Rule Collocation for IELTS - Advanced Vocabulary for Band 8+

Nehasri Ravishenbagam

6 min read

Updated On Nov 12, 2025

Want to learn how to use Band 8+ phrases about laws, norms, and regulations in your answers? Learn advanced vocabulary by discovering the list of Rule Collocation for IELTS along with its meaning and example to use it in formal and academic contexts.

Rule Collocation for IELTS - Advanced Vocabulary for Band 8+

List of Rule Collocation for IELTS
Exercise on Rule Collocation for IELTS

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The natural and precise use of vocabulary skills is vital for scoring a Band 8 + for which you can use the Rule Collocation for IELTS. To showcase your ability to use advanced vocabulary words, you can use such word pairings in the IELTS Exam. By familiarizing yourself with the list along with its meaning and grammatical structures, you can seamlessly fit them in both writing and speaking sections. With practice, you can confidently use them when talking about law, behaviour, education or society.

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List of Rule Collocation for IELTS

Using Rule Collocation for IELTS would not only make your language sound more fluent and natural but it also helps you to be more precise when expressing your ideas. Remember that it is vital to be aware of how to use such collocations in your sentences so that your IELTS Grammar is appropriate. Let’s look at the table below to be aware of the list of Rule Collocations with their meanings, examples.

Collocation	Meaning	Example
Follow the rules	To act in accordance with the laws or guidelines that have been established.	To keep the order in school, students have to follow the rules.
Break the rules	To contravene or infringe the rules.	When some people are sure that punishments are not going to be applied they tend to break the rules.
Lay down rules	To make public the official rules or principles.	The administration should lay down rules to assure equal treatment in the labor market.
Enforce rules	Guarantee that the rules are followed	The authorities have to enforce the rules without exception.
Bend rules	To make it possible for the rules to be followed with flexibility	In rare cases teachers do bend the rules to help the student they consider to be in special condition.
Abide by the rules	Acknowledge and comply with the rules	The citizens need to abide by the rules to maintain peace.
Apply rules	To put into use	The manager tried to apply the rules correctly for resolving the conflict.
Violate the rules	Ignore the rules	Companies that violate the environmental protection rules should pay fines.
Establish clear rules	Make simple rules which can be followed	The schools need to establish clear rules for online learning.
Bend rules	Flexibility in the application of rules	Teachers bend the rules to understand the problems which students face.
Establish ground rules	Clarify the basic or fundamental rules	The manager established ground rules for teamwork before starting the project.
Enact rules	Give official approval to the new law	The parliament enacted rules to limit the use of plastic bags.

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Exercise on Rule Collocation for IELTS

As you are aware of the different word pairings with the term ‘rule’, it is time to put this knowledge into practice. The exercises given below will help pinpoint the appropriate situations, making the sentence flow naturally. Let’s attempt the exercises and remember to focus on the context when selecting the correct answer.

EXERCISE 1. Use the correct form of these verbs and incorporate the collocation ‘Verb + Rules’.

change	come into effect
enforce	stipulate

1 There is no point in having rules unless they are_________________.

2 In the UK school rules often_________________ that no pupil is allowed out of school during school hours.

3 The new rules for handling meat products_________________ from Monday next week.

4 The proposal to_________________ the rules was narrowly defeated by 403 votes to 401. Things will remain as they were.

EXERCISE 2. Complete the sentences with these nouns:

adherence	exceptions
set	violation

1 When our daughter started at her new school, she had to learn a whole new_________________of rules.

2 The investigation showed that the pilot of the crashed plane had not broken any rules or regulations. In particular, there had been no_________________of air safety rules.

3 There are always_________________ to grammar rules, but maybe that means there’s something wrong with the rules!

4 The new manager’s strict_________________to the rules made him unpopular. Sometimes you have to bend the rules a little!

EXERCISE 3. Underline the 10 verbs that collocate with rules:

1 There are stiff fines for breaking the rules.

2 If competitors do not follow the rules, their team will lose points.

3 Safety rules are routinely flouted on the building site. It’s dangerous to disregard them.

4 I’m sorry, madam, but we have to go by the rules. I can’t change them just for you.

5 Staff must abide by the new rules. Those who refuse to comply with them will be dismissed.

6 Do we have to stick rigidly to the rules? Can’t you bend them just a little?

Now divide the above verbs into two groups:

obey: _________________________________
disobey: ________________________________

EXERCISE 4. Use these words to complete the sentences:

ground	strict
present	petty
hard and fast	first

1 Before we can even begin to settle this dispute, we need to agree the _________________ rules first. Without these basic rules in place, we’ll get nowhere!

2 Under the_________________rules, you can bring 1,000 cigarettes into the country. A few years ago you were only allowed 200.

3 There are rules which are not official, but which people accept and obey. For example, you can wear what you like to my work. There’s no_________________rule that says you can’t wear jeans. It’s just that most people don’t.

4 Orthodox Jews will only eat kosher food which has been prepared according to very_________________rules.

5 The students complain that they are subjected to too many_________________rules. For example, many think that having to walk up steps one at a time is mad!

6 The_________________rule of good management is – learn to delegate!

Notes

1. Note the expression ‘as a rule’:

We don’t travel business class – as a rule – but it depends on the length of the flight.

2. Workers who ‘work to rule’ do what they must do, but nothing extra. For example:

The work-to-rule by postal workers has meant that some deliveries are not taking place as part of their action.
It means there is an overtime ban.

3. If you ‘bend’ or ‘stretch’ the rules, you do something that is not normally allowed:

I might be able to bend the rules just this one time and because it’s you. I wouldn’t do it for anyone else, you know!

Answers for the Exercise on Rule Collocation for IELTS

Now is the time to very carefully check your answers. By closely looking at the correct answers, you will have a clearer understanding of how each collocation is used in a sentence. Such evaluation will identify your weak points which will help in your vocabulary improvement for both writing and speaking parts of the exam. With continuous practice, you will achieve your goal of IELTS Band Score of 8+.

EXERCISE 1.

1. enforced	2. stipulate
3. come into effect	4. change

EXERCISE 2.

1. set	2. violation
3. exceptions	4. adherence

EXERCISE 3.

a) follow, go by, abide by, comply with, stick to

b) break, flout, disregard, change, bend

EXERCISE 4.

1. ground	2. present	3. hard and fast
4. strict	5. petty	6. first

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Using Rule Collocation for IELTS is an effective technique of improving your language proficiency level for the IELTS test. With practice, you will develop your ability to express ideas clearly, particularly in discussions on law, education or human behavior. Therefore, make it a point to regularly learn the expressions in context, use them in your answers and catch how the locals use them naturally.