Hi everyone.

   Well, it’s back to collocation, as I said last night. Collocation, or more specifically, bad collocation, is one reason people cannot achieve IELTS 7 or 8. It’s certainly something to work on, so here is the next set of sentences for you to look at.

Time to Practice

Can you ‘fix’ the following sentences by changing (or removing) the coloured word? There may be different ways to answer this. The answers will be in the next ‘collocation’ post.

1. We can promote the health risk of cigarettes.
2. Compulsory military service can enhance the military.
3. Some criminals commit big crimes.
4. This will prevent them from doing the wrong decision.
5. It is their freedom to do it.
6. This disease could influence their health.
7. They want to have an apology.
8. Children can use water guns to have fun.

Answers to Collocation 1 of 6

1. Young people need to find themselves.
2. Doing this can help solve the problem.
3. In the near future ….
4. Students all have to face this situation.
5. It is important for the death penalty to be used.
6. When there are serious crimes, people are often shocked.
7. Letting prisoners free creates a risk.
8. This causes declining sales.  [‘Contributes’ is for positive things.]