Let’s do Collocation Again, Okay? (11 of 12)
Collocation is the key to getting a higher IELTS Writing and Speaking score, but it is not easy. Students often do not collocate words very well (which is why they don’t receive IELTS 7 or 8). To have ‘a sense of collocation’ (= IELTS 7), you need to have some familiarity with English. So, start reading all my pixnet posts, and getting this familiarity, right? Remember, you can learn more about me at www.aisielts.com .
In the meantime, the following exercises will help.
Time to Practice
Can you ‘fix’ the following sentences by changing (or removing) the underlined word? There may be different ways to answer this. The answers will be in the next ‘collocation’ post.
1.
When a criminal is executed, it creates a vivid image.
2.
The police need to research the crime more.
3.
The police can cheat about what actually happened.
4.
It experienced a period of downturn.
5.
The park had large grass.
6.
Single-sex schooling promotes poor social development.
7.
Single-sex schools provide a chance to sexually confuse students.
8.
Guns should be banned, since they are possibly deadly tools.
Answers to Collocation 10 of 12
1.
People still smoke, despite the formidable risks.
People still smoke, despite the serious risks.
Formidable = impressive in size, power, or skill, and therefore deserving respect or being very difficult to deal with.
Meeting the energy demands of a large city is a formidable task. An opponent, a reputation, or a challenge can be formidable.
A ‘risk’ can be ‘formidable’, but it would have to be a risk which is specific and defined. For example, the formidable risks of climbing Mount Everest.
Smoking presents very long-term, non-specific [what type of cancer will you get?] risks.
2.
The greatest reason people smoke is for relief.
The strongest/biggest/main reason people smoke is for relief.
3.
Increasing the cigarette tax can fix the situation.
Increasing the cigarette tax can improve the situation.
We fix a problem, a broken car, and a leaking roof.
4.
The radiation may leak out.
The radiation may escape.
A liquid ‘leaks out’.
5.
It is not a wise option of energy.
It is not a wise choice of energy.
You can use ‘option’ by itself. ‘It is not a wise option.’
6.
The energy is ample for both household and factory needs.
The energy can meet both domestic and industrial needs.
There was nothing wrong with the first sentence, but obviously the second has more precision and better collocation.
7.
The energy can support the public’s demand.
The energy can satisfy/meet the public’s demand.
8.
Nuclear energy has a great cost on the environment.
Nuclear energy has a great toll/impact on the environment.
By the way, you can learn more about me at www.aisielts.com .