Advanced Collocations Exercises

Accepting expensive gifts from vendors is  _______ forbidden.

I’m sorry I asked the question. I didn’t mean to bring up _______ memories.

I was exhausted, so I drank a double espresso. Now I’m _____ awake.

I wasn’t expecting a pay increase, so I was ______ surprised when I got a sizeable raise.

Our CEO and company president got into a _____ debate yesterday. They were at each other’s throats.

We can’t afford to hire someone we need to train. We need someone who can step in and have an _____ impact.

I didn’t want to bother Carl. He was in his office and it looked like he was lost in ______ thought.

I have _____ admiration for the senator. She’s been a respected member of Congress for over thirty years.

Last year we had several blizzards and it was bitterly cold almost every day. Fortunately, this year we’re having a _____ winter.

Can we meet at 6:30 instead of 7:30 for dinner? I had a _____ lunch, and I’m starting to get hungry.

Do we have any idea what the _____ cause is of this issue?

The news was a shock for Miguel. He stared at his friends in _____ disbelief.

This research is too general. What we need is more _____ information.

I had no idea that Dave left the company. This comes as a _____ shock to me.

The _____ majority of our employees have over a decade’s worth of experience.

To work in customer service, you need to be able to keep a _____ head. You can’t get upset every time someone yells at you.

I have a feeling that the government has a(n) _______ agenda. There is usually some ulterior motive behind these decisions.

I asked Alejandro if I was being considered for the position, but I couldn’t get a _______ answer out of him.

The new purchasing manager looks _______ familiar.

I tried to _______ a glimpse of the email he was reading, but I couldn’t see the screen.

Mark told me that he _______ hoped that we weren’t sacrificing quality for quantity.

It’s a mutually _______ deal that we can all feel good about.

It’s a tough industry with a lot of _______ competition.

I think we need to give this issue further _______ before making a decision.

I don’t think this aptitude test helps us evaluate people in any ________ way.

The United Nations _______ a statement about the tragedy.

Switching to a cheaper supplier was definitely a(n) _______ choice.

Why don’t you consider ________ a loan from the bank?

If you call and complain, they may _______ the fee for you.

The positive recognition _______ my confidence.

Bob’s not a good friend of mine, just a _______ acquaintance.

I asked him if he was going to the meeting, and he _______ his head no.

Several schools and government offices were closed due to the _______ weather.

Mike _______ school and took a job working in retail.

He knew it was a huge mistake, so he apologized _______.

We must maintain the _______ balance between all three branches of government.

We need to break down _______ and create more opportunity for entrepreneurs.

You should talk to Human Resources to try to _______ this dispute.

It was very _______ criticism, but it helped me improve.

I finally found a job offer that _______ my criteria.

This is Nellie’s first week in charge. Fortunately, everything has been running _______.

I think you need to let it go. It’s not healthy to _______ a grudge.

Do you think we’ll get the contract? I’d say we have a _______ chance.

Many of my coworkers are _______ golfers.

I haven’t really evaluated the contract yet. I just gave it a ______ glance.

I’m not sure this issue will get much media _______.

The initiative was awful. It failed ________.

It was a horrible decision that did _______ damage to our firm.

We disagreed at first, but our discussions eventually led to _______ understanding.

Having my own business is great, but sometimes I miss being able to depend on a _______ income.

Prices dropped sharply when the real estate bubble _______.

John _______ admits that it was his fault.

I’m not sure what the final price would be, but I can give you a _______ estimate.

I sent Paul an email to _______ remind him that the project is due today.

I don’t see this as threatening at all. It shouldn’t be a cause for _______ for anyone.

Their lawyers _______ deny these allegations.

What technological _______ do you expect to see in the next decade?

Scott talked to me last night. He gave me a lot of _______ advice about how to run the department.

Could you _______ provide me with copies of the documents listed below?

Finding a suitable replacement could be a _______ process.

We’re a locally-owned, independently ________ business.

We save money by making bulk _______.

I don’t think the generally public fully _______ the importance of this discovery.

I have to prove to the bank that I am ________ employed.

It’s going to take a while. We probably won’t see any ______ results for about a year.

We would like to _______ invite you to our grand opening.

I’m feeling _______ optimistic about our firm’s future.

We’re aware of the mistake, and we’re implementing _______ measures.

I’m not sure if he really regrets his actions. I didn’t exactly get a(n) _______ apology from him.

Having strong leadership gives us a _______ advantage.

The motion was passed by a narrow _______.

He owns a successful business now, but eight years ago he _______ for bankruptcy.

I _______ regret my choice of words.

Sooner or later we’re going to have to _______ the facts and do something to turn this company around. 

The management position was a _______ change for Carlos after 10 years on the sales floor.

After _______ consideration, we decided not to go through with it.

Without a coherent social media strategy, we _______ the risk of being left behind.

If we want to be successful, we need _______ defined objectives.

I was _______ surprised to hear that Claude was leaving the company.

Gerber’s _______ company is Nestlé .

What we’ve discovered contradicts _______ wisdom.

Kevin can give you a(n) _______ account of what happened at the meeting.

I’ve learned to trust my supervisor’s _______ judgement.

We have been _______ companions ever since we started as interns in 2004.

I worked several ________ jobs to put myself through college.

We urge you to _______ caution when giving out personal information.

High stress levels can _______ havoc on your health.

Before _______ a meeting, you should distribute agendas to the attendees.

Management _______ suspicion by having frequent closed-door meetings.

Mark gave me some _______ advice on raising my credit score.

Some of the most successful people in this industry come from _______ beginnings.

Union leaders and management are engaged in a power _______.

Their promotional materials _______ my interest.

Our high turnover rate has been a(n) _______ concern for us.

Several people stood up and _______ their opinions.

Many health supplements make _______ claims about their products’ health benefits.

We heard some compelling _______ both for and against the initiative.

We accused them of _______ of contract and threatened a lawsuit.

We need to make sure we have measurable, _______ goals.

I wasn’t going to let a few setbacks _______ my confidence.