What is a 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". Look at these examples: natural English ... unnatural English ... the fast train fast food the quick train quick food a quick shower a quick meal a fast shower a fast meal Why learn collocations? Your language will be more natural and more easily understood. You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing yourself. It is easier for our brains to remember and use language in chunks or blocks rather than as single words. How to learn collocations Be aware of collocations, and try to recognize them when you see or hear them. Treat collocations as single blocks of language. Think of them as individual blocks or chunks, and learn strongly supp...
David White is an Australian English teacher who has been living in Peru since 2001. In partnership with his wife Claudia, they are the owners of ¨English For You Language Institute´, an institute that specializes in the teaching of all levels of English from Basic (A1) to Advanced (C2) including international exam preparation. They are also the owners of ELT Educational Services and David is also the Headmaster of the American School, a respected bilingual ib school in Northern Peru.