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.
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Choose a practical next step when you are ready.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| do research | to study or investigate | The students are doing research for the project. |
| do someone a favour | to help someone | Could you do me a favour? |
| do the cleaning | to clean the house | We do the cleaning together. |
| do the cooking | to prepare meals | My father does the cooking on weekends. |
| do the dishes | to wash plates and utensils | He does the dishes after dinner. |
| do the gardening | to work in the garden | My grandfather enjoys doing the gardening. |
| do the ironing | to press clothes with iron | I hate doing the ironing. |
| do the laundry | to wash clothes | I do the laundry twice a week. |
| do the shopping | to buy groceries or goods | We do the shopping at the supermarket. |
| do the washing up | to wash dishes | Can you do the washing up tonight? |
| do the yard work | to maintain the garden or lawn | He’s doing yard work today. |
| do well | to perform successfully | She always does well at school. |
| do your best | to try as hard as you can | Always do your best in exams. |
| do your hair | to style your hair | She’s doing her hair in the bathroom. |
| draw a conclusion | to decide something after considering facts | We drew a conclusion from the data. |
| draw your attention to | to make someone notice something | I’d like to draw your attention to this point. |
| fast food | Food that is prepared and served quickly | We often eat fast food on Fridays. |
| fast learner | someone who learns quickly | She is a fast learner. |
| fill out a form | to complete a document with information | Please fill out this form. |
| free time | time when not busy | What do you do in your free time? |
| from time to time | occasionally | I travel from time to time. |
| gain weight | to become heavier in body weight | He gained weight over the holidays. |
| get a job | to find employment | He got a job at a bank. |
| get a ride | to be driven somewhere by someone | Can you get me a ride home? |
| get angry | to become mad | Don’t get angry over small things. |
Free Common Collocations in English PDF and Flashcards
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