Collocations #1 Which One Word Fits All Three Sentences

inherited

1. A distant cousin of mine ........ a fortune when his father died. 2. The Government have ........ all the problems of the previous administration. 3. She's obviously ........ her mother's talent for languages as she passed her language exams with flying colours.

fresh

1. After all the problems they had been through, the couple decided to move to Spain and make a ........ start. 2. John's so funny. He's like a breath of ........ air in this boring office. 3. She joined the company ........ out of college at the age of 18.

struck

1. As the clock ........ twelve I felt quite nervous alone in the house. 2. He ........ a match to try to see where he was going. 3. I ........ your name off the list as you'd told me you didn't want to go on the tour after all.

private

1. Car parking is not allowed here; this is ........ property. 2. Could I have a word with you later? It's a ........ matter. 3. The newspapers printed all sorts of intimate details about the star's ........ life.

slip

1. Could you pass me a ........ of paper please? 2. Sorry, I didn't mean to say that. It was a ........ of the tongue. 3. The criminal was difficult to track down and kept giving the police the .........

impression

1. Does Martin's behaviour give you the ........ that he doesn't like his wife very much? 2. Make sure you're on time for the interview. You don't want to create a poor ......... before it even starts. 3. The comedian does a great ........ of the Prime Minister. He can mimic all his mannerisms.

balance

1. He hadn't ridden a bike before and couldn't keep his ........ . 2. I'm just going to the bank to check my ........ 3. On ........, I think it was a really good film.

patch

1. He has a small vegetable ......... at the bottom of the garden. 2. I had to wear an eye ........ for a week following the accident. 3. There was an icy ........ on the road that caused the car to skid.

patch

1. He has a small vegetable ......... at the bottom of the garden. 2. I had to wear an eye ........ for a week following the accident. 3. There was an icy ........ on the road that caused the car to skid.

sense

1. He has a strange ........ of humour and nobody finds his jokes in the least bit funny. 2. I just can't make ........ of her handwriting. It's totally illegible. 3. Come on! Use your common ........ You know it's dangerous to cross the road without looking.

time

1. He is a tremendous musician who many say is ahead of his ......... 2. The player was cautioned by the referee for delaying the game by playing for ........ 3. I'm living with my parents for the ........ being while my own place is being decorated.

entry

1. He was refused ......... into the country because he didn't have a valid visa. 2. The first competition ........ to be picked by the computer will win ten thousand dollars. 3. The computer firm advertised a number of vacancies for data ........ clerks.

block

1. He's like his father in so many ways and is a real chip off the old ......... 2. They live in a ........ of flats in the city centre. 3. I had a complete mental ........ and couldn't remember the registration number of my car.

strings

1. Her father works in the bank and pulled ........ to get her a job. 2. Is this offer as it seems or are there any ........ attached? 3. Two of the ........ on his guitar have snapped.

mixed

1. I ........ with all sorts of interesting people at the conference. 2. The news of my uncle's death was very bittersweet - it was sadness and relief ........ together, as he had been ill for such a long time. 3. Most suburbs in a cosmopolitan city like London are racially .........

deep

1. I didn't want to disturb you as you seemed to be ........ in thought. 2. He took a ........ breath and then dived in. 3. I was in a very ........ sleep when all of a sudden I was woken up by this loud noise from outside.

second

1. I had ........ thoughts about going to Greece for our holiday as we didn't have enough money for the flight. 2. He hates being ........ best in anything he does. He's so competitive. 3. He buys and sells ........-hand cars for a living.

taste

1. I like most art forms but I'm afraid opera isn't to my ......... 2. Visiting the United States last year gave me my first ........ of American culture. 3. The politician made a racist remark which was in very poor ........ and it caused offence to many people.

top

1. I shouted at the ........ of my voice but he didn't hear me. 2. Could you tell me what the sales figures were for last month off the ........ of your head? 3. I'm going into the office early today to try to get on ........ of my work.

press

1. I think we should just ........ on with the walk and not worry about the weather turning bad. 2. Apparently, the police are not going to ........ charges as it's the man's first offence. 3. The reporters tried to ........ the minister for an answer but he refused.

check

1. I think you should double- ......... those figures just to make sure they're correct. 2. We'll need to get to the airport a couple of hours early so we can ........ in. 3. I'm just going to pop into the classroom to ........ on the students and see that they're getting on OK.

clear

1. I'd like to make it quite ........ that I have no intention whatsoever of resigning. 2. The roads were ........ this morning and I got here really quickly. 3. The coast is ........ so if you leave now nobody will see you.

note

1. I'll just make a ........ of your name and phone number and I'll get back to you shortly. 2. A few minor TV celebrities were the only people of ........ at the party. 3. I took ........ of everything that was said in the meeting.

kept

1. I've been waiting for you since 6.00! What ........ you? 2. That hat you bought me for my birthday really ........ my head warm during the winter. 3. The company have ........ a record of my application on file.

face

1. If he has criticisms to make of me I wish he would tell me to my ........ rather than talking behind my back. 2. It was a very serious situation yet I found it really difficult to keep a straight ........ 3. On the ........ of it, the course appears to be just what you've been looking for.

spare

1. If you think it's cold in here ........ a thought for Tim, who's working outside in the snow. 2. I'm afraid I can't ........ the time at present as I'm really busy. 3. The company usually host very nice conferences and ........ no expense when it comes to the food.

instrument

1. It is my greatest regret that I never learned to play a/an ......... while I was still at school. 2. The internet has proved a powerful ........ in changing the way that people access information. 3. That carpentry tool looks more like a/an ........ of torture!

hang

1. It took a while to understand but I finally got the ........ of it. 2. Don't give up. Just ........ in there till the end. 3. The thought of my visit to the dentist is going to ........ over me until it's over.

head

1. It's freezing cold out here. Don't you think it's time to ....... back home? 2. The new police chief is to ........ an investigation into corruption amongst his officers. 3. I couldn't believe it when the defender managed to ........ the ball into the back of the net during the last few seconds of the football match.

maturity

1. Money can only be withdrawn from the bank account when it has reached its ........, i.e. at the end of the investment period. 2. People believe there is a difference in ........ between boys and girls and that girls seem to grow up faster. 3. Her actions during the fire showed great ........ for a girl aged only 11.

internal

1. She caught a/an ........ flight to Edinburgh because it was much faster than going there by train or road. 2. The man who was attacked by thugs sustained some horrific ........ injuries in addition to severe bruising. 3. Has everyone seen the chairman's ......... memo? It was sent to the whole department last week.

accept

1. That cash point did not ........ my card so I couldn't get any money out. 2. It was a few months before Maria could ........ her baby brother, she was so jealous. 3. The politician said she did not ........ that unemployment figures had gone up.

round

1. The children were given a warm ........ of applause for their performance. 2. Shall we play a ........ of golf this weekend? 3. He decided not to go out with his friends as he couldn't afford to buy a .......... of drinks.

record

1. The company wants to put the ........ straight regarding the reason for the redundancies. 2. Please don't quote me on this but off the ........ I think there is going to be a policy decision soon. 3. She hasn't got a very good track ........ when it comes to attendance.

board

1. The experiment was a complete failure and they had to go back to the drawing ........ 2. Changes to the workforce are far-reaching and will be felt across the ......... 3. All the passengers were told to get on ........ the ship and prepare for departure.

near

1. The film was very sentimental and several members of the audience were ......... to tears. 2. That's not the exact amount but it's ........ enough. 3. I'm afraid we're nowhere ........ having enough money for that table.

piece

1. The homework was a ........ of cake. I finished it in no time at all. 2. The police say they will ........ together all the evidence they have before deciding on their next course of action. 3. Does the machine take a 20 pence ........ ?

immediate

1. The hospital would only give news to Trudy's ....... family and not her friends and distant relatives. 2. The law will take place with ........ effect. 3. The patient reported experiencing ........ benefits following the operation and is not expected to need any further treatment.

force

1. The law came into ........ after the new government was elected. 2. My boss is very successful; everyone says she's a ........ to be reckoned with. 3. The ........ of the bomb blast destroyed many of the buildings.

code

1. The message was written in ........ and was impossible to read. 2. The club has a very strict dress ........ and you will not be allowed in unless you're dressed in a suit and tie. 3. Could you tell me what the area ........ is for London, please?

launch

1. The official book ........ will be in early March but many advance copies have been distributed already. 2. The police will ........ an enquiry into the murder. 3. The Queen is due to ........ the new cruise liner later this month.

lead

1. The police have just announced that they are following up a new ........ from a member of the public, which may solve the crime. 2. Have you seen that film in which Hugh Grant plays the ........ ? 3. Brazil have taken the ......... with just 3 minutes to go before the end of the match.

escape

1. The prisoners tried to ........ from their cells last night. 2. It didn't ........ my notice that you were late for work today. 3. The sportsman managed to ........ serious injury even though he was badly fouled.

motion

1. The rocking ........ of the boat made her feel sick. 2. I realised I had said something tactless when my friend made a ........ with her hand to try to warn me. 3. If you sign the contract we can set the procedures to get the loan in ..........

development

1. There has been a major ........ in the hostage crisis today. 2. A new housing ........ is planned for this side of town. 2. Research into the ........ of new drugs is a multi-million pound business.

turn

1. There was an unexpected ........ of events in the world of politics today. 2. I always try to do people a good ........ as it doesn't cost anything to be thoughtful. 3. He was born around the ........ of the century.

credit

1. To his ........, he did at least admit he hadn't been totally honest. 2. Since I received that pay rise I've managed to stay in ......... and have no debts. 3. My ........ card expires this month and yet the bank haven't sent me a new one.

rule

1. We don't usually go out at weekends as a ........, but we've decided to treat ourselves to a trip to the cinema this week. 2. As a ........ of thumb you should add double the amount of water to the mixture. 3. There have been several reports of human rights abuses under his ........

splash

1. We need a big ........ of colour on that wall to stop it looking so dull. 2. He was a real extrovert and made quite a ........ in the office on his first day. 3. Add a ......... of lemon juice to the salad and it's finished.

gap

1. We need something to bridge the ........ between the two walls over there. 2. There was a ........ in the market and the company felt they could take advantage of it. 3. I sometimes feel the generation ........ is getting wider and wider.

blood

1. We need to bring some new ........ into the company in order to generate new ideas. 2. The man shot the policeman in cold ........ 3. There's a lot of bad ........ between the two men since one of them gained promotion over the other.

hit

1. When I first met Gerry we didn't ........ it off very well and had one or two disagreements. 2. What would you do if you ........ the jackpot and won millions on the lottery? 3. You really ........ the nail on the head when you pointed out the lack of motivation amongst the players lately.

dummy

1. While we were in town shopping we managed to lose the baby's ........ somewhere. 2. The man was arrested for brandishing a ........ weapon in a public place. 3. She'll complete the course easily - she's no ..........

smooth

1. Whisk the milk into the flour until it has a ......... consistency without any lumps whatsoever. 2. Many students find the transition from school to university less than ........, especially if they are away from their families for the first time. 3. I don't trust that car salesman. He's far too ........ for my liking!

reason

1. You can borrow as much as you like within ........ 2. It stands to ........ that she'll be feeling anxious so soon before her exams. 3. There is every ........ to believe that the company will get the new order as they have built up such a good relationship with their customer.

jump

1. You really made me ........, creeping up on me like that! 2. We should try not to ........ to conclusions. It may turn out to be a perfectly good film. 3. This woman came walking into the bank and proceeded to ........ the queue.

hook

1. You're not off the ........ yet. The police may still want to speak to you about the robbery. 2. I'm going to try and ........ my parents up to the Internet so they can find out what it's all about. 3. There was a ........ on the top of the pot to allow you to hang it from the ceiling.

file

1.The children were told to wait in single ........ at the roadside and not to cross until the teacher said so.' 2.The trade unions claim that the rank and ........ of the membership support the call for strike action.' 3.The police kept on ........ everything about the case.'

part

He was offered a ........ in a local stage play. We were waiting to be seen for the best ........ of 2 hours! She didn't want to take ........ in the game as she was a little shy.

harm

He'll be perfectly safe on the trip and won't come to any ......... Why don't you ask for a pay rise? There's no ........ in trying. I'm sorry. I didn't mean any ......... I haven't hurt you, have I?

held

The film was so gripping that it ........ my interest from start to finish. She once ........ some shares in the company but now they are worthless. Police ........ the man suspected of murder for further questioning.

front

There is a weather ........ approaching from the west' She's been in ........ for the whole race and looks like staying there' How are things on the business ........ ?'

respect

We brought our children up to have ........ for the environment. I am writing with ........ to your letter sent on the 20th August. I have always had the greatest ........ for people who do voluntary work.