What Is a Collocation?
A collocation is two or more words that naturally go together in English. Native speakers use them automatically. IELTS candidates who learn collocations sound natural; those who do not sound translated.
The Lexical Resource criterion specifically rewards “awareness of style and collocation.” This means it is not enough to know a word — you must know which words go with it. Make a decision is correct. Do a decision is not.
Common Verb + Noun Collocations
| Topic | Correct Collocation | Incorrect Version |
|---|---|---|
| Solutions | address a problem | |
| Information | conduct research | |
| Decision | reach a conclusion | |
| Impact | have an impact | |
| Change | undergo a transformation |
Adjective + Noun Collocations for IELTS Essays
Economy and Society
- a significant increase / a dramatic rise / a steady decline
- widespread unemployment / growing inequality / mounting pressure
- a sustainable solution / a viable alternative / a practical approach
Education
- higher education / formal education / vocational training
- academic achievement / educational attainment / critical thinking
- a competitive environment / a stimulating curriculum
Environment
- environmental degradation / ecological damage / carbon footprint
- renewable energy / fossil fuels / greenhouse gases
- sustainable development / climate change / natural resources
When you learn a new noun, always learn it with 2–3 adjectives and 2–3 verbs that go with it. Example — research: conduct research, carry out research, groundbreaking research, extensive research.
Preposition Collocations (Common IELTS Errors)
| Phrase | Correct Preposition |
|---|---|
| responsible ___ | for (responsible for their actions) |
| associated ___ | with (associated with health risks) |
| result ___ | in (result in negative outcomes) |
| contribute ___ | to (contribute to the problem) |
| depend ___ | on (depend on external support) |
| benefit ___ | from (benefit from the policy) |
Even if your vocabulary is impressive, preposition errors lower your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score. These small words matter. Learn prepositions as part of each collocation, not separately.
How to Learn Collocations Efficiently
- Read model IELTS essays and highlight word partnerships — not individual words
- When you encounter a new word, immediately look up its common collocations in a collocation dictionary (Ozdic.com is free and excellent)
- Use new collocations in your writing practice — learning them passively is not enough
A sentence with correct collocations sounds professional. A sentence with incorrect collocations sounds foreign — even when every word is technically correct.