Collocations With "WORD" in English

WORD collocations

word noun

¹ unit of language

ADJ.

two-letter, three-letter, etc. | monosyllabic, disyllabic | two-syllable, three-syllable, etc. | big, long

He uses big words to impress people.

| compound | native | borrowed, loan

When a new fruit is first imported, its name is usually also imported as a loan word.

| foreign | content, function | exact, precise, very

His exact words were, ‘There's nothing we can do about it.’ Those were her very words.

| clear, plain | ambiguous | abstract, concrete | everyday

I find even everyday words difficult to spell.

| archaic, obsolete | key

He wrote down a few key words to help him remember what to say.

| right, wrong

You can't always find the right word when you're translating.

| dirty, four-letter, naughty, obscene, rude, taboo

The play is full of four-letter words. Work is a dirty word to Frank. (see also

swear word| famous, household, immortal

) His name has become a household word since he first appeared in the series. the immortal words of Neil Armstrong as he stepped onto the moon

| code

The police use code words for their major operations.

| buzz buzzwordvogue

(also ), E-marketing is the current buzzword.

| spoken, written

She combines visual images and the spoken word to great effect in her presentations.

VERB + WORD

have

Spanish has no word for ‘understatement’.

| say, speak, use, utter

He uses lots of long words. Every word he utters is treated as sacred text.

| pronounce

How is this word pronounced?

| mispronounce | spell | misspell

‘Necessary’ is one of the most commonly misspelt words in English.

| write | hear, read | mishear, misread

I misheard the word ‘sick’ as ‘thick’.

| know, understand | look up

She looked the word up in the dictionary.

| find | coin

The word ‘e-commerce’ was coined to refer to business done over the Internet.

| cross out, erase, rub out

WORD + VERB

mean sth | refer to sth, relate to sth | convey sth, describe sth, express sth

words describing body parts Words can't express how happy I am.

| imply sth | denote sth

Bold words denote chapter headings.

| carry sth, have sth

The same word can carry numerous meanings. The word has two meanings.

| be derived from sth, come/derive from sth

The word derives from a Norse word meaning ‘eye of the wind’.

| begin (with sth), end (in/with sth)

What's a word beginning with ‘c’ that means ‘a small wood’?

| fail sb

Words fail me (= I cannot express how I feel).

WORD + NOUN

game

PREP.

in sb's ~s

The students had to retell the story in their own words.

| ~ for

What's the French word for ‘snail’?

PHRASES

in all senses of the word

She was a true friend in all senses of the word.

| in other words

They're letting me go?in other words, I've been sacked.

| in so many words

They told me in so many words (= directly) that I was no longer needed.

| in the true sense of the word

People who overeat are not addicts in the true sense of the word.

| in words of one syllable

(= using very simple language) Could you say that again in words of one syllable?

| word for word

(= exactly) He repeated word for word what the boy had said to him.

² sth you say

ADJ.

quick | quiet

The manager had a quiet word with Alison, and she gave him no more problems.

| good, friendly, kind

He hasn't a good word to say for anybody.

| bad, unkind | angry, bitter, blunt, choice

(ironic),

cross, cruel, hard, harsh, heated, hurtful, strong | polite

No polite words of gratitude came.

| flattering, honeyed | empty, fine

(ironic),

meaningless

Despite all their fine words, the council have never done anything to improve road safety.

| weasel

The government's promises on nurses' pay turned out to be weasel words (= deliberately unclear).

| bold, brave

Despite his brave words, I don't believe he can save the factory from closure.

| wise | well-chosen

He ruined her self-confidence with a few well-chosen words.

| cautionary

A few cautionary words are necessary regarding driving abroad.

| soft, whispered

They exchanged whispered words of love.

| unspoken

The look in her eyes filled in the unspoken words in her sentence.

| dying, last

Her last words were for her children.

| final, last

The Chairman always has the last word (= the final decision) on financial decisions.

| fateful

Seconds after uttering the fateful words ‘this is easy’, he crashed.

| prophetic | magic

VERB + WORD

have

I've had a few words with John, and he's quite happy for you to stay. She had some harsh words to say about her colleagues.

| put in, say, speak, utter

If you run into the boss, put in a good word for me! Before we begin, I'd like to say a few words about who I am. Nobody's uttered a word to me about it.

| give, say

Just say the word and I'll go.

| mumble, mutter | slur

I knew he'd been drinking because he was slurring his words.

| spit (out)

She was so furious, she almost spat the words out: ‘You idiot!’

| bandy, exchange, have

I usually exchange a few words with my neighbour when I see him. Words were exchanged (= there was an argument).

| find

He couldn't find the words to thank her enough.

| choose, pick

He chose his words carefully when commenting on her work.

| quote | distort, twist

She felt angry at how the journalist had twisted her words.

| hang on

The journalists hung on his every word as he spoke of his ordeal.

| eat, take back

When he told her she would fail, she swore she would make him eat his words.

| not mince

He doesn't mince his words when he talks about his ex-boss.

| not breathe

Don't breathe a word to anyone about what I've told you!

WORD + VERB

conjure sth up, evoke sth

Her words conjured up a strange picture in her mind.

| burst from sb, come (out), emerge, fall, pour (out), slip (out), spill (out), tumble out

He was nervous, and his words came out in a rush. His words fell into the silence like stones.

| stick in your throat

He wanted to tell her how he felt about her, but the words stuck in his throat.

| float, hang in the air

I let my words hang in the air. Maggie was no fool: she must realize I meant it.

| echo, ring

Her teacher's words echoed in her ears.

| fade (away), tail away/off, trail away/off

His words faded to silence as he saw she didn't believe him.

| hit/strike home, strike/touch a chord | sink in

She could feel her temper boiling as his words sank in.

PREP.

in a ~

‘Would you like to help us?’ ‘In a word (= briefly), no.’

| without a ~

She left without a word.

| ~ about

We never heard anyone say an unkind word about her.

| ~ from

And now a word from our sponsors …

| ~ of

a word of advice/warning

| ~ with

Can I have a quick word with you?

PHRASES

get a word in (edgeways)

I wanted to tell you that she'd phoned, but you were talking so much I couldn't get a word in edgeways.

| a man/woman of few words sb never spoke a truer word/never was a truer word spoken

(= a person who speaks very little), You said we were about to make a big mistake, and never was a truer word spoken! (= you were right),

not a (single) word

Remember?not a word to (= don't tell) Peter about any of this. We didn't say a single word to each other all day.

| put words into sb's mouth

He felt after the interview that the police officers had been trying to put words into his mouth in (= to make him say what they wanted him to say).

| take the words out of sb's mouth

I was about to say we should cancel the trip, but she took the words right out of my mouth (= she said it before me).

| a word in sb's ear

Can I have a word in your ear about tomorrow's presentation?

| (by) word of mouth

The restaurant does not advertise, but relies on word of mouth for custom.

³ promise

ADJ.

solemn

She gave him her solemn word that she would give up drugs.

VERB + WORD

give sb | be as good as, be true to, keep

He promised to help and was as good as his word. True to her word, she returned next day.

| break, go back on

Once he has made a promise, he never goes back on his word.

PHRASES

have sb's word for sth

We only have her word for it that the cheque is in the post.

| a man/woman of his/her word

You needn't worry about him not paying you back?he's a man of his word.

| take sb at their word

He said I could stay at his house any time, so I took him at his word.

| take sb's word for sth

I haven't seen his work, but I'll take his word for it that it's finished.

| your word against sb's

If it's your word against the police officer's, the jury are going to believe him.

| sb's word is their bond, word of honour

He gave me his word of honour that he wouldn't tell anyone.

⁴ information/news

VERB + WORD

bring, get, send

He sent word to his family that his captors were treating him well.

| get

We didn't get word of her arrest until the next day.

| spread

WORD + VERB

get out

If word gets out about the affair, he will have to resign.

| be, have it

The word is they've split up. Word has it that she's leaving.

PREP.

~ about

Health workers spread the word about the benefits of immunization.

What is a collocation?

A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations (for example collocations with “WORD”) just sound “right” to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations of “WORD” may be unnatural and just sound “wrong”.

Using collocations list of “WORD” improves your English, especially your English speaking skills, and increases your vocabulary words in English.

Why learn collocations with “WORD”?

• When using collocations with “WORD”, 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 such as Common Collocations with “WORD” rather than as single words ( WORD | Translation, Meaning in Persian (Farsi) )

How to learn collocations with “WORD”?

• Be aware of collocations with WORD , 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 support, not strongly + support.
• When you learn a new word ( e.g. WORD | Translation, Meaning in Persian (Farsi) ), write down other words that collocate with it.
• Read as much as possible. Reading is an excellent way to learn vocabulary and collocations of “WORD” in context and naturally.
• Revise what you learn regularly. Practice using new collocations with “WORD” in context as soon as possible after learning them.
• Learn collocations with “WORD” in groups that work for you. You could learn them by topic (time, number, weather, money, family) or by a particular word (take action, take a chance, take an exam).

Types of collocation with “WORD”

• adverb + adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)
• adjective + noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)
• noun + noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)
• noun + verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)
• verb + noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
• verb + expression with preposition: burst into tears (NOT blow up in tears)
• verb + adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave feverishly)

Using Collocations of WORD to Boost Your IELTS Score

The correct use of collocations of “WORD” is an essential part of improving your English level and boosting your IELTS score. Using collocations + “WORD” in sentence examples correctly allows you to write and speak more like a native speaker and they are also one of the things that examiners look out for when marking your tests.

WORD Collocation Frequently Asked Questions

Why are WORD collocations important? WORD collocations are important because they make your language sound natural. If you master WORD collocations, your English will be more idiomatic, that is, more similar to the way it is spoken by native speakers. It is acknowledged that knowledge of WORD collocations helps to improve learners' language skills, enhance learners' communicative competence, and achieve native-like fluency.