Speak Like a Native: Everyday English Collocations You Should Know

Sound More Fluent with These Everyday English Collocations

Have you ever felt like your English is correct but still doesn’t sound quite natural? The secret might be in collocations — those magical word combinations native speakers use without even thinking. In this post, we'll explore some of the most common everyday English collocations to help you sound more fluent, natural, and confident.

What Are Collocations?

Collocations are natural word combinations that native speakers tend to use. For example, we say “make a decision” rather than “do a decision,” even though both verbs might seem correct. These fixed combinations make your English sound more fluent and less robotic.

Examples of Common Collocations

• Catch a cold – Not “take a cold”
• Make a decision – Not “do a decision”
• Heavy rain – Not “strong rain”
• Break the news – Not “tell the news”
• Save time – Not “keep time”

Why Are Collocations Important?

Using proper collocations can:

• Make your speech sound natural
• Improve your listening and comprehension
• Help you write better essays, emails, and messages

They’re especially important in speaking exams like IELTS and TOEFL, where fluency and natural expression are scored.

Tips for Learning Collocations

• Read and listen to native materials like books, podcasts, and videos
• Keep a notebook of collocations you hear
• Practice using them in your own sentences
• Group them by topic (e.g., business, weather, emotions)

More Resources from Wordlypedia

🔗 Explore Common Phrasal Verbs in Business English for workplace expressions.
🔗 Check out The Power of Prefixes to expand your vocabulary fast.

External Help

Want more examples? Try the Oxford Collocations Dictionary online: Oxford Wordlists

Final Thoughts

Learning collocations is a smart step toward sounding like a native speaker. The more you expose yourself to natural English, the more intuitive these combinations will become. Start using some today and see the difference!

Which collocation do you find most surprising? Tell us in the comments below or share your own favorite combinations!