English Vocabulary for learners
ADJECTIVE and NOUN COLLOCATIONS
Adjectives and nouns that often go together.
Collocations are two or more words that
are frequently used together. They are combinations that native English speakers use all the time.
Here are some common adjective + noun collocations.
absolute beginner
I've never tried surfing before. I'm an absolute beginner.
alphabetical order
The students were listed in alphabetical order.
balanced diet
Health specialists recommend that we eat a balanced diet.
bare essentiels
They took with them nothing but the bare essentiels.
big disappointment
Dropping out of college was a big disappointment to his parents.
big mistake
Believing her boyfriend's promises was a big mistake.
blatant lie
How dare she say I didn't pay for my ticket! That's a blatant lie!.
broken home
The child comes from a broken home and goes from one parent to the other.
chilly reception
Tom’s new girlfriend received a chilly reception. His friends didn't like her.
clear message
The results of the elections sent a clear message to the government.
clear understanding
He wanted the boys to have a clear understanding of the consequences.
close friend
Jack is a very close friend of mine. We’ve known each other since our school days.
common knowledge
It's common knowledge that we need water to survive.
complete agreement
They were in complete agreement with the proposal.
deep breath
"Take a deep breath before you dive in." said the swimming instructor.
deciding factor
The proximity of the motorway was a deciding factor in their choice of location.
enormous influence
Emma’s father had an enormous influence on her.
express purpose
Alice went to see her boss with the express purpose of resigning.
fair deal
We like to do business with that firm. We always get a fair deal.
great pride
My father takes great pride in his garden.
heavy traffic
The bus arrived late because of the heavy traffic.
high quality
We can assure you that all our products are of high quality.
innocent victim
Many civilians were innocent victims of the attacks.
instant coffee
Instant coffee is handy but it's not what I prefer.
key issue
This is a key issue. We need to discuss it further.
logical conclusion
If the climate continues to get hotter, then the
logical conclusion is a period of drought.
major problem
Finding qualified employees is a major problem for the company.
mixed feelings
Harry had mixed feelings about leaving home.
He was happy to be independent but sad to be far from his family.
momentous decision
Accepting female students was a momentous decision for the university.
nasty habit
She still has that nasty habit of biting her nails.
notable achievement
Winning the gold medal was a notable achievement for the athlete.
noticeable difference
Repainting the house made a noticeable difference.
personal belongings
Private lockers are provided for your personal belongings.
prominent role
While in government he played a prominent role in the reform of the health system.
public opinion
In politics public opinion is very important.
rough estimate
Could you give me a rough estimate of the cost?
speedy recovery
Sorry to hear you're ill. I wish you a speedy recovery.
steady job
I did temporary or part-time work until I found a steady job.
strong accent
The tourist spoke with a strong accent.
tight grip
In this area you'd better keep a tight grip on your wallet!
total madness
It's total madness to go sailing when a storm is announced.
vague memory
I have a vague memory of the incident but I can't remember the details.
valid reason
Students cannot skip a class without a valid reason.
weak point
There are many weak points in his theory.
Here are some common adjective + noun collocations.
absolute beginner | I've never tried surfing before. I'm an absolute beginner. |
alphabetical order | The students were listed in alphabetical order. |
balanced diet | Health specialists recommend that we eat a balanced diet. |
bare essentiels | They took with them nothing but the bare essentiels. |
big disappointment | Dropping out of college was a big disappointment to his parents. |
big mistake | Believing her boyfriend's promises was a big mistake. |
blatant lie | How dare she say I didn't pay for my ticket! That's a blatant lie!. |
broken home | The child comes from a broken home and goes from one parent to the other. |
chilly reception | Tom’s new girlfriend received a chilly reception. His friends didn't like her. |
clear message | The results of the elections sent a clear message to the government. |
clear understanding | He wanted the boys to have a clear understanding of the consequences. |
close friend | Jack is a very close friend of mine. We’ve known each other since our school days. |
common knowledge | It's common knowledge that we need water to survive. |
complete agreement | They were in complete agreement with the proposal. |
deep breath | "Take a deep breath before you dive in." said the swimming instructor. |
deciding factor | The proximity of the motorway was a deciding factor in their choice of location. |
enormous influence | Emma’s father had an enormous influence on her. |
express purpose | Alice went to see her boss with the express purpose of resigning. |
fair deal | We like to do business with that firm. We always get a fair deal. |
great pride | My father takes great pride in his garden. |
heavy traffic | The bus arrived late because of the heavy traffic. |
high quality | We can assure you that all our products are of high quality. |
innocent victim | Many civilians were innocent victims of the attacks. |
instant coffee | Instant coffee is handy but it's not what I prefer. |
key issue | This is a key issue. We need to discuss it further. |
logical conclusion | If the climate continues to get hotter, then the logical conclusion is a period of drought. |
major problem | Finding qualified employees is a major problem for the company. |
mixed feelings | Harry had mixed feelings about leaving home. He was happy to be independent but sad to be far from his family. |
momentous decision | Accepting female students was a momentous decision for the university. |
nasty habit | She still has that nasty habit of biting her nails. |
notable achievement | Winning the gold medal was a notable achievement for the athlete. |
noticeable difference | Repainting the house made a noticeable difference. |
personal belongings | Private lockers are provided for your personal belongings. |
prominent role | While in government he played a prominent role in the reform of the health system. |
public opinion | In politics public opinion is very important. |
rough estimate | Could you give me a rough estimate of the cost? |
speedy recovery | Sorry to hear you're ill. I wish you a speedy recovery. |
steady job | I did temporary or part-time work until I found a steady job. |
strong accent | The tourist spoke with a strong accent. |
tight grip | In this area you'd better keep a tight grip on your wallet! |
total madness | It's total madness to go sailing when a storm is announced. |
vague memory | I have a vague memory of the incident but I can't remember the details. |
valid reason | Students cannot skip a class without a valid reason. |
weak point | There are many weak points in his theory. |