Basic collocations
Collocations are combinations of words that are frequently used together in a particular order, forming a natural-sounding expression. These word pairs or groups often sound more natural to native speakers than other possible combinations of the same words. Understanding collocations is important for language learners because they help you sound more fluent and natural when speaking or writing. Below are explanations of some common collocations that you may encounter:
- Good morning: This collocation is used as a greeting when you see someone for the first time in the morning. It is a friendly and polite way to say hello.
- Living room: A living room is a space in a house or apartment where people gather to relax, socialize, and enjoy leisure activities, such as watching television or reading.
- Cold weather: This collocation describes a situation when the temperature outside is low. It can be used to talk about the weather conditions during winter or a cold day in general.
- Primary school: Primary school is the first level of formal education for children, typically for ages 5 to 11. It is also known as elementary school in some countries.
- High school: High school is the educational institution attended by teenagers, usually between the ages of 14 and 18, after completing primary or middle school.
- Fast food: Fast food refers to meals that are prepared quickly and are usually served in a casual setting or as take-out. Examples of fast food include hamburgers, pizza, and fried chicken.
- Heavy rain: Heavy rain is a collocation used to describe a lot of rain falling in a short period of time, often causing flooding or other problems.
- Red wine: Red wine is a type of alcoholic beverage made from red or black grapes. It is typically served with dinner or enjoyed on its own.
- Hard work: This collocation refers to tasks or activities that require a lot of effort, dedication, or persistence.
- Cold beer: Cold beer is a popular alcoholic beverage, usually served chilled or with ice to make it more refreshing.
- Hot chocolate: Hot chocolate is a warm, sweet beverage made from chocolate or cocoa powder, milk or water, and sugar. It is often enjoyed during cold weather or as a comforting treat.
- Kitchen sink: A kitchen sink is a fixture in a kitchen used for washing dishes, preparing food, or getting water for various tasks.
- Public transport: Public transport refers to the shared transportation system available for use by the general public, such as buses, trains, and subways.
- City center: The city center is the central area of a city where many businesses, shops, and cultural attractions are located. It is also known as the downtown area.
- Happy birthday: This collocation is used to wish someone a joyful celebration on the day they were born. It is a common expression during birthday parties and gatherings.
- Social media: Social media refers to websites and applications that allow users to create, share, and interact with content, such as photos, videos, and messages. Examples of social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Now try the quiz to check if you remember these!
Correct Answers
The correct collocation is "Good morning," which is a common greeting used in the morning.
The correct collocation is "Fast food," which refers to food that can be prepared and served quickly, often in a restaurant or takeout setting.
The correct collocation is "Kitchen sink," which is a sink typically found in a kitchen and used for washing dishes and food preparation.
The correct collocation is "Heavy rain," which describes rainfall that is particularly dense and falls at a fast rate.
The correct collocation is "Cold weather," which describes low temperatures and uncomfortable conditions.
The correct collocation is "Dining room," which is a room in a home where people eat meals.
The correct collocation is "Social media," which refers to websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking.
The correct collocation is "Living room," which is a common area in a home for relaxation and socializing.
The correct collocation is "Hard work," which refers to tasks that require a lot of effort or dedication.
The correct collocation is "Happy birthday," which is a common expression used to wish someone a pleasant and enjoyable birthday celebration.
The correct collocation is "Red wine," which is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties.
The correct collocation is "Primary school," which is the first stage of formal education, typically for children aged 4-11.
The correct collocation is "City center," which refers to the central area or downtown of a city, where many businesses and attractions are located.
The correct collocation is "Cold beer," which refers to beer served at a low temperature, making it more refreshing.
The correct collocation is "Public transport," which refers to transportation services such as buses, trains, and subways that are available for use by the general public.
Vocabulary
The Vocabulary tag groups practice that focuses on words rather than grammar rules — common words, collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms, and the lexical patterns native speakers reach for instinctively. It cuts across grammar topics, offering targeted vocabulary work at every CEFR level from A1 to C2.
Grammar gets you the structure of English; vocabulary gets you the colour. Plenty of B1 grammar with A2 vocabulary still sounds simple; the right word at the right register is what shifts your English from "correct" to "natural".
Vocabulary for A1/Elementary/Beginner
The A1 vocabulary tag covers the foundational word stock for beginner-level English — roughly the first 500–800 words a learner needs. Topics: family, home, food, days, numbers, basic actions (go, have, do, be), greetings, and the most common everyday objects. Grammar pairings are simple — present tense, basic articles, simple prepositions.
This is the layer everything else builds on. Skip it and grammar at higher levels keeps tripping over missing basic vocabulary.
Vocabulary for A2/Elementary/Pre-Intermediate
The A2 vocabulary tag covers the next layer beyond A1 — roughly 1,500–2,500 words for the pre-intermediate learner. New territory: work and school topics, leisure activities, basic emotions, weather and travel vocabulary, and the first wave of phrasal verbs (get up, put on, look for) and collocations (make a decision, take a break).
This is where vocabulary stops being just "things" and starts being "actions and patterns" — the bridge from describing your immediate world to handling routine social interactions.
Collocations
Collocations are combinations of words that habitually occur together in a fixed order — make a decision (not do a decision), strong coffee (not powerful coffee), heavy rain (not thick rain). The grammar would allow either pairing, but native speakers consistently pick one and reject the other. Common patterns include verb + noun, adjective + noun, adverb + adjective, and adverb + verb.
Learning vocabulary as collocations rather than isolated words is the single fastest way to sound natural in English. It's the difference between I made a big mistake and I did a big mistake — small, but immediately noticeable.
A1 | Elementary | Beginners
A1 is the starting level of the CEFR framework — the entry point into English. At A1 you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple personal questions, recognise common signs and instructions, and have short slow-paced conversations on very familiar topics.
Grammatically, A1 covers the building blocks: present-tense forms of be, have, and do; basic word order; simple questions; and the most common determiners, pronouns, and prepositions. Knowing your level matters — A1 material teaches the foundations every later level builds on, while a B1 textbook will overwhelm you. Start here and progress is fast.
A2 | Elementary | Pre-intermediate
A2 is the elementary level in the CEFR framework, sitting between A1 and B1. At A2 you can handle routine exchanges — ordering food, asking directions, making small talk — and describe your immediate environment in simple sentences.
Grammatically, A2 introduces past simple and past continuous, present perfect for experiences, basic modal verbs, and the first conditional. You're also picking up collocations and learning which verbs take gerunds vs. infinitives. Knowing your level here is the difference between confident progress and frustration: A2 material consolidates the basics; B1 will overwhelm you.
Difficulty: Easy
The Easy difficulty tag marks questions and challenges aimed at beginners — typically A1 or early A2 level. Expect single-rule focus, short sentences, common everyday vocabulary, and one clear correct answer. Distractors usually rule themselves out quickly.
Filter by Easy when you're rebuilding fundamentals, warming up before harder material, or testing whether you've truly internalised a basic rule before moving on. Easy doesn't mean trivial — it means the rule itself is unambiguous and the context doesn't pile on extra complications.