Collocations are combinations of words that regularly occur together in a natural-sounding way. Native speakers use them automatically, but language learners often struggle with them. Examples of Collocations Take a photo | Incorrect: Make a photo Correct: Make a mistake | Incorrect: Do a mistake Correct: Fast food | Incorrect: Quick food

A collocation is a group of words that naturally go together. For example, in English, we say "do homework," not "make homework." We say "fast food," not "quick food."

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A collocation is a combination of two or more words that frequently go together. For example, native English speakers say rather than "do a mistake," and "heavy rain" instead of "strong rain."

If you are a beginner looking to sound more fluent, English Collocations in Use Elementary by Cambridge University Press is the definitive resource. This article explores how to use the book, why the "with answers" version is crucial, and how to master fixed expressions effectively. What are Collocations and Why Do They Matter?