After completing these collocation exercises, you will be able to recognise commonly used word combinations in English more easily. Answers to the exercises are provided, and a PDF worksheet is also available to download for free.

Exercise 1: Adjective + noun collocations

Choose the adjective from the box that best matches each noun.

blatant - estranged - curly - sloping - deciding - pale - striking - terminal - pristine - ethnic - staunch

1. resemblance

striking resemblance

2. hair

curly hair

3. minority

ethnic minority

4. skin

pale skin

5. illness

terminal illness

6. supporter

staunch supporter

7. shoulders

sloping shoulders

8. condition

pristine condition

9. husband

estranged husband

10. lie

blatant lie

11. factor

deciding factor

Score: 0 /19

Exercise 2: collocations with 'make'

Replace the underlined words with collocations that use the verb 'make'.

1. I must have been mistaken about the time.

I must have about the time.

I must have made a mistake about the time.

2. I have not decided yet.

I have not yet.

I have not made a decision yet.

3. You have to choose between us.

You have to between us.

You have to make a choice between us.

4. How has the enemy progressed towards the main entrance of the house?

How has the enemy the main entrance of the house?.

How has the enemy made progress towards the main entrance of the house?

5. I’d like to change the schedule.

I’d like to the schedule

I’d like to make a change to the schedule.

6. He wants to contribute to the funding of our startup.

He wants to to the funding of our startup.

He wants to make a contribution to the funding of our startup.

7. I can arrange for him to meet you next week.

I can ask my secretary to for him to meet you next week.

I can make an arrangement for him to meet you next week.

8. That is clear.

That .

That makes sense.

9. I’d like to enquire about your refund policy.

I’d like to about your refund policy.

I’d like to make an enquiry about your refund policy.

10. The company hopes to profit from its investment in renewable energy.

The company hopes to from its investment in renewable energy.

The company hopes to make a profit from its investment in renewable energy.

Score: 0 /19

Exercise 3: Multiple-choice questions

Choose the words that best collocate with each other.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Collocation worksheet

Collocation exercises with 10 sentences to complete using the correct form of the verb make or do.
Collocation - PDF worksheet
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Size: 60 KB Download icon
  1. I need to make a phone call.
  2. She made a mistake on her test.
  3. Can you do the dishes?
  4. I’ll do my best to win the race.
  5. They made a lot of money selling handmade crafts last year.
  6. Don’t forget to do your homework.
  7. I want to make a complaint about their service.
  8. We should make a plan for the summer holiday.
  9. Please make an effort to be on time.
  10. Too much rain can do damage to the crops.
Max 1000 characters.