Lesson 2: Strong vs. Weak Collocations
Fixed Friends and Casual Acquaintances
You know that collocations are words that like to go together. But are all of these partnerships equally strong? No! Some word pairs are like best friends that are almost always together, while others are more flexible. This lesson will explore the difference between strong collocations1 (fixed pairs) and weak collocations2 (flexible pairs).
Part 1: Strong Collocations (Fixed Friends)
A strong collocation is a partnership where the words are very closely linked. You usually cannot replace one of the words with a synonym. They should be learned as a fixed phrase3.
| Strong Collocation | Notes & Example |
|---|---|
| to make the bed | We don't say 'do the bed'. This is a very fixed phrase. "I make the bed every morning." |
| heavy rain | We don't say 'strong rain' or 'big rain'. This is the natural-sounding pair. "We cancelled the picnic because of the heavy rain." |
| a round of applause | A period of clapping to show approval. "The audience gave the singer a round of applause." |
| to catch a cold | To become sick with a common cold. "I think I'm catching a cold; my throat is sore." |
Part 2: Weak Collocations (Casual Acquaintances)
A weak collocation is a partnership where a word can be paired with many different words. These are more flexible4.
| Common Word | Some of its Weak Collocations |
|---|---|
| a big... | a big decision, a big house, a big problem, a big mistake |
| a beautiful... | a beautiful view, a beautiful woman, a beautiful painting, a beautiful day |
| to get... | to get a job, to get tired, to get an email, to get a ticket, to get angry |
Usage Note: Why Does This Matter?
- Strong Collocations are like rules you need to memorize. They are a test of your fluency.
- Weak Collocations are where you can be creative and show the range of your vocabulary. You can say 'a big house', 'a beautiful house', or 'an expensive house'.
Strategy: When you learn a new collocation, ask yourself: "Can I replace one of these words with a synonym?" If the answer is 'no' or it sounds strange, it is probably a strong collocation.
In Conversation
Srey and Bora are discussing their English studies.
Srey: Bora, I'm trying to improve my fluency. My teacher said to focus on collocations.
Bora: Me too. I learned that some are strong collocations, like 'make the bed'. You can't say 'do the bed'.
Srey: Right. And 'to catch a cold' is another one. It's a fixed phrase.
Bora: But some are weak collocations. You can have a 'big problem' or a 'serious problem'. Both 'big' and 'serious' work.
Srey: I see. So the weak ones are more flexible. For example, I can say it was a 'beautiful day' or a 'sunny day'.
Bora: Exactly! Understanding the difference helps you know when you must be exact and when you can be more creative.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. Which of these is a STRONG collocation?
- a) a big car
- b) a round of applause
- c) a nice person
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) a round of applause (This is a fixed phrase).
2. Which of these is a WEAK collocation, meaning you could easily change the adjective?
- a) heavy rain
- b) an interesting book
- c) a close friend
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) an interesting book (You could also say 'a long book', 'a good book', 'a boring book', etc.).
3. Which sentence sounds unnatural because it breaks a strong collocation?
- a) I need to do my homework.
- b) I need to make my homework.
- c) I need to finish my homework.
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) I need to make my homework. (The correct collocation is 'do homework').
edit Your Mission
- My Collocations: Write one sentence with a strong collocation from the lesson (e.g., 'heavy rain') and one sentence with a weak collocation (e.g., 'a big house').
- Sort the List: Look at this list: `strong coffee`, `an expensive car`, `pay attention`, `a difficult decision`. Which two are strong collocations?
- Speak: Your mission is to use one strong collocation you learned in a conversation. (e.g., "I hope I don't catch a cold." or "The singer got a round of applause.")
book Lesson Glossary
- Strong Collocation (noun phrase) - Khmer: ការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នាខ្លាំង - A word partnership that is very fixed and predictable. ↩
- Weak Collocation (noun phrase) - Khmer: ការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នាខ្សោយ - A word partnership that is flexible, where a word can partner with many other words. ↩
- Fixed Phrase (noun phrase) - Khmer: ឃ្លាថេរ - A group of words used as a single unit, where the words rarely change. ↩
- Flexible (adjective) - Khmer: ដែលអាចបត់បែនបាន - Able to change or be changed easily. ↩