing

noun + noun ("pack of dogs", not "group of dogs")

"They lost all their things in the fire. At least they were

verb + noun ("leave home", not "go away from home")

insured."

adverb + adjective ("beautifully behaved", not

at once = immediately

"precisely behaved")

Come here at once!

verb + preposition, as in phrasal verbs ("work out a

= at the same time

solution" not "think out a solution")

"I can't do everything at once!"

verb + adverb ("breathe deeply" not "breathe

at risk = when there may be a negative result

profoundly")

"How many jobs are at risk if they close the factory?"

at school = when someone is studying / teaching at a

Collocations with at

school

at first = the first thing that happens

"Is your daughter at school this morning?"

"At first I couldn't understand my teacher, but then the

at the moment / at present = now

lessons became easier."

"At the moment I'm staying with friends."

at hand = nearby, available

at work = when you are at the place where you work

"Help is at hand if you need it."

"My Dad's at work now."

at home = when you are in your house

Collocations with in

"Have you heard the saying,'Marry in haste, repent at

in case = as a precaution

leisure'?"

"Take an umbrella in case it rains."

in line = under control

in danger = when someone / something is in a

"The new teacher isn't very good at keeping the

dangerous situation

students in line!"

"Even though we were miles from the town, we never

= forming a queue

felt in danger."

"The passengers stood in line."

in difficulty = when someone / something has a

in line for = likely to receive

problem

"She's in line for a promotion."

"The business was in difficulty after the bank stopped

in love = when you love someone / something

lending them money."

"Have you ever been in love?"

in English = speak in English (or in French, Arabic,

in luck = lucky

etc)

"You're in luck. The next train is in five minutes."

"Please speak in English!"

in practice = what usually happens

in error = by mistake

"I always write myself goals, but in practice, I never

"He sent the invoices out in error."

look at them again."

in fact = when you say something that's true

in real life = in a real situation (unlike fantasy or on

"I didn't say that. In fact, I said the opposite!"

the internet)

in general = generally

"She seems very confident on YouTube, but in real life

"In general, people here are very friendly."

she's quite shy."

in hand = when you know about a problem and are

in reality = what really happens (as opposed to what

dealing with it

we want to happen)

"We know about the problem, and it's all in hand."

"They say they're rich, but in reality they're just like

in haste = when you do something too quickly

you and me."

in tears = when someone cries

"The developers have already sold all the flats off

"She was in tears after the meeting."

plan."

in the dark = when someone doesn't tell you

of-road = when a means of transport is suitable for

something you should know

all terrains

"He kept his colleagues in the dark and nobody knew

"He has an off-road motorbike."

about the problem."

of season = when a time is less busy

in theory = what is supposed to happen

"You can get some great hotel discounts if you stay off

"In theory we've only got another half an hour to go

season."

before we get there."

of work = when you don't go to work, because you're

in time = when you do something before the deadline

ill

"We got to the airport in time to get our plane."

"She's off work with a bad back."

in work = employed

Collocations with on

"What percentage of the population are in work?"

on board = when you support an idea

"We've got two investors on board. Now we need to

Collocations with of

find a third."

of colour = when someone looks unwell

(Don't confuse this with "onboard" = on an aircraft or

"You look a bit off colour. Are you OK?"

ship)

of duty = when you stop work

on brand = when something is consistent with your

"What time does he go off duty?"

brand

of guard = unprepared

"Their videos are completely on brand with the rest of

"He was caught off guard by her question."

their communications."

of plan = when you buy a house from the plans (and

on duty = when you are officially working

before it's built)

"She's on duty from 3pm."

on edge = when you feel nervous or tense

"She's a bit on edge at the moment as the company is

on ice = keep something cool

downsizing."

"There's a bottle of champagne on ice for you."

on file = when you keep records of something

= delay your plans

"We'll keep your details on file."

"They put their expansion plans on ice."

on fire = when something is burning

on purpose = when you do something deliberately

"Police think the house was set on fire deliberately."

"I didn't break the window on purpose! I'm sorry."

on foot = walk somewhere

on sale = when you can buy something more cheaply

"They did the whole journey on foot."

"This sofa is on sale. We should buy it!"

on form = when you are well or at your usual level of

on tap = available (beer is kept "on tap" in pubs)

energy, etc

"We've got all the resources we need on tap."

"Julie was on form last night. She was the life and soul

on target = likely to reach your goal

of the party!"

"Her company is on target to make over a million this

on guard = when someone / something is watching or

year."

guarding something

on TV = when a programme is shown

"That dog is on guard all day long."

"What's on TV tonight?"

on hand (also "to hand") = available, often for a

on time = when something is punctual (not early or

specific purpose

late)

"A team of supporters will be on hand for people

"She's always on time at work."

running the marathon."

on track = likely to reach your goal

on hold = delayed or paused

"We need to keep this project on track."

"We've put our plans for an extension on hold until we

save up the money."

Collocations with under

= ask someone to wait (on the phone)

under age = when someone is too young for a

"Can I put you on hold for a couple of minutes?"

particular activity

"There's a problem with under age drinking in this

under pressure = when you're feeling a lot of

town."

pressure

under arrest = when a policeman / policewoman

"He's under pressure from his boss."

makes an arrest

under review = when people are thinking about

"You're under arrest!"

changing an existing plan / policy

under attack = when someone / something is

"Our hiring policies are under review."

attacking someone / something else

under siege = when a town or city is surrounded by

"Our ideas for a new product came under attack from

an army

the Sales Department."

"Food is getting scarce in the city, which has been

under consideration = when a group of people are

under siege for the last month."

thinking about a decision

under suspicion = when people believe someone is

"The plans are under consideration."

guilty of something

under construction = when something isn't yet built

"He's come under suspicion because his political views

"Her website is still under construction."

are different."

under control = when a situation is calm or unlikely

under water = when there is a flood

to get worse

"Houses are still under water after the latest flood."

"Police say that the situation is under control."

under discussion = when people haven't decided

Collocations with by

"The council's plans for a new swimming pool are still

by accident = when something isn't deliberate

under discussion."

"I threw the soup away by accident."

under fire = receive criticism

by car / by train / by air, etc = means of transport

"She came under fire for her plans."

"She goes to work by bus."

= be under attack

Remember the exception: "on foot", not "by foot"

"The soldiers came under fire from the rebels."

by chance = when something unplanned happens

"I saw my old teacher by chance today."

by now = when you think something should have

by day / by night = during the day / night

happened before now

"You can go skiing by day and enjoy the sunset on the

"They'll have got home by now."

beach by night."

by the way = something you say to change the

by hand = when you do something yourself, and not

conversation

by a machine

"By the way, have you seen Paul recently?"

"In the past, clothes were made by hand."