Collocation errors

Collocations are typical word combinations words that usually go together in normal use
such as the following.
Verb + Noun

inflict a wound, withdraw an offer , make a lot of money, make a

lot of friends, ease tension, override a veto

Adjective + Noun

a crushing defeat, a rough estimate

Noun + Verb

a bee buzzes, a bomb explodes

Noun 1 + Noun 2

a flock of sheep, a pack of dogs

Adverb + Adjective

deeply absorbed, closely acquainted, hopelessly addicted

Verb + Adverb

appreciate sincerely, apologize humbly

Noun + Prep

apathy toward, influence on

X + Comp

an agreement that, recommend that

Particular collocation difficulties for ESL include:

1. Light verbs, e.g.,
take a chance, take liberties with the results, run aground, run an experiment, go bungee
jumping, take notice, set an example

2. Prepositions and phrasal verbs, which are often metaphorical

working (in) working at the university [in is possible in certain contexts, but at is
generally preferred]
The environment has cut down diminished our motivation, especially when team
members have been split apart up.

3. Prep. combinations: [1] Verb + Prep.; [2] Adj. + Prep.; and [3] Noun + Prep; these can
involve metaphorical uses of prepositions
is different than

different from

apply X into Y apply X to Y

influence to X influence on X

4. Noun + Prep. combinations, and their Verb counterparts with no prepositions.

X has an influence on Y

cf.

X influences on Y

a discussion about X

cf.

to discuss about X

Use of speak, talk, tell, say (see the handout on reporting verbs). One speaks a language or a
statement; one says words, discourse, or something general; one tells a story or information.
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The following is a partial and incomplete list of common collocation errors that Asian ESL
students tend to make in English.

Verb + Preposition
1. Absorbed (=very much interested) in at
The man was absorbed at in his work.
2. Accused of for
She accused the man for of stealing.

cf. charge with

The man was charged with murder.

3. Accustomed to with
Im accustomed with to hot weather.
cf. used to
He is used to the heat.

4. Afraid of from
Laura is afraid from of the dog.

5. Ashamed of from
He is now ashamed from of his conduct.

It isnt correct to use ashamed of meaning shy. Ashamed = feeling shame or guilt about
something; shy = feeling nervous with someone. Thus,
Im ashamed / shamed of my teacher Im shy toward my teacher.

6. Arrived at to
We arrived to at the village at night

Use arrive in with countries and large cities:

Mr. Smith arrived in London (or New York, India, etc.)

7. Anxious (troubled) about for

They are anxious for about his health.
Anxious for = wishing very much
Parents are anxious for their childrens success.

8. Angry with / at against

The teacher was angry against with / at him.

For persons, with is more common. We get angry with/at a person but angry at a thing:
He was angry with at the weather.

Also annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with a person, but at a thing.

9. Aim at on / against
She aimed on / against at the target.
At denotes direction: throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at; shoot (without at) = to kill or
seriously injure: He shot a bird (= hit and killed it).
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10. Believe in to.

We believe to in God.

To believe in = to have faith in. To believe (without in) means to regard something as true: I
believe everything he says.

11. Boast of / about for (of is more literary or older style)

James boasted for about / of his strength.
12. Careful of / with / about for.
Elle is very careful for of/about her health.
You should be more careful with your money.

Take care of: He takes care of his money.

13. Travel by train with the (or other vehicle)

He traveled with the by train yesterday.
We travel by train, by boat, by bike; also, by land, by sea, by air, by bus; in a bus or on a bus;
by car or in a car, by taxi or in a taxi; on horse-back, on a donkey, on a bicycle; on foot.
14. Complain about for
Annette complained for about the weather.

When talking about illness we use complain of

We say complained of a sore throat.

15. Composed of from

Our class is composed from of thirty students.

16. Congratulate on for

I congratulate you for on the New Year.

17. Covered with by

The Mountains are covered by with/in snow.

18. Cure of from

The man was cured from of his illness.

The noun cure takes for:

Theres no cure for that disease.

19. Deprive of from

Nelson Mandela was deprived from of his freedom.

20. Die of an illness > from an illness

Many people have died from of Malaria.

People die of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork, by violence,
by the sword, by pestilence, in battle, for their country, for a cause, through neglect, on the
scaffold, at the stake

21. Different from than

My book is really different than from yours.
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22. Disappointed by, about or at from:

[1] by/at/ about:
Phillipa was disappointed from by the low mark she got in test on the test.

[2] with/ in:

Jane was disappointed from with/in her son.

Before a person we use with or in, before a thing we use at, about, by; and before a gerund
we use at:
Keith is very disappointed at not winning the prize.

23. Divide in into parts

I divided the cake in into four pieces.

A thing can also be divided in half or in two:

Paul divided the apple in half (or in two).

24. No doubt in / about for

I have no doubt for in / about his ability.
Doubtful of
Im doubtful of his ability to pass.

25. Dressed in with

The woman was dressed with in black.

The woman was in black is also right.

26. Exception to of
This is an exception of to the rules.

With the exception of

She like all her subjects with the exception of physics.

Except for
All the new students are smart except for George W.

27. Exchange for by

He exchanged his collection of match boxes by for some foreign stamps.

In exchange for
He gave them his old car in exchange for a new one.

28. Fail in from

He failed from in math last year.

29. Full of with / from

The jar was full with/from of oil.
Fill with
Jane filled the glass with water.

30. Get rid of from

Ill be glad to get rid from of him.
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31. Glad about from / with

I was glad from / with about receiving your letter.
Or with an infinitive
I was glad to receive your letter.

32. Good at (in)

My sister is good (in math) / at math.

Bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at, etc.; however, weak in.
He is weak in grammar.

Note: He is good in class means that his conduct is good.

33. Guard against from

You must guard from against bad habits.

34. Guilty of for

He was found guilty for of murder.

35. Independent of from

Clare is independent from of her parents.

We say dependent on: A child is dependent on its parents.

36. Indifferent to for

They are indifferent for to politics.

37. Influence on to
This has had a great influence to on our thinking.

The verb takes a direct object with no preposition.

This has greatly influenced our thinking.

38. Insist on to
He always insisted to on his opinion.

Persist in
He persisted in his silly ideas.

39. Interested in for

She is not interested for in her work.

Also: take an interest in

She takes a great interest in music.

40. Jealous of from

He is very jealous from of his brother.

41. Leave for to [a place]

They are leaving to for England soon.
42. Live on / off of from
He lives from on his brothers money. He lives off of his brothers money.
Feed on
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 Some birds feed on insects.

43. Look at to
Look to at his beautiful picture.
Also gaze at, stare at, etc., but look after (= take care of), look for (=try to find), look over
(=examine), look into (=examine closely), look on or upon (=consider), look down on
(=have a low opinion of), look up to (=respect), look out for (=expect), look forward to (=
expect with pleasure), look to (= rely on).

44. Panic about with

Dont panic about it.

Easily confused words

1. to see vs. to watch
To see means to be aware of what is around you by using your eyes.
I can see the smoke from here.

To watch means to look at something for a period of time,especially Something that is

changing or moving.
I watched the cricket.

We watch things that move,such as TV, a film, or sports. We look at static things, such as a
photograph, a painting, the stars.
2. Shortage vs. shortness
Shortage is a noun meaning when there is not enough of something.
There is a shortage of skilled workers in the industry.

Shortness is also a noun meaning the condition of being short spatially.

Shortness in children and young adults nearly always results from below-average growth
in childhood.

3. so vs. such
So when used as in front of an adjective or an adverbs means very.
My English teacher is so patient. She teaches us so well.

Such when used as a determiner can be used before a noun to show extremes,you can not use
it before adverb.
She is such a patient teacher.

Remember that without the noun you need to use so.

Such + a + patient + teacher + so + patient

Adapted from handouts on www.english-learners.com.

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