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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Browse the Full List
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have a rest | to relax or sleep briefly | Sit down and have a rest. |
| have a seat | to sit down | Please have a seat. |
| have a shower | to wash under running water | I have a shower every morning. |
| have a snack | to eat a small amount of food | I had a snack between meals. |
| have an idea | to think of a suggestion | I have an idea for the project. |
| have breakfast | to eat morning meal | I have breakfast at 7 a.m. |
| have dinner | to eat evening meal | They had dinner late last night. |
| have fun | to enjoy oneself | The kids are having fun at the park. |
| have lunch | to eat midday meal | We have lunch together at work. |
| have sympathy | to feel pity for someone | I have sympathy for her situation. |
| heavy bag | a bag that weighs a lot | This bag is very heavy. |
| heavy rain | a lot of rain falling | We had heavy rain last night. |
| heavy traffic | many vehicles on the road | There’s heavy traffic this morning. |
| high price | a large amount of money | The car has a high price. |
| high speed | very fast movement | He was driving at high speed. |
| high temperature | a very warm degree | The patient has a high temperature. |
| in a hurry | doing something quickly | I’m in a hurry today. |
| in charge of | responsible for | She is in charge of the team. |
| in the meantime | during the time before something happens | Wait here; in the meantime, I will call. |
| keep a diary | write regularly in a diary | She keeps a diary every day. |
| keep a promise | do what you said you would do | Always keep your promises. |
| keep a secret | not tell others a secret | Can you keep a secret? |
| keep an appointment | go to a scheduled meeting | He always keeps his appointments. |
| keep an eye on | watch or monitor something | Can you keep an eye on my bag? |
| keep calm | stay relaxed and not become angry or upset | Keep calm during the interview. |
Free Common Collocations in English PDF and Flashcards
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