Why words work in pairs
A language is not a bag of single words. Many words are used with certain partners. These partnerships are called collocations.
We make a decision, take a photo, do homework, have breakfast. Other combinations sound strange to a native speaker, even if the meaning is clear.
High-frequency collocations: get up, look at
| Pair | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get up | leave your bed | I get up at six. |
| look at | turn your eyes to | Look at the board. |
| make a decision | decide | She made a decision. |
| take a photo | photograph | Let's take a photo. |
| do homework | finish school tasks | I do my homework after tea. |
| have a shower | wash | He has a shower daily. |
Tip: a small word like up, at or in changes the meaning: look at (see), look for (search), look after (care for).
Set expressions: excuse me, I see
A set expression is a fixed phrase used for a particular purpose. You cannot change or split it.
| Expression | Use |
|---|---|
| Excuse me | to get attention or pass politely |
| I see | to show you understand |
| Thank you / You're welcome | thanks and reply |
| How about ...? | to suggest something |
| Never mind | it does not matter |
A few expressions are idioms: the meaning is not the sum of the words (a piece of cake = very easy). Learn them as whole blocks.
How vocabulary grows across three years
In the lower-secondary years, learners meet about 1,600 to 1,800 new words, together with common pairs and phrases, on top of the few hundred words learned earlier.
Think of it as a weekly habit. About 35 school weeks a year for 3 years is 105 weeks. Around 16 new words a week gives about 1,700 words.
- Learn each word with a partner word and a short sentence.
- Revise after 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and 21 days.
- Read and listen a little every day. Meeting a word again and again makes it yours.
Key formulas and definitions
- collocation: word + its usual partner (take a photo)
- verb + particle changes meaning (look at / look for / look after)
- set expression = one fixed block (excuse me)
- about 16 words a week x 35 weeks x 3 years = about 1,700 words
Worked examples
1. Choose make or do: ____ a decision; ____ homework.
make a decision; do homework. These are fixed partnerships.
2. Use look at, look for or look after: "I am ____ my keys. Have you seen them?"
looking for. look for means search.
3. Which set expression do you use to pass someone in a narrow corridor?
Excuse me. It is a fixed polite expression.
4. A learner wants 1,680 words in 3 years (105 weeks). How many words a week?
1,680 / 105 = 16 words a week.
5. Explain why "take a photo" is better than "make a photo".
English speakers pair take with photo. It is a collocation; make a photo sounds unnatural, even though the meaning is clear.
Common mistakes
- Learning single words with no partner. Learn pairs: take a photo, not only photo.
- Translating partnerships from your own language ("do a decision"). Check the English pair.
- Splitting a set expression or changing a word in it ("excuse to me").
- Cramming 100 words in one night. A few words each day, revised on schedule, stay longer.