English grammar › C2
Collocations
Level C2 · make a decision · do research
What are collocations?
Collocations are word partners that native speakers always use together. Other words can be grammatically correct but sound unnatural.
Why it matters
- They make your English sound natural.
- Translating word by word often picks the wrong partner.
Examples
- **make** a decision — not “do a decision”
- **heavy** rain · **strong** coffee — not “strong rain”, “heavy coffee”
Remember: Learn new words in pairs, not alone.
The rule
Natural English uses fixed word partners. Learn them together: make a decision, do research, heavy rain, strong coffee.
make: a decision, a mistake, progress, an effort
do: research, damage, your best, a favour
Wrong partner → right: do a mistake → make a mistake
Tip
A collocation dictionary or a corpus search shows which partner is natural.
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