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Collocations Game

Cut out the cards below. Ask students to find a word that collocates with all three words on the card. The part of speech has been included to make the activity more manageable. Note that some of the collocations will be compound nouns (treehouse, for example). The answers are included below.

 

Collocations Cards (set 1)

a joke
an egg
a cell phone screen
(verb)

a fire
a cigarette
flames
(phrasal verb)
an alarm
a bomb
fireworks
(phrasal verb)
improvement
security
run
(noun)

screen
front
back
(noun)

mobile
cave
man
(noun)
tree
doll
pool
(noun)

one-way
return
parking
(noun)

balanced
square
home-cooked
(noun)

a chance
a seat
a breath
(verb)
birthday
retirement
farewell
(noun)

a test
taxes
a spouse
(verb + preposition)

music
a part
game
(verb)

guard
therapy
hunting
(noun)
law
medical
public
(noun)

a cold
a criminal
a fish
(verb)

time
the truth
a story
(verb)

a gun
a basketball
the breeze
(verb)
outdoor
online
false
(noun)

attention
rent
bills
(verb)

office
president
senate
(phrasal verb)

long-distance
love-hate
professional
(noun)
bean
break
cake
(noun)

farm
wild
domesticated
(noun)

bag
cup
kettle
(noun)

planner
reception
ring
(noun)
belly
can
glass
(noun)

shuttle
age
race
(noun)

long-distance
local
conference
(noun)

horse
motorcycle
bike
(verb)
phone
clothes
coat
(phrasal verb)

request
invitation
offer
(phrasal verb)

credit
library
business
(noun)

rain
traffic
snow
(adjective)
quantity
amount
number
(adjective)

weight
your mind
track
(verb)

book
hand
shopping
(noun)

easy
high
rocking
(noun)
toilet
tissue
construction
(noun)

ball
lid
glasses
(noun)

nose
wedding
boxing
(noun)

a blog
a leader
your dreams
(verb)
water
psychological
collateral
(noun)

mark
store
club
(noun)

travel
management
bomb
(noun)

time
dream
spa
(noun)
support
insurance
cycle
(noun)

clothes
straight
hot
(noun)

time
light
vision
(noun)
guide
group
session
(noun)
fast
comfort
junk
(noun)

best
girl
false
(noun)

 

Answers (set 1)

a joke
an egg
a cell phone screen
(crack)

a fire
a cigarette
flames
(put out)
an alarm
a bomb
fireworks
(set off)

improvement
security
run
(home)

screen
front
back
(door)

mobile
cave
man
(bat)
tree
doll
pool
(house)

one-way
return
parking
(ticket)

balanced
square
home-cooked
(meal)

a chance
a seat
a breath
(take)
birthday
retirement
farewell
(party)

a test
taxes
a spouse
(cheat on)

music
a part
game
(play)

guard
therapy
hunting
(dog)
law
medical
public
(school)

a cold
a criminal
a fish
(catch)

time
the truth
a story
(tell)

a gun
a basketball
the breeze
(shoot)
outdoor
online
false
(advertising)

attention
rent
bills
(pay)

office
president
senate
(run for)

long-distance
love-hate
professional
(relationship)
bean
break
cake
(coffee)

farm
wild
domesticated
(animal)

bag
cup
kettle
(tea)

planner
reception
ring
(wedding)
belly
can
glass
(beer)

shuttle
age
race
(space)

long-distance
local
conference
(call)

horse
motorcycle
bike
(ride)
phone
clothes
coat
(hang up)

request
invitation
offer
(turn down)

credit
library
business
(card)

rain
traffic
snow
(heavy)
quantity
amount
number
(large)

weight
your mind
track
(lose)

book
hand
shopping
(bag)

easy
high
rocking
(chair)
toilet
tissue
construction
(paper)

ball
lid
glasses
(eye)

nose
wedding
boxing
(ring)

a blog
a leader
your dreams
(follow)
water
psychological
collateral
(damage)

mark
store
club
(book)

travel
management
bomb
(time)

time
dream
spa
(day)
support
insurance
cycle
(life)

clothes
straight
hot
(line)

time
light
vision
(night)

guide
group
session
(study)
fast
comfort
junk
(food)

best
girl
false
(friend)

 

Collocations Cards (set 2)

middle
index
ring
(noun)

cruise
pirate
friend
(noun)
laces
box
size
(noun)

an eye
the change
a secret
(verb)

civil
world
price
(noun)

fair
fist
pillow
(noun)
an errand
a business
a credit check
(verb)

the bus
a break
a glimpse
(verb)

a battery
a fee
a credit card
(verb)

a letter
a check
a review
(verb)
a corner
the tables
the page
(verb)

a fine
a debt
a visit
(verb)

standards
prices
cholesterol
(adjective)

trouble
conversation
space
(adjective)

the bar
taxes
a child
(verb)

a language
a lesson
a trade
(verb)

a blank
conclusions
a picture
(verb)

 a bet
weight
a game
(verb)
band
friend
scout
(noun)

tan
screen
burn
(noun)

shop
reviewer
case
(noun)

golf
fan
health
(noun)
magnetic
football
playing
(noun)

chocolate
condensed
powdered
(noun)

star
band
music
(noun)

boots
shovel
angel
(noun)
garden
bush
petal
(noun)

Olympics
vacation
job
(noun)

pressure
supply
purification
(noun)

false
fire
car
(noun)
Hollywood
movie
rising
(noun)

hot-air
birthday
helium
(noun)

tub
time
towel
(noun)

member
history
planning
(noun)
home
coastal
ghost
(noun)

card
cap
field
(noun)

surprise
retirement
cocktail
(noun)

carol
card
lights
(noun)
sweet
wisdom
loose
(noun)

junk
direct
certified
(noun)

even
odd
wrong
(noun)

left
chicken
butterfly
(noun)
antique
office
outdoor
(noun)

head
assistant
life
(noun)

electric
acoustic
lead
(noun)

free-lance
ghost
travel
(noun)
uphill
losing
legal
(noun)

natural
fluorescent
neon
(noun)

 

Answers (set 2)

middle
index
ring
(finger)

cruise
pirate
friend
(ship)
laces
box
size
(shoe)

an eye
the change
a secret
(keep)

civil
world
price
(war)

fair
fist
pillow
(fight)
an errand
a business
a credit check
(run)

the bus
a break
a glimpse
(catch)

a battery
a fee
a credit card
(charge)

a letter
a check
a review
(write)
a corner
the tables
the page
(turn)

a fine
a debt
a visit
(pay)

standards
prices
cholesterol
(high)

trouble
conversation
space
(deep)

the bar
taxes
a child
(raise)

a language
a lesson
a trade
(learn)

a blank
conclusions
a picture
(draw)

 a bet
weight
a game
(lose)
band
friend
scout
(boy)

tan
screen
burn
(sun)

shop
reviewer
case
(book)

golf
fan
health
(club)
magnetic
football
playing
(field)

chocolate
condensed
powdered
(milk)

star
band
music
(rock)

boots
shovel
angel
(snow)
garden
bush
petal
(rose)

Olympics
vacation
job
(summer)

pressure
supply
purification
(water)

false
fire
car
(alarm)
Hollywood
movie
rising
(star)

hot-air
birthday
helium
(balloon)

tub
time
towel
(bath)

member
history
planning
(family)
home
coastal
ghost
(town)

card
cap
field
(baseball)

surprise
retirement
cocktail
(party)

carol
card
lights
(Christmas)
sweet
wisdom
loose
(tooth)

junk
direct
certified
(mail)

even
odd
wrong
(number)

left
chicken
butterfly
(wing)
antique
office
outdoor
(furniture)

head
assistant
life
(coach)

electric
acoustic
lead
(guitar)

free-lance
ghost
travel
(writer)
uphill
losing
legal
(battle)

natural
fluorescent
neon
(light)