Collocations Worksheets and Decks
44 worksheets and 6 vocabulary decks · Word power
Start here — 6 free samples
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Collocations worksheets
44 printable worksheets with answer keys; the 24 most used, easiest level first.
Collocations vocabulary
6 word decks with meanings, examples and pronunciation: flip, quiz, print as flashcards or play as a game.
Warm-ups and fillers
Quick Fun Corner activities on the same theme: no preparation.
- Filler · B1Say a verb: take, have or catch. Pairs take turns saying a noun that goes with it: take a photo, take a break, take a taxi, take your time… The first to get stuck loses.
About Collocations
Collocations are words that naturally go together. We say heavy rain, not strong rain; make a decision, not do a decision; and highly unlikely rather than strongly unlikely. Common patterns include verb + noun (take a photo), adjective + noun (a strong accent), adverb + adjective (deeply disappointed) and noun + noun (a traffic jam).
Collocation work usually starts at B1 with make/do, have/take and everyday word partnerships, and becomes central at B2–C2, where accurate collocation separates fluent writing from translated English. Learners often transfer patterns from their first language (make a photo, say a lie) and use general verbs where English expects a specific one.
Here you will find printable collocations worksheets with answer keys, which can be printed as PDF or completed online via a class link, as well as vocabulary decks.
Teaching tips: Collocations
- Encourage learners to record new words with their partners, for example make a mistake, not just mistake.
- Watch for L1 transfer errors such as 'make a photo' or 'do a mistake', and keep a class list of corrected collocations.
- Show learners how to use a collocation dictionary or corpus examples to check word partnerships themselves.
- Use odd-one-out tasks (heavy traffic / heavy rain / heavy wind) to train learners' sense of what sounds natural.
Questions teachers ask
Is there a rule for make and do?
Broadly, do is used for tasks and work (do homework, do the washing) and make for creating or producing (make a cake, make a plan), but many uses are fixed and must be learned as collocations, such as make a mistake.
Why are collocations important for exams?
Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced test collocations directly in Use of English tasks, and IELTS rewards natural collocation under lexical resource.
How many collocations should I teach per lesson?
A manageable set of about eight to twelve, recycled in later lessons, is more effective than long lists that learners see only once.