Useful Collocations: English Vocabulary List

to cause severe destruction, chaos, or disorder

"The storm wreaked havoc on the coast."

"The storm wreaked havoc on the small town destroying many homes and businesses in its path."

to devise or create a scheme, often one that is secretive or mischievous

"The thieves hatched a clever plan."

"The two friends hatched a plan to surprise their teacher on her birthday with a party."

to maintain financial stability or solvency

"He works two jobs to keep afloat."

"The small business struggled to keep afloat during the economic crisis but somehow managed to survive."

to establish the necessary foundation or preparation for a future project, plan, or idea

"We lay the groundwork first."

"Before launching the new product, the company spent months laying the groundwork through careful market research and planning."

to start something new and innovative that sets an example or leads to significant advancements in a particular field or industry

"They broke new ground yesterday."

"The research team broke new ground by discovering a revolutionary method for recycling plastic waste efficiently."

to raise doubts about the validity, truthfulness, or reliability of something

"The new evidence calls his story into question."

"The professor called the student's research methods into question because they were not scientifically sound."

to increase knowledge or understanding about a particular issue, cause, or topic

"We need to raise awareness about pollution."

"The charity campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of mental health support for young people."

to bring up a topic or issue for discussion or consideration

"He raised a question today."

"During the meeting, one of the employees raised a question about whether the new policy would affect their vacation days."

to consider something appropriate or suitable according to one's own judgment

"You can spend the money as you see fit."

"You may spend your money as you see fit because it belongs to you and nobody else."

to direct one's focus or concentration toward something specific

"She turned her attention to the TV."

"After finishing his homework he turned his attention to playing video games with his friends online."

to concentrate or focus on a particular task or subject

"Please pay attention to me."

"You need to pay attention in class if you want to understand the lesson properly."

to enjoy the positive outcomes or advantages resulting from one's efforts or actions

"They reap the benefits now."

"After years of hard work and dedication, she is finally reaping the benefits of her efforts with a well-deserved promotion."

to have the potential for future success or positive outcomes

"This holds great promise."

"The early results of the clinical trial hold great promise for a new treatment for the disease."

to connect with someone, often by reaching out through various means such as phone calls, emails, or in-person meetings

"We finally made contact yesterday."

"The astronaut tried to make contact with the space station but the signal was too weak."

the form or means through which ideas, emotions, or artistic creativity are conveyed or communicated

"Music is a medium of expression."

"Art can be a powerful medium of expression for people who find it difficult to use words."

to express or bring attention to worries, doubts, or objections regarding a specific issue, situation, or decision

"This raises concern among people."

"The sudden rise in pollution levels has raised concern among environmental scientists and local residents alike."

the human eye unaided by any optical device, used for observing objects and details directly

"See it with naked eye."

"The bright planet is clearly visible to the naked eye on clear nights without using any telescope or special equipment."

to make progress or advance in a significant way

"She makes strides every day."

"The medical community has made significant strides in developing new treatments for rare diseases over the past decade."

to attract or receive attention, often by means of effort, achievement, or significance

"The singer garnered a lot of attention."

"The young singer's performance garnered attention from several major record labels who wanted to sign her."

to be understandable in a way that is reasonable

"This makes good sense."

"Her explanation of the complex scientific theory finally made sense to the students after she used visual aids."

to show respect or recognition to someone or something

"We paid tribute to the brave firefighter."

"The ceremony paid tribute to the brave firefighters who saved many lives during the disaster."

to experience a loss or failure in a competitive or confrontational situation

"The team suffered a painful defeat."

"The team suffered a painful defeat in the final match but they promised to train harder."

to regard something with great respect, honor, or devotion

"They hold this tradition sacred."

"Many cultures hold their traditions sacred and pass them down from generation to generation with great care."

to use something such as power or influence that one has in order to achieve a particular result

"We must bring all our strength to bear."

"The company brought all its resources to bear on solving the technical problem as quickly as possible."

to assign or instruct someone to start working on a specific task or job

"The boss set him to work immediately."

"The manager set the new employees to work on organizing the files and cleaning the office space."

to form and express an opinion or decision about someone or something, often in a critical manner

"Do not pass judgment on others."

"It is not my place to pass judgment on his choices because everyone makes their own decisions."

to earn an amount of money that enables one to support oneself and pay for one's needs

"She makes a living painting."

"After graduating from university, he struggled to make a living while pursuing his dream of becoming a musician."

to ensure that one has the latest news concerning someone or something

"It is hard to keep track of time."

"It is hard to keep track of all the new vocabulary words without using a flashcard app."

to come to a decision or judgment after considering evidence, arguments, or facts

"They reached a conclusion quickly."

"After reviewing all the evidence and listening to witness testimonies, the jury finally reached a conclusion about the case."

extremely frightened to the point of being unable to move or react

"The child was scared stiff of the dark."

"The little boy was scared stiff of the dark so he always slept with a night light."

to stay strong when faced with problems or criticism and ultimately surpass them

"She will rise above the criticism."

"Successful people learn to rise above criticism and focus on achieving their long term goals."

a busy, noisy, and active environment or situation

"I love the hustle and bustle of the city."

"He prefers the quiet countryside over the hustle and bustle of the busy city centre."

the process of testing a method, an idea, etc. in several ways to achieve the desired outcome

"We learned this by trial and error."

"Learning a new skill often requires trial and error before you finally get it right."

to gradually increase the strength, force, or speed of an activity or process

"The campaign is beginning to build momentum."

"The political campaign began to build momentum after several successful rallies and speeches in public."

to give support or credibility to a belief, theory, or statement

"His diary lends credence to his story."

"The fact that several witnesses told the same story lent credence to his explanation of events."

to have a moral duty or be forced to do a particular thing, often due to legal reasons

"I feel obliged to help him."

"I feel obliged to help him because he has done so much for me in the past."

to formally or officially provide a cautionary notice or advice regarding a potential danger, threat, or undesirable outcome

"The teacher issued a warning to the class."

"The government issued a warning about the approaching storm and advised people to stay indoors."

to be filled with a specific quality, flavor, etc.

"The story is steeped in local history."

"The ancient city is steeped in history and visitors can feel the past everywhere they walk."

to create uncertainty or skepticism by questioning the truth or validity of something

"His story cast doubt on the truth."

"The new evidence cast doubt on the main witness's testimony and the jury had to reconsider."

to fulfill expectations or standards set by oneself or others

"He cannot live up to his father's expectations."

"The movie did not live up to the high expectations created by its impressive trailer and advertising campaign."

to reach a decision, understanding, or conclusion after consideration or discussion

"We finally arrived at a decision."

"After hours of discussion, the committee arrived at a decision that satisfied everyone involved."

in a state in which the correct musical sound is not played or sung

"The singer is out of tune."

"The piano was out of tune so the music sounded terrible during the concert performance."