Collocation

A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just
sound "right" to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other
hand, other combinations may be unnatural and just sound "wrong". It is important
for language users to learn these collocational expressions as it is not proper to
nonlinguistically correct combinations. It is noted that collocations occurs at
different grammatical categories. In other words, There are several different types
of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the
most common types are:

• Adverb + Adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)

• Adjective + Noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)
• Noun + Noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)
• Noun + Verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)
• Verb + Noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
• Verb + Expression With Preposition: burst into tears (NOT blow up
in tears)

Little effort has been done to solve the problem.

Little effort has been made to solve the problem.
Sometimes I have to do a great effort not to cry.
Sometimes I have to make a great effort not to cry.
make an effort): (NOT 'do' 'The manager would like to see the whole team
making more of an effort.'

This growing demand for housing gives pressure to the

farmland and recreational areas.
This growing demand for housing puts pressure on the
farmland and recreational areas.
put pressure on sb/sth (NOT give): 'His parents are putting pressure on him to leave
school and get a job.'

It happened a few years ago when I was making my university entrance exams.
It happened a few years ago when I was taking my university entrance exams.
Take/sit (for)have/do an examination(N0Tmake): 'Of all the students who took
the exam, only 45% passed.' 'I sit my final exams next July.
Note that sit (for) an examination is not used in American English.

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Make sure that you eat properly and don't forget to make your
exercises.
Make sure that you eat properly and don't forget to do your exercises.
do your exercises (NOT make): 'Always warm up before you start
doing these exercises.'

They shouldn't be allowed to make these experiments.

They shouldn't be allowed to perform these experiments.
Perform/conduct/carry out/do an experiment (NOT make): 'Further
experiments will have to be conducted before the drug can be tested on humans.'

Unemployment is a very important problem.

Unemployment is a very serious problem.
a serious problem (NOT important): 'Teenage vandalism is a serious problem in
this area.'

When population growth is not controlled, serious problems can happen.

When population growth is not controlled, serious problems can arise.
Problems arise/occur (NOT happen): 'How did the problem first arise?'

The company has gained enormous profits in recent years.

The company has made enormous profits in recent years.
make a profit (NOT gain): 'Derek would never sell you anything without making a
good profit.' 'The company made a profit of $53 million last year.'

Don't stand up until the bus gets to a halt.

Don't stand up until the bus comes to a halt.
come to a halt (NOT get): 'The car that we'd been following came to a sudden halt
outside the bank.''

I think it's a great idea and should be put in practice.

I think it's a great idea and should be put into practice.
put sth into practice (NOT in): 'The aim of the project is to give
students the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice.'
Make sure that you eat properly and don't forget to make your exercises.
Make sure that you eat properly and don't forget to do your exercises.

do your exercises (NOT make): 'Always warm up before you start

doing these exercises.'
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I made my first teaching experience in Scotland.
I had my first teaching experience in Scotland.
While I was going home, I made a bad experience.
While I was going home, I had a bad experience.
have an experience (NOT make): 'The streets were full of beggars and we had one
or two very unpleasant experiences.'

They shouldn't be allowed to make these experiments.

They shouldn't be allowed to perform these experiments.
Perform/conduct/carry out/do an experiment (NOT make): 'Further
experiments will have to be conducted before the drug can be tested on humans.'

These bones are a proof that the animals really existed.

These bones are proof that the animals really existed.
Today we have scientific proofs that tobacco is harmful.
Today we have scientific proof that tobacco is harmful.
Proof (= evidence) is usually an uncountable noun: 'Investigators now have proof of
his involvement in the arms deal.'

The television company receives most of its money from propaganda.

The television company receives most of its money from advertising.
Propaganda is used in a political context: 'Roadside hoardings
displayed anti-Western propaganda.' 'In times of war the public are
bombarded with propaganda.'
Advertising is used in a commercial context: 'Car manufacturers spend billions of
dollars a year on advertising.'

The country's small food supply is not proportion about the size of the population.
The country's food supply is small in proportion to the size of the population.
Something is small/large etc. in proportion to/with something else: 'Her feet are
very small in proportion to the rest of her body.'

A friend of mine has proposed me a job in his restaurant.

A friend of mine has offered me a job in his restaurant.
He proposed to put them up for a few days.
He offered to put them up for a few days.
offer = (1) tell someone that they can have something if they want it: 'He offered me
a cup of tea.' 'She was offered a job on a local newspaper.'

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(2) tell someone that you are willing to do something: 'He offered to drive me back
to my hotel.'

I propose the library opening hours to be increased.

I propose that the library opening hours are/be increased.
propose to do sth = intend: 'We would like to know what action you propose to
take.'
propose that sb does(should) do sth (or propose doing sth) =
formally suggest: 'He has proposed that each existing member accept responsibility
for recruiting two new members.' 'In the end it was proposed that the students
concerned should be given a verbal warning.'

There is little prospect for the situation to improve.

There is little prospect of the situation improving.
prospect of doing sth happening: 'With all the political unrest,
there is little prospect of attracting foreign investment.'

She told the shop assistant that she wanted to protest about the
cardigan she had bought.
She told the shop assistant that she wanted to complain about the cardigan she had
bought.
protest = say or do something to show that you strongly disagree with something:
'The crowds were protesting against the government's purchase of nuclear weapons.'
complain = say that you are annoyed or unhappy about something: 'He's always
complaining about the weather.' 'If you
think you've been overcharged, you should complain to the manager.'

My job provides me the opportunity to meet new people every day.

My job provides me with the opportunity to meet new people every day.
provide sb with sth: 'Money from the aid programme will be used to provide the
farmers with better tools.'

The government does not provide enough food to the population.

The government does not provide enough food for the population.
I was very pleased with the room you provided to me.
I was very pleased with the room you provided for me.
provide sth for sb/sth: 'The hotel also provides facilities for business meetings and
conferences.'

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In my view, a father should provide his family.
In my view, a father should provide for his family
provide for sb = support someone by paying for all their food ,clothes etc.: 'How
can you provide for your children when you don't have a job?'

I am taking another course to improve my qualification.

I am taking another course to improve my qualifications.
qualifications (plural) = all the examination passes, skills and
experience that you need for a particular job: 'I'd like to apply for the job but I don't
have the right qualifications.'
qualification = a degree, diploma, certificate etc.: 'Do you have a
postgraduate qualification?' Speakers of American English use degree, diploma,
certificate etc. for this meaning.

Switzerland produces goods with a very high quality.

Switzerland produces goods of a very high quality.
of (a) high/low/poor quality (NOT with): 'Japanese electrical products tend to be
of much higher quality.'

Sometimes we quarrel about which programme to watch.

Sometimes we argue about which programme to watch.
When people quarrel they argue angrily, especially for a long time about something
that is unimportant: 'If you two boys don't stop quarrelling, you can go straight to
bed.'
People can argue without feeling angry or looking silly: 'Most evenings we would
sit in the kitchen arguing about politics.'

He served his country for over quarter of a century.

He served his country for over a quarter of a century.
a quarter (of sth): 'He's had almost a quarter of the cake all to himself.'

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 Auxiliary verb construction
Be going to + infinitive

This construction denotes future and intention. Its general meaning is future
fulfillment of the present.

I am going to get married next month.

*I am going to getting married next month.

Present progressive

The present progressive refers to a future happening anticipated in the present. Its
basic meaning is 'fixed arrangement, plan, or programme:

The orchestra is playing Mozart

Since the progressive is used to denote present as well as future, a time adverbial is
often used to clarify in which meaning the verb is being used:

They are washing the dishes (now / later)

The present progressive is especially frequent with transitional dynamic verbs like
arrive, come, go, land, start, stop, etc., which refer to a transition between two states
or positions:

The plane is taking off at 5.20

The president is coming to the UN this week.

Auxiliary verbs construction + progressive

The auxiliary verb construction can be used together with the progressive infinitive
to denote a (future –as-a-matter-of-course): will / shall+be+v+ing. The use of this
combination avoids the volition, insistence, etc.:

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 He’ll do his best (future or volitional interpretation possible)

He’ll be doing his best (future interpretation only)

This complex construction can be used to convey greater tact and consideration than
the simple auxiliary construction does:
When will you (put on / be putting on ) another performance ?
When will you ( come / be coming) ?
Progressive
Progressive aspect indicates temporariness – an action in progress instead of
occurrence of an action or the existence of a state:
Simple present: Tom sings well.
Present progressive: Tom is singing well.
These two sentences have the same tense but different aspect. Notice the meaning
difference between them: Joan sings well refers to Joan’s competence as a singer,
that she has a good voice; Joan is singing well refers to her performance, that she is
singing well on a particular occasion.
The simple / progressive aspectual contrast also applies in the past tense.
Simple past: Tom sang well.
Past progressive: Tom was singing well.
In addition to process and continuation, three are a number of other concomitant
meanings or overtones that go with the progress aspect, such as limited duration,
incomplete, simultaneity, vividness of description, emotional colouring, and
emphasis. Compare the following contrastive pairs of sentence:

John plays the banjo. Indefinite time

John is playing the banjo. Temporariness : ‘ john’s activity at this
Particular moment is playing the banjo

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 The professor types his own Habitual activity of the professor.
letter (and always has).
The professor is typing his Limited duration: the progressive suggests
own letters (these days). that the professor’s activity is of limited
duration.
John always comes late. Characteristic activity.
Characteristic activity, necessarily occurring
John’s always coming late. with adverbs like always and continually. It
imparts a subjective, emotionally coloured
tone.
I read a book that evening. Completion: the speaker reached the end of
the book before the end of the evening.
I was reading a book that Incompletion: there is no implication that the
evening. reading was completed in the course of the
evening.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

The object may come after the following phrasal verbs or may come between the
two parts of the phrasal verb as in "turn on the light or" turn the light on". When
the object is a pronoun, it must come before the preposition as in" turn it on"

Verb Meaning Example

blow up Explode The terrorists tried to blow up the railroad station.

bring My mother brought up that little matter of my prison

mention a topic
up record again.

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bring
raise children It isn't easy to bring up children nowadays.
up

call off Cancel They called off this afternoon's meeting

do over repeat a job Do this homework over.

fill out complete a form Fill out this application form and mail it in.

fill up fill to capacity She filled up the grocery cart with free food.

My sister found out that her husband had been

find out Discover
planning a surprise party for her.

give give something to

The filling station was giving away free gas.
away someone else for free

give My brother borrowed my car. I have a feeling he's

return an object
back not about to give it back.

submit something The students handed in their papers and left the
hand in
(assignment) room.

put something on hook She hung up the phone before she hung up her
hang up
or receiver clothes.

I hate to hold up the meeting, but I have to go to the

hold up Delay
bathroom.

hold up Three masked gunmen held up the Security Bank

Rob
(2) this afternoon.

leave You left out the part about the police chase down
Omit
out Asylum Avenue.

The lawyers looked over the papers carefully before

look
examine, check questioning the witness. (They looked them over
over
carefully.)

You've misspelled this word again. You'd better look

look up search in a list
it up.

make She knew she was in trouble, so she made up a story

invent a story or lie
up about going to the movies with her friends.

make He was so far away, we really couldn't make out

hear, understand
out what he was saying.

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 There were three men in the line-up. She picked out
pick out Choose
the guy she thought had stolen her purse.

lift something off The crane picked up the entire house. (Watch them
pick up
something else pick it up.)

point As we drove through Paris, Francoise pointed out the

call attention to
out major historical sites.

put We put away money for our retirement. She put

save or store
away away the cereal boxes.

We asked the boss to put off the meeting until

put off Postpone
tomorrow. (Please put it off for another day.)

put clothing on the I put on a sweater and a jacket. (I put them on

put on
body quickly.)

The firefighters put out the house fire before it could

put out Extinguish
spread. (They put it out quickly.)

read I read over the homework, but couldn't make any

Peruse
over sense of it.

My wife set up the living room exactly the way she

set up to arrange, begin
wanted it. She set it up.

take These are your instructions. Write them down before

make a written note
down you forget.

take off remove clothing It was so hot that I had to take off my shirt.

talk We have serious problems here. Let's talk them over

Discuss
over like adults.

throw
Discard That's a lot of money! Don't just throw it away.
away

put clothing on to see if She tried on fifteen dresses before she found one she
try on
it fits liked.

I tried out four cars before I could find one that

try out Test
pleased me.

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