School and Learning Collocations: Study Habits, Exams, and Academic Skills
Do you know whether students take notes or make notes? Can you pass an exam and sit an exam — or do these mean different things? Academic collocations are fixed word partnerships that native speakers use naturally, but they often don't follow logical patterns that learners might expect.
This challenge covers essential academic collocations across key school contexts: study habits (take notes, do homework, pay attention), exam preparation and results (sit/take/pass/fail exams, meet deadlines), skill development (develop skills, acquire knowledge, gain experience), and classroom activities (attend lectures, submit assignments). You'll encounter real student scenarios from Sarah's study plans to Tom's exam preparation strategies.
With 22 questions in single-choice, drop-down, drag-and-drop, and multi-choice formats, you'll practice choosing the correct verb partners and identifying common academic phrases that will make your English sound more natural and fluent.
Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Correct Answers
The correct answers are submits assignments, pose thoughtful questions, and achieve her academic potential.
We "submit" formal work like assignments, "pose" questions in academic discussions, and "achieve" potential when we reach our capabilities.
Choose the correct phrase to complete the teacher's advice.
"To succeed in university, you need to ___ good study habits early in your academic career."
The correct answer is develop.
We "develop habits" over time. This collocation emphasizes the gradual process of forming consistent study routines.
The correct answers are pay attention, gained valuable experience, and tackle challenging assignments.
We "pay attention" to focus, "gain experience" through practice, and "tackle" difficult tasks or challenges.
The correct answers are attend lectures, submit assignments, and meet deadlines.
We "attend" lectures (not "visit"), "submit" assignments (not "give"), and "meet" deadlines (not "catch"). These are fixed academic collocations.
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences about developing academic skills.
Sarah wants to improve her writing skills before starting university. She has decided to enroll in a summer academic writing course to prepare herself.
Sarah wants to improve her writing skills before starting university.
"Improve skills" is a fundamental academic collocation meaning to make your abilities better.
She has decided to enroll in a summer academic writing course to prepare herself.
"Enroll in a course" means to register and join a class or educational program.
Choose the correct word to complete the professor's explanation about effective learning.
"Students who actively participate in discussions tend to ___ knowledge more effectively than those who just listen passively."
The correct answer is acquire.
We "acquire knowledge" through learning and experience. This formal collocation is commonly used in academic contexts to describe the process of gaining knowledge or skills.
The correct answers are draw up a study schedule, do practice tests, and build confidence.
We "draw up" plans or schedules, "do" tests or exercises, and "build" confidence or skills gradually.
Choose the correct word to complete what Mom asks her son every day after school.
"Have you ___ your homework yet, or do you need help with it?"
The correct answer is done.
We "do homework" as a standard collocation. "Made," "started," and "taken" do not form natural collocations with "homework." The expression "do homework" is the most common and natural way to express this activity.
The correct answers are do some research, take really good notes, sit my math exam, and do some revision.
We use specific verbs with study-related nouns: "do research/revision," "take notes," and "sit an exam."
Choose the correct phrase to complete the student's complaint about the noisy classroom.
"I can't concentrate on my essay when everyone is talking. I really need to ___ attention to my writing."
The correct answer is pay.
We "pay attention" to something when we focus on it carefully. This is a fixed collocation meaning to concentrate or focus.
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences about different study methods.
When preparing for her history exam, Lisa decided to make flashcards for all the important dates. She also likes to take detailed notes during every lecture.
When preparing for her history exam, Lisa decided to make flashcards for all the important dates.
"Make flashcards" is a common study collocation referring to creating cards with information for memorization.
She also likes to take detailed notes during every lecture.
"Take notes" is an essential academic collocation meaning to write down important information during class.
The correct answers are set priorities, maintain focus, and achieve their learning goals.
We "set" priorities to organize importance, "maintain" focus to keep concentration, and "achieve" goals when we reach them successfully.
The correct answers are sit an exam, pass an exam, fail an exam, take an exam, and resit an exam.
When students talk about exams, they commonly "sit", "take", or "resit" exams, and they "pass" or "fail" them. While "make an exam" is grammatically correct, it means to create or write an exam (what teachers do), not to take one as a student.
The correct answers are develop my writing skills, set up a study group, and have regular meetings.
We "develop" skills over time, "set up" groups or systems, and "have" meetings or sessions.
Choose the correct word to complete Sarah's study plan.
Sarah wants to improve her grades, so she decided to ___ notes more carefully during lectures.
The correct answer is take.
We "take notes" during lectures or while studying. This is a fixed collocation in English.
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences about academic performance.
After receiving her test results, Jenny was thrilled to discover she had passed her chemistry exam with flying colors. Now she's determined to maintain her high grades throughout the rest of the year.
After receiving her test results, Jenny was thrilled to discover she had passed her chemistry exam with flying colors.
"Pass an exam" is a fundamental academic collocation meaning to achieve a successful result on a test.
Now she's determined to maintain her high grades throughout the rest of the year.
"Maintain grades" means to keep your academic performance at the same good level consistently.
Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete Sarah's conversation with her study partner.
"This math problem is so difficult! I think I'm going to ___ and try a different one."
The correct answer is give up.
To "give up" means to stop trying or quit doing something because it's too difficult. "Give in" means to surrender to pressure, "give out" means to distribute or stop working, and "give away" means to give something for free.
The correct answers are develop skills, acquire knowledge, and gain experience.
We "develop" skills (not "grow"), "acquire" knowledge (not "collect"), and "gain" experience (not "win"). These are standard academic collocations.
Choose the correct word to complete Emma's excited message to her parents.
"Great news! I ___ my driving test on the first try!"
The correct answer is passed.
We "pass" tests and exams when we achieve a successful result. This is the standard collocation for exam success.
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences about Maria's study routine.
Every morning, Maria likes to go over her notes from the previous day's lectures. She finds this helps her retain the information better before her next class.
Every morning, Maria likes to go over her notes from the previous day's lectures.
The collocation "go over" means to review or examine something carefully, especially notes or materials.
She finds this helps her retain the information better before her next class.
"Retain information" is a common academic collocation meaning to remember and keep knowledge in your memory.
The correct answers are take notes, do homework, and attend a lecture.
In English, we say "take notes" (record information), "do homework" (complete assignments), and "attend a lecture" (be present at). We don't say "make homework," "assist a lecture," or "make an assignment" in these contexts.
Choose the correct words to complete the sentences about exam preparation.
Before his final exams, Tom always crams for hours the night before. However, his study group prefers to spread their revision over several weeks to avoid stress.
Before his final exams, Tom always crams for hours the night before.
"Cram" means to study intensively in a short period, usually just before an exam.
However, his study group prefers to spread their revision over several weeks to avoid stress.
"Spread out" study sessions means to distribute learning over a longer period rather than doing it all at once.
Auxiliary verb
Auxiliary vs main verb: a main verb carries the action (run, eat, think); an auxiliary verb carries the grammar — tense, negation, questions, aspect, voice. In She has been eating, eating is the main verb; has and been are auxiliaries.
The English auxiliaries are be, have, do (primary) and the modal verbs (can, will, must…). They always precede the main verb.
Diagnostic: can the word stand alone as the only verb in the sentence and still carry action? Yes → main verb. No → auxiliary.
Infinitive
Infinitive vs gerund: the #1 verb-pattern confusion. Some verbs take only infinitive (want to go ✅), some only gerund (enjoy going ✅), some both with different meanings (stop to smoke ≠ stop smoking). No logical rule exists — learn by verb.
The infinitive = base verb form used non-finitely. To-infinitive (to go) after certain verbs. Bare infinitive (go) after modals and causatives.
Diagnostic: what's the main verb? Check whether it takes to-infinitive, bare infinitive, or gerund. If unsure, try both and see which sounds natural to native speakers.
Noun
Noun vs verb: the two core word classes. Nouns name things; verbs describe actions/states. Many English words can be both (run, play, cook, work) — only the sentence slot tells you which role it's playing. The run was exhausting (noun) vs I run every day (verb).
A noun names an entity. It interacts with articles, determiners, forms plurals, and controls verb agreement and pronoun choice.
Diagnostic: can you put the/a before it or pluralise it? → noun. Does it describe an action with tense? → verb. Can it do both? → check the sentence context.
Past tense
Simple past vs past perfect: simple past puts events on the main timeline (I arrived. She left.). Past perfect marks an event as earlier than another past event (She had left before I arrived). If all events are in sequence, simple past is enough. Only use past perfect when you need to show "earlier than the main story."
The past tense has four forms encoding different temporal relationships: simple past, past progressive, past perfect, past perfect progressive.
Diagnostic: are events in sequence? → simple past is fine. Need to show one event happened before another past event? → past perfect for the earlier one.
Phrasal verb
Phrasal verb vs verb + preposition: a phrasal verb has a non-literal combined meaning (run into = meet by chance). A verb + preposition keeps its literal meaning (run into the room = physically run inside). The test: is the meaning predictable from the parts? No → phrasal verb. Yes → just a verb followed by a preposition.
Phrasal verbs combine verbs with particles/prepositions to create new meanings. They're the single biggest gap between textbook English and real native usage.
Diagnostic: can you guess the meaning from the individual words? No → phrasal verb (learn as unit). Yes → literal verb + preposition.
Phrase
Phrase vs clause: a phrase has NO subject-verb pair (on the table, the old man). A clause HAS a subject-verb pair (the man sat, because she left). This is the fundamental structural division in grammar — clauses contain phrases, not the other way around.
A phrase = group of words functioning as one unit: noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, adjective/adverb phrase. No subject + verb.
Diagnostic: does the word group have both a subject AND a verb? Yes → clause. No → phrase. Name the head word to identify the phrase type (noun = NP, preposition = PP, etc.).
Preposition
Preposition vs particle: same words (in, on, up, off), different jobs. A preposition links to a noun (look at the book). A particle changes verb meaning without a noun (give up = quit). Test: is there a noun/pronoun after it forming a prepositional phrase? → preposition. Does it change the verb's meaning? → particle in a phrasal verb.
A preposition = small word connecting a noun to the sentence (time, place, manner, relationship). Choice is idiomatic per verb/adjective combination.
Diagnostic: struggling with which preposition to use? It's almost never about logic — look up the specific verb/adjective + preposition combination.
Verb
Verb vs noun vs adjective: nouns name things. Adjectives describe. Verbs express what happens or what IS. The test: can it take tense (walked, will walk)? Can it take -ing? Can it follow to as an infinitive (to walk)? Yes to any → verb. English often converts freely between classes (run = noun or verb), so context decides.
A verb = action/state/occurrence word. 5 forms (base, -s, past, past participle, -ing). Carries tense, aspect, mood, voice. The one required element in every sentence.
Diagnostic: does it change for tense (walk → walked)? Can you put to before it (to walk)? Does it take -ing (walking)? → verb.
Collocations
Collocation vs idiom: both are fixed expressions, but collocations are transparent (you can guess the meaning from the words: heavy rain = a lot of rain), while idioms are opaque (kick the bucket ≠ literally kick anything). Collocations are about which words pair naturally; idioms are about hidden meaning.
Collocations are habitual word combinations: make a decision, strong coffee, take a shower. Grammar allows alternatives, but fluency demands the conventional pairing.
Diagnostic: if the meaning is clear but the combination sounds "off" to native ears (do a mistake instead of make a mistake) — it's a collocation issue.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary vs grammar: grammar is the system of rules for combining words. Vocabulary is the stock of words themselves. You can have perfect grammar and still sound limited if your word stock is narrow (good instead of outstanding/remarkable/decent). Most fluency-feel above B1 comes from vocabulary breadth, not grammar complexity.
Vocabulary = word-focused learning: words, collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms, across CEFR A1–C2.
Diagnostic: can you express the idea but it sounds "flat" or overly simple? → vocabulary issue. Can't construct the sentence at all? → grammar issue.
A1 | Elementary | Beginners
A1 vs A2: A1 covers isolated survival phrases (Where is…?, I am…, How much?). A2 handles connected sentences about familiar routines and simple past events. If you can manage short fixed phrases but not string together original sentences about your day, you're still A1.
A1 is the entry level of the CEFR: greetings, introductions, numbers, basic present tense, and core function words.
Diagnostic: can you describe yesterday using past tense? No → A1. Yes → you're moving into A2.
A2 | Elementary | Pre-intermediate
A2 vs B1: A2 handles routine transactions and simple past narration. B1 handles connected discourse, explaining reasons, and understanding main points in clear standard speech. If you can tell what happened but not why it matters, you're still A2.
A2 is the elementary level of the CEFR: past simple, present perfect, first conditional, basic modals, and routine communication about familiar topics.
Diagnostic: can you link ideas with because, although, so that and hold a conversation beyond scripted topics? No → A2. Yes → moving into B1.
B1 | Intermediate
B1 vs B2: B1 handles standard everyday communication and simple opinions. B2 handles abstract topics, sustained arguments, and nuanced register. If you can chat about your life but struggle to debate an issue or write a formal essay, you're B1.
B1 is the intermediate CEFR level: independent handling of familiar topics, second conditional, basic passive, reported speech, and linking words for cause and contrast.
Diagnostic: can you read a newspaper article on a familiar topic and summarise the argument? Comfortably → B2. Struggle with abstractions → still B1.
B2 | Upper Intermediate
B2 vs C1: B2 means effective communication on complex topics with some effort. C1 means effortless fluency with precise register control. If you can argue a point but still reach for words and make structural slips under pressure, you're B2.
B2 is the upper-intermediate CEFR level: mixed conditionals, complex passives, reported speech with backshift, participle clauses, and sustained written argument.
Diagnostic: does your writing read as "competent non-native" or "could be native"? The former → B2. The latter → C1.
Easy
Easy vs Medium vs Hard: Easy = one rule, obvious answer, A1–A2. Medium = one rule but realistic distractors, A2–B1. Hard = interacting rules, edge cases, B2+. Start Easy to check you have the basics before moving up.
The Easy tag filters for single-rule, short-sentence, common-vocabulary challenges designed for beginners or for anyone wanting a confidence check on fundamentals.
Diagnostic: if you get Easy questions wrong, stay here — your foundations need work. If they feel trivial, move to Medium.
Medium
Medium vs Easy: Easy has one obviously correct answer and clearly wrong distractors. Medium has one correct answer but plausible distractors — you need to actually know the rule, not just guess from sound.
The Medium tag filters for A2–B1 challenges with realistic difficulty: one rule per question, plausible alternatives, everyday contexts.
Diagnostic: if you're scoring 90%+ on Easy, move here. If you're below 60% on Medium, go back to Easy for that topic. Target 70–80% accuracy for maximum learning.