collocations variety of exercises

1. EX.1
The meeting took almost five hours so it was impossible to
............................................... attention all the time.
The problem is difficult to .......................................
under control.
It took us all day to clean up the office after the burglary - the
thieves ................................. a terrible mess.
I don't think we should ...................................... a
decision yet; we should wait.
Only 31% of the students who ........................................
the final exam passed it.
I think we should look for a new supplier - the one we have at the
moment ................................ us too many problems.
Could you ................................................. me a
favour and post these letters on your way home?
I've told him ten times that he's got the wrong telephone number. I'll
.................................... crazy if they call again.
The company offers its employees free language training but not many
people ............................ advantage of it.
Our personnel assistant is leaving next month - she's
................................................. a baby.
EX.2
He .......................................... laughing when he
realised his mistake.
He assured me he was ....................... sure where the house was.

2. We didn't arrange to meet. It was ...................................
coincidence that I saw him.
Please! I'm trying to work here. Don't my ...........................
time with stupid questions!
He had to go to the hospital because it was a very
................................................. cut.
Our neighbour is a very................................... smoker - 2
packets a day.
We managed to get up the steep hill only because our car is very
...........................................
I don't know him that well. He's only a
................................ acquaintance.
I'm an honest and ...................................... citizen.
Do you know where we are? If you ask me, we are ...................
lost.
EX.3
There's a ............................................balance between
success and failure.
My camera was stolen from my bag at the airport so I a claim on my
............................. insurance.
The police gave a ....................................................
description of what had happened.
I wasn't dressed for the occasion. I felt ...........................
out of place.
The chances of England winning the next World Cup are ................
unlikely, I'm afraid.

3. We are ............................. a lot of problems at the moment.
Reports that he earns more than $5m a year are ......................
exaggerated.
Michael: Did you enjoy the play? Sue: No, I didn't. It was
............................... boring.
I'm overweight and completely out of ................................
. I really should start getting some exercise again.
He speaks with a ....................................... Liverpool
accent. Some of my American colleagues have trouble understanding what
he's talking about.
EX.4
1. He stopped to __________ the view.
1. watch
2. see
3. admire
4. look
2. A few stones are all that __________ of the abbey.
1. remain
2. keep
3. leave
4. stay
3. Lettuces have been cultivated in Spain since __________
times.
1. ancient
2. vintage
3. antique
4. old
4. They caught a __________ glimpse of Angelina Jolie through
the window.
1. rapid
2. brief
3. quick
4. fast
5. Castles are a __________ sight in Spain.
1. typical
2. usual
3. frequent
4. common
6. Everybody __________ the atmosphere there.

4. 1. liked
2. delighted in
3. admired
4. enjoyed
7. The general __________ shows a steep fall in house prices.
1. average
2. fashion
3. mode
4. trend
8. The discovery was met with __________ joy.
1. sheer
2. much
3. big
4. great
9. Cutting out sugar from his diet was __________ on his list.
1. high
2. up
3. big
4. top
10. The serious health problems caused by sugar are generally
__________with disbelief.
1. heard
2. met
3. found
4. seen
11. Carl Sagan's Cosmos is one of the greatest documentary
films of __________ time.
1. all
2. complete
3. entire
4. whole
12. They __________ a great success of their new small
business.
1. tried
2. managed
3. made
4. did
13. The weather __________ an important part in their
victory.
1. took
2. did
3. played
4. made
14. The robbery __________ important questions about
security.
1. caused
2. raised
3. did
4. made
15. The white leather sofa __________ the entire length of
the room.

5. 1. went
2. fell
3. ran
4. was
16. His mother supplied an endless __________ of tea and
cakes.
1. stream
2. gamut
3. range
4. selection
17. The incident marked a __________ point in her life.
1. changing
2. notable
3. turning
4. remarkable
EX. 5
1. My grandfather was a …………………. smoker, so few people were surprised
when he died of oral cancer.
a) serial
b) heavy
c) big
2. She was a / an ……………………. wife who loved her husband more than anything
else in the whole universe.
a) devoted
b) sincere
c) intelligent
3. I always avoid his company because he is a crashing ……………………..
a) bore
b) nuisance
c) guy

6. 4. It is a golden ………………………… If you miss it, you will regret it.
a) chance
b) opportunity
c) offer
5. She seemed quite interested in buying that house, but at the last
moment, she changed her …………………..
a) mind
b) thoughts
c) offer
6. Although I was …………………. annoyed by her attitude, I said nothing.
a) moderately
b) lightly
c) slightly
7. Could you …………………. the oil?
a) inspect
b) check
c) test
exercise to test your memory: collocations with make, do, have and take.
Practice 1
1. I'm..........................................................a
party at the weekend. Would you like to come?
2. She's always
.....................................................promises, but
then she always breaks them!
3. The wedding will
.........................................................place in a
local registry office.

7. 4. I wish I was
...................................................................
....more progress with my English.
5. I never
...................................................................
..part in team sports at school.
6. It's mean to
.......................................................fun of
people.
7. What are you holding? Can I
...............................................................a
look?
8. I think I‘ve
.............................................................this
exercise completely wrong.
9. Would you mind .................................................me
a favour and driving me to the doctor's?
10. The murderer ..................................................
a complete confession to the police last night.
11. We were just ............................................ a
chat when his jealous girlfriend started shouting at me.
12. Please don't get angry, I don't want to
.................................................... an argument
about this.
Practice 2
You might also get this tested in the Key Transformations. Rewrite these
sentences using 2-5 words. Be very careful that you keep the tenses the
same!!!
1. I found it difficult to understand his accent. (trouble)
I .................................................................
his accent.
2. He complained to the manager about the terrible food. (made)
He ................................................................
to the manager about the terrible food.
3. Please look after my little sister for me. (of)
Please ...........................................................
my little sister for me.
4. There's no hurry - please don't rush. (time)
There's no hurry – please ..................................

8. 5. You should ignore him. (notice)
You should ......................................................
him.
6. My house was seriously damaged in the earthquake. (lot)
The earthquake ...................................................
to my house.
7. She's earning a lot of money in her new job. (fortune)
She .............................................................in
her new job.
8. I tried really hard to explain the problem to her. (best)
I ......................................................... the
problem to her.
9. You're too loud. Please be quiet. (noise)
You ..............................................................
please be quiet.
10. I'm researching the life of Queen Victoria for my master's
degree. (research)
I .............................................................the
life of Queen Victoria for my master's degree.
11. My sister and I are completely different. (common)
I .............................................................my
sister.
12. I've been on a diet for 6 weeks, but I'm still the same weight.
(difference)
My diet has .......................................................
my weight.

9. EX1. Answers
1pay 2 keep 3 made 4 make 5 took 6 causes
7 do 8 go 9 take 10 expecting
EX.2 answers
1 burst out 2 quite 3 pure 4 waste 5 deep 6 heavy
7 powerful 8 casual 9 law-abiding 10 totally
EX.3 answers
1 fine 5 made 3 brief
4 totally 5 highly 6 facing 7 grossly 8 extremely 9 shape 10 broad
EX.4 ANSERS
1 C 2 a 3 A 4 B 5 C 6 D 7 D 8 D
9 A 10 B 11 A 12 C 13 C 14 B 15 C
16 A/d 17 C
Collocations exercise
Ex.5 answers
1. My grandfather was a heavy smoker, so few people were surprised when he died of oral cancer.

10. 2. She was a devoted wife who loved her husband more than anything else in the whole universe.
3. I always avoid his company because he is a crashing bore.
4. It is a golden opportunity. If you miss it, you will regret it.
5. She seemed quite interested in buying that house, but at the last moment, she changed her mind.
6. Although I was slightly annoyed by her attitude, I said nothing.
7. Could you check the oil?
PRACTISE 1 answers
Answers