Table of Content

• What is a Collocation?
• TOP 7 Collocations Types for IELTS
• List of 30 Important Collocations for IELTS Writing Task 2
• Importance of collocation for IELTS students
• How to use Collocation to get a good band score in IELTS
• Top 7 Collocations Types For IELTS – FAQs

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Top 7 Types of Collocations for IELTS Exam

For a strong IELTS score mastering collocations is key. Here are the top 7 types to focus on with examples for each:

1 .) Noun + Noun Collocations: These are two nouns that naturally fit together.

Examples:

• air pollution
• traffic congestion
• greenhouse gas
• climate change
• economic growth

Sentence Examples :

• We saw a traffic jam on the highway. (traffic + jam)
• The scientist conducted a series of experiments. (series + experiments)
• The company is facing a shortage of workers. (shortage + workers)
• The child built a sandcastle on the beach. (sand + castle)
• The baker took the cake out of the oven. (cake + oven)

2.) Adjective + Noun Collocations: An adjective and a noun that frequently pair up.

Examples:

• strong evidence
• heavy traffic
• severe weather
• renewable energy
• sustainable development

Sentence Examples :

• The hikers encountered severe weather conditions. (severe + weather)
• The student received a high score on the exam. (high + score)
• The audience gave a standing ovation to the performance. (standing + ovation)
• The company is developing renewable energy sources. (renewable + energy)
• We need to find a sustainable solution to the problem. (sustainable + solution)

3.) Verb + Noun Collocations: A verb paired with a specific noun it often acts upon.

Examples:

• conduct research
• launch a campaign
• make a presentation
• take notes
• draw a conclusion

Sentence Examples :

• the interview concluded the interview with the politician. (conduct + interview)
• The scientist made a breakthrough in the research. (make + breakthrough)
• The teacher gave a presentation on the topic. (give + presentation)
• The writer took notes during the lecture. (take + notes)
• The artist concluded from their observations. (draw + conclusion)

4.) Verb + Adverb Collocations: A verb paired with an adverb that modifies its action.

Examples:

• strongly recommend
• carefully analyze
• clearly explain
• effectively communicate
• thoroughly investigate

Sentence Example :

• The runner trained hard to prepare for the marathon. (train + hard)
• The teacher explained the concept clearly to the students. (explain + clearly)
• The manager strongly recommended the new product. (recommend + strongly)
• The scientist carefully analyzed the data. (analyze + carefully)
• The writer effectively communicated their ideas. (communicate + effectively)

5.) Adverb + Adjective Collocations: An adverb modifying the intensity of an adjective.

Examples:

• extremely important
• highly likely
• essential
• incredibly difficult
• surprisingly effective

Sentence Examples :

• Learning a new language can be incredibly rewarding. (incredibly + rewarding)
• It is extremely important to protect the environment. (extremely + important)
• The discovery was highly significant for the field of medicine. (highly + significant)
• The task was surprisingly easy to complete. (surprisingly + easy)
• The movie had a captivating storyline. (absolutely + captivating)

6.) Collocations with Prepositions: Verbs, nouns, or adjectives that require specific prepositions.

Examples:

• differ from (something)
• depend on (something)
• contribute to (something)
• access to (something)
• invest in (something)

Sentence Examples :

• This new technology has the potential to contribute to a more sustainable future. (contribute + to)
• The price of oil has been steadily increasing in price. (price + of + in)
• They apologized for being late. (apologize + for)
• The success of the project depends on teamwork. (depend + on)
• We don’t have access to the internet in this remote area. (access + to)

7.) Phrasal Verbs: Verbs formed with a verb and a preposition/adverb, with a unique meaning.

Examples:

• come up with (an idea)
• put off (a meeting)
• run out of (time)
• break down (a machine)
• look up to (someone)

Sentence Examples :

• The researchers are still trying to come up with a solution to the problem. (come up with)
• The meeting was put off due to unforeseen circumstances. (put off)
• She ran out of time to finish the exam. (run out of)
• The old car finally broke down on the highway. (break down)
• The child always looks up to her older brother. (look up to)

List of 30 Important Collocations for IELTS Writing Task 2

Below is the list that contains 30 important Collocations for IELTS Writing Task 2 is as following :

Verb + Noun

• Conduct research: Researchers conducted extensive research on the impact of social media on mental health.
• Play a crucial role: Technology plays a crucial role in improving educational outcomes.
• Make a significant contribution: Volunteers make a significant contribution to their communities.
• Raise awareness: Public awareness campaigns can raise awareness about environmental issues.
• Take advantage of opportunities: Students should take advantage of opportunities to study abroad.

Noun + Adjective

• A wide range of contributes A wide range of factors contribute to climate change.
• The increasing popularity of The increasing popularity of online learning has transformed education.
• Government intervention: Government intervention is sometimes necessary to regulate businesses.
• Sustainable development: Sustainable development is key to protecting the environment for future generations.
• Long-term impact: The long-term impact of social media on our social lives is still being debated.

Adjective + Noun

• Groundbreaking discoveries: Groundbreaking discoveries in medicine have led to new treatments for diseases.
• Ethical considerations: Ethical considerations are important when conducting research involving human subjects.
• Economic growth: Economic growth can lead to a rise in living standards.
• Social inequality: Social inequality is a major challenge facing many countries.
• Technological advancements: Technological advancements have revolutionized the way we communicate.

Verb + Adverb

• Severely restrict: Strict immigration laws can severely restrict the movement of people.
• Highly recommend: I highly recommend attending this conference for valuable insights.
• Effectively address: Governments need to effectively address the issue of unemployment.
• Completely transform: The internet has completely transformed the way we access information.
• Carefully consider: It’s important to carefully consider all options before making a decision.

Noun + Noun

• Government policies: Government policies can have a significant impact on the economy.
• Public transportation system: A reliable public transportation system is essential for a sustainable city.
• Social media platforms: Social media platforms have become a powerful tool for communication.
• Greenhouse gas emissions: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for combating climate change.
• Work-life balance: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for well-being.

Adverb + Adjective

• Particularly important: It is particularly important to invest in renewable energy sources.
• Highly skilled: The job market demands highly skilled workers.
• Incredibly diverse: Our world is incredibly diverse in terms of cultures and languages.
• Potentially harmful: Excessive screen time can be potentially harmful for children.
• Widely accepted: The theory of evolution is widely accepted by scientists.

Importance of Collocation for IELTS for Students

There are several reasons why learning collocations is crucial for the IELTS test:

• Exam Criteria: Collocations are directly linked to the IELTS marking criteria. In both writing and speaking, examiners assess your “lexical resource” – your ability to use a variety of words. Using collocations demonstrates this effectively.

• Improved Scores: By incorporating collocations, you elevate your writing and speaking for the IELTS. This can lead to higher scores in the “fluency and coherence” and “grammatical range and accuracy” sections.

• Sounds Natural: Using collocations makes your English sound more natural and fluent. Imagine a native speaker – they wouldn’t say “perform a mistake,” they’d say “make a mistake.” Collocations are the building blocks of natural-sounding English.

• Understanding Passages: In the reading and listening sections, being familiar with collocations helps you understand the meaning of passages more easily. You can recognize how words naturally fit together, making comprehension smoother.

NOTE :

In short, mastering collocations is an investment in your overall English proficiency and a key to achieving a strong IELTS score.

How to use Collocation to get a good band score in IELTS

Collocations are a powerful tool to boost your IELTS band score, especially in the Lexical Resource section.

• Learn in Context: Don’t just memorize lists of words. When you encounter new vocabulary, pay attention to the surrounding words it’s used with.

• Focus on Patterns: Collocations often follow grammatical patterns. Notice how verb + noun pairs like “conduct research” or adjective + noun pairs like “a significant number” work.

• Use Resources: Many resources offer lists of common IELTS collocations categorized by part of speech. Look for practice exercises that involve using collocations in sentences.

• Read and Listen Actively: Pay attention to collocations used in authentic materials like newspapers, academic articles or podcasts.

• Build Your ScoreBank: As you learn new collocations, create flashcards or a notebook to keep them organized for easy review.

Note :

While using collocations is important it’s not about memorizing random phrases. Focus on understanding the patterns and how they fit into context. This will help you use them naturally and effectively in your writing and speaking boosting your overall band score.

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