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Vocabulary Level B1

Common English Collocations

Collocations are words that naturally go together. Learn the most common ones with make, do, take, have and get — plus the mistakes to avoid.

words that naturally go together

A collocation is a pair or group of words that English speakers naturally put together. We say make a decision, not "do a decision"; heavy rain, not "strong rain". The grammar of the alternatives may be fine, but the combination sounds unnatural. Learning collocations is one practical way to move from merely correct English toward more natural English.

Why they matter

Fluent speakers often store language in chunks, not only as single words. When you learn make a decision as one unit, you recall it as one unit — faster to produce and more natural. It's also more memorable: a word inside a phrase has context to hang on to.

fast food but quick meal · heavy traffic but strong coffee · do your best, not "make your best"

The big five verbs

Most everyday collocations cluster around five verbs. Learn the partners, not the verb alone.

make — a decision, a mistake, progress, an effort, a difference, money, friends, a plan
do — homework, housework, a favor, business, research, exercises, your best, a job
take — a break, a photo, a risk, a seat, your time, notes, the bus, a shower
have — lunch, breakfast, coffee, a good time, a problem, an idea, a question, a baby
get — ready, dressed, lost, married, a job, the joke, better, in touch

Other useful pairs

Collocations aren't only verb + noun. Watch for adjective + noun and adverb + adjective too.

heavy rain · strong wind · a big decision · a quick question · highly likely · fully aware · deeply sorry · a close friend

Common mistakes

Translating word by word from your language. Collocations rarely match across languages.

✕make a photo · make sports · strong rain
✓take a photo · play sports / exercise · heavy rain

Mixing up make and do. If you're unsure, see the dedicated guide.

✕do a mistake · make your homework
✓make a mistake · do your homework

Learning the noun without its verb. "Decision" alone won't help you in a hurry. Store the whole chunk: make a decision.

Quick exercise

Choose the verb that collocates: make, do, take, have, or get.

  1. Let's ___ a break for ten minutes.
  2. I need to ___ a decision by Friday.
  3. Did you ___ your homework?
  4. We ___ a great time at the party.
  5. Give me a minute to ___ ready.
Answer key
  1. take a break
  2. make a decision
  3. do your homework
  4. had a great time (have a great time, past simple)
  5. get ready

Related topics

Make vs Do: What's the Difference? 30 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Beginners How to Remember New English Words

Practice this in Recursio

Collocations help your English sound more natural, and they stick best as whole chunks, not single words. Save the ones you meet to your word list in Recursio, and let spaced recall bring "make a decision" and "take a break" back until they feel effortless.

Build your word list in Recursio →  ·  Free to start, on iOS and Android.