Lesson 2: Common Adjective + Noun Collocations
Natural-Sounding Descriptions
In our last lesson, you learned how certain verbs and nouns are natural partners. The same is true for adjectives and nouns! While you can say 'a big rain', a native speaker would almost always say 'heavy rain1'. Learning these natural 'adjective + noun' collocations2 will make your English descriptions sound much more fluent.
What are Adjective + Noun Collocations?
This type of collocation involves an adjective that is the most natural and common partner for a specific noun. Learning them together as a 'chunk' is a very effective strategy.
| Adjective + Noun | Meaning / Context | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| heavy rain | A lot of rain falling. | I couldn't go out because of the heavy rain. |
| strong coffee | Coffee made with a lot of coffee grounds. | I need a cup of strong coffee to wake up this morning. |
| fast food3 | Food like burgers or fried chicken that is served very quickly. | It's not healthy to eat fast food every day. |
| a loud noise | A sound that is very easy to hear. | I heard a loud noise outside my window last night. |
| hard work4 | Work that requires a lot of effort. | Becoming a doctor requires years of hard work. |
| high price | An expensive cost. | The hotels in the city center have very high prices. |
| a close friend | A very good friend who you know well and trust. | Srey is a close friend of mine; I can tell her anything. |
Usage Note: Why Learn These Pairs?
Learning these collocations as a single 'chunk' is a very effective strategy.
- It's Efficient: You learn two words at once and how they work together.
- It Avoids Mistakes: You will automatically say 'heavy rain' instead of guessing with 'big rain' or 'strong rain'.
- It Improves Fluency: Your brain doesn't have to search for the right adjective; it already knows the natural partner for the noun.
In Conversation
Srey and Bora are talking while sitting in a cafe.
Srey: Oh, look at that heavy rain! I'm glad we are inside.
Bora: Me too. I'm going to have a cup of strong coffee to warm up. Do you want one?
Srey: No, thank you. Coffee keeps me awake at night. I think I'm just tired from all the hard work this week.
Bora: I understand. It's good to relax with a close friend like you.
Srey: I agree! Did you hear that loud noise a minute ago?
Bora: No, I didn't hear anything. Maybe it was from the fast food restaurant next door. It's always busy.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. I need to wake up, so I will have some ______ coffee.
- a) big
- b) heavy
- c) strong
Click to see the answer
Answer: c) strong (The correct collocation is 'strong coffee').
2. It is raining a lot. This is called ______ rain.
- a) hard
- b) heavy
- c) big
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) heavy (The correct collocation is 'heavy rain').
3. Which phrase is a common and natural collocation?
- a) a quick food
- b) fast food
- c) a speed food
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) fast food
edit Your Mission
- My Collocations: Complete these common collocations: 1. high ______ (a mountain or a cost); 2. a loud ______; 3. hard ______.
- Find Your Own: Look up the noun 'traffic' in an online learner's dictionary. What adjective is often used with it? (Hint: it also means a lot of something). Write a sentence.
- Speak: Your mission is to use two adjective + noun collocations from this lesson in a conversation today. (e.g., "The hard work made me tired." or "I don't like fast food.")
book Lesson Glossary
- heavy rain (collocation) - Khmer: ភ្លៀងខ្លាំង - A lot of rain. ↩
- Collocation (noun) - Khmer: ការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នា - A group of words that are often used together in a way that sounds natural. ↩
- fast food (collocation) - Khmer: អាហាររហ័ស - Food that is prepared and served very quickly. ↩
- hard work (collocation) - Khmer: ការងារលំបាក - Work that requires a lot of effort. ↩