Ever wonder why “do a mistake” sounds off, but “make a mistake” feels right? That’s collocations — the word pairs that native speakers grab without thinking. This list of around 250 common English collocations is your shortcut to sounding more natural, whether you’re chatting with friends or writing an email.
Inside the interactive table, you’ll find each collocation with a plain-English meaning, a realistic example sentence, and easy-to-read US IPA so you pronounce it correctly. Tap the play button next to any entry to hear it spoken aloud — your ears need training, not just your eyes.
Grab a cup of tea and a pencil, because word combinations are where English starts to sound really natural. Scroll to the bottom for the free printable common collocations in english vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable common collocations in english flashcards.
If you want to turn collocations into real speech, try our free chunk-based English lessons. Start with Lesson 1 — you’ll learn speakable phrases right away.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve got a feel for natural English? Take the short quiz below to see which collocations you already own and which ones still need a little love.
Keep building your English
Choose a practical next step when you are ready.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| take a look | to examine or view | Take a look at this report. |
| take a nap | to sleep for a short time | I took a nap after lunch. |
| take a photo | to capture an image | I took a photo of the sunset. |
| take a rest | to relax or sleep | Sit down and take a rest. |
| take a risk | to do something dangerous | He took a risk and started a business. |
| take a seat | to sit down | Please take a seat. |
| take a shower | to wash under water | I usually take a shower at night. |
| take a taxi | to travel by taxi | We took a taxi to the airport. |
| take a walk | to go for a walk for exercise | She takes a walk every evening. |
| take action | to do something about a problem | The government must take action. |
| take advice | to follow someone's suggestion | He never takes advice from others. |
| take an exam | to complete a test | Students take an exam next week. |
| take care | to look after someone or something | Take care of yourself. |
| take medicine | to consume medication | Don’t forget to take your medicine. |
| take notes | to write down information | She takes notes during lectures. |
| take part | to participate in an activity | She took part in the competition. |
| take responsibility | to accept duty for something | You must take responsibility for your actions. |
| take someone’s place | to replace someone | John will take my place today. |
| take someone’s temperature | to measure body heat | The nurse took his temperature. |
| take time | to require a period | Learning English takes time. |
| take your time | do not rush | Take your time, there’s no rush. |
| tell a lie | to say something false | He told a lie to his parents. |
| tell the time | to know what time it is by looking at a clock | My son can tell the time now. |
| tell the truth | to say what is true | Always tell the truth. |
| waste time | use time poorly | Don’t waste time online. |
Free Common Collocations in English PDF and Flashcards
Use the purple vocab-list button to get the common collocations in english vocabulary list, or the teal flashcards button for the common collocations in english flashcards. Both are 100% free and require no signup.
