Have you heard of collocations? They sound complicated, don’t they?
Well, collocations are important in English, and we do have to learn them just like any other vocabulary, but they are not complicated. ‘Collocation’ just means ‘conventional word combination, ‘ so, for example, we say happy birthday and not joyful birthday. Or, long weekend rather than extended weekend.
For General English, it’s helpful to learn collocations as we go along, so that our English sounds natural and so that we understand better what native English speakers are saying.
For example, we talk about heavy rain, not weighty rain, but a weighty issue and not a heavy issue. And, while we might say thank you very much, many thanks or thanks a lot, we don’t say lots of thanks or thank you a lot.
In ordinary life, it’s not a disaster if we get these wrong. As Michael Swan explains in Practical English Usage (mine is the 3rd edition):
Students should not worry because they do not know all the expressions of this kind that are commonly used by English speakers. If they use non-idiomatic ways of expressing ideas, they will normally be understood, and English speakers do not expect foreigners to speak perfect natural English.
However, there are situations in which it is important that we understand and know how to use collocations. Various professions and industries have their own collocations, where the terms used may differ in meaning from their usual definition in everyday English.
For example, in Legal English, we talk about a civil matter, not a civil issue, drafting a contract, not writing a contract, and a court order, not a court requirement. And in Business English you will hear the phrases board meeting, managing director and tax return. Each of these phrases contains words which can be used differently in everyday life.
There is some good news. Most collocations have emerged because they are frequently used, so these are common phrases. That means you are likely to hear and read them often. Also, they can be learned in the same way you would learn single words in a vocabulary list. Because they belong together, they should be learned together along with their definition and examples of their usage.
Have you encountered collocations that surprised or confused you? Let me know in the comments!
