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 |
a fire a cigarette flames (phrasal verb) |
an alarm a bomb fireworks (phrasal verb) |
improvement security run (noun) |
screen |
mobile cave man (noun) |
tree doll pool (noun) |
one-way |
balanced |
a chance a seat a breath (verb) |
birthday retirement farewell (noun) |
a test |
music |
guard therapy hunting (noun) |
law medical public (noun) |
a cold |
time |
a gun a basketball the breeze (verb) |
outdoor online false (noun) |
attention |
office |
long-distance love-hate professional (noun) |
bean break cake (noun) |
farm |
bag |
planner reception ring (noun) |
belly can glass (noun) |
shuttle |
long-distance |
horse motorcycle bike (verb) |
phone clothes coat (phrasal verb) |
request |
credit |
rain traffic snow (adjective) |
quantity amount number (adjective) |
weight |
book |
easy high rocking (noun) |
toilet tissue construction (noun) |
ball |
nose |
a blog a leader your dreams (verb) |
water psychological collateral (noun) |
mark |
travel |
time dream spa (noun) |
support insurance cycle (noun) |
clothes |
time light vision (noun) |
guide group session (noun) |
fast comfort junk (noun) |
best |
Answers (set 1)
a joke |
a fire a cigarette flames (put out) |
an alarm a bomb fireworks (set off) |
improvement |
screen |
mobile cave man (bat) |
tree doll pool (house) |
one-way |
balanced |
a chance a seat a breath (take) |
birthday retirement farewell (party) |
a test |
music |
guard therapy hunting (dog) |
law medical public (school) |
a cold |
time |
a gun a basketball the breeze (shoot) |
outdoor online false (advertising) |
attention |
office |
long-distance love-hate professional (relationship) |
bean break cake (coffee) |
farm |
bag |
planner reception ring (wedding) |
belly can glass (beer) |
shuttle |
long-distance |
horse motorcycle bike (ride) |
phone clothes coat (hang up) |
request |
credit |
rain traffic snow (heavy) |
quantity amount number (large) |
weight |
book |
easy high rocking (chair) |
toilet tissue construction (paper) |
ball |
nose |
a blog a leader your dreams (follow) |
water psychological collateral (damage) |
mark |
travel |
time dream spa (day) |
support insurance cycle (life) |
clothes |
time |
guide group session (study) |
fast comfort junk (food) |
best |
Collocations Cards (set 2)
middle |
cruise pirate friend (noun) |
laces box size (noun) |
an eye |
civil |
fair fist pillow (noun) |
an errand a business a credit check (verb) |
the bus |
a battery |
a letter a check a review (verb) |
a corner the tables the page (verb) |
a fine |
standards |
trouble |
the bar |
a language |
a blank |
a bet weight a game (verb) |
band friend scout (noun) |
tan |
shop |
golf fan health (noun) |
magnetic football playing (noun) |
chocolate |
star |
boots shovel angel (noun) |
garden bush petal (noun) |
Olympics |
pressure |
false fire car (noun) |
Hollywood movie rising (noun) |
hot-air |
tub |
member history planning (noun) |
home coastal ghost (noun) |
card |
surprise |
carol card lights (noun) |
sweet wisdom loose (noun) |
junk |
even |
left chicken butterfly (noun) |
antique office outdoor (noun) |
head |
electric |
free-lance ghost travel (noun) |
uphill losing legal (noun) |
natural |
Answers (set 2)
middle |
cruise pirate friend (ship) |
laces box size (shoe) |
an eye |
civil |
fair fist pillow (fight) |
an errand a business a credit check (run) |
the bus |
a battery |
a letter a check a review (write) |
a corner the tables the page (turn) |
a fine |
standards |
trouble |
the bar |
a language |
a blank |
a bet weight a game (lose) |
band friend scout (boy) |
tan |
shop |
golf fan health (club) |
magnetic football playing (field) |
chocolate |
star |
boots shovel angel (snow) |
garden bush petal (rose) |
Olympics |
pressure |
false fire car (alarm) |
Hollywood movie rising (star) |
hot-air |
tub |
member history planning (family) |
home coastal ghost (town) |
card |
surprise |
carol card lights (Christmas) |
sweet wisdom loose (tooth) |
junk |
even |
left chicken butterfly (wing) |
antique office outdoor (furniture) |
head |
electric |
free-lance ghost travel (writer) |
uphill losing legal (battle) |
natural |