Verb + noun
| Verb | Common partners |
|---|---|
| make | a decision, a contribution, progress, an effort, a distinction |
| take | responsibility, action, a role, into account, place |
| play | a role, a part, a key role in |
| draw | a conclusion, attention to, a comparison |
| raise | awareness, concerns, a question, funds |
| reach | an agreement, a conclusion, a target |
| conduct | research, a survey, an experiment |
| pose | a threat, a risk, a challenge |
| gain | access to, experience, insight into |
| meet | demand, a need, a deadline, requirements |
Adjective + noun
| Adjective | Common partners |
|---|---|
| significant | increase, impact, role, difference |
| widespread | support, concern, use |
| key | factor, role, issue, finding |
| growing | demand, number, concern |
| sustainable | development, growth, practices |
| rapid | growth, change, expansion |
| considerable | amount, extent, attention |
Noun + preposition
access to, impact on, increase in, demand for, reason for, solution to, effect on, approach to**
How to practise
Write each collocation in your own sentence, then test yourself with our PTE fill in the blanks practice, where many answers depend on collocations.
Practise them daily: our collocation flashcards use spaced repetition, so the ones you find hard come back sooner.
Frequently asked questions
What are academic collocations?
Words that naturally go together in formal writing, like 'make a decision' or 'pose a threat'.
Why do collocations matter for PTE and IELTS?
They help in PTE Fill in the Blanks and raise your vocabulary score in IELTS writing.
How can I learn collocations?
Learn them as chunks and practise with our free collocation flashcards.