Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Keyword: look

Key word: look

1          Verb + look (appearance)

Use the correct form of these verbs:

give                  have                like

see                   spoil                 tell

1. You should have _________ the look on her face when I told her I was leaving – it was priceless!
2. Did you see the frosty look old Mr Donaldson _________ me? He’s obviously angry with me for some reason.
3. We could _________ by the look on her face that something terrible had happened.
4. If you ask me, the pink doors _________ the look of the house. They look ridiculous.
5. We shouldn’t judge people by their appearance, but I don’t_________ the look of that guy one bit.
6. I don’t know what Jim does, but he _________ the look of an accountant or bank manager.

2          Adjective collocations (act of looking)

Match the two halves of these situations:

1. Take a close look at this picture
2. I wonder if I could have a quick look at
3. I think we need to take a completely fresh look at the problem.
4. This morning’s programme takes a light-hearted look at the world of acting.
5. He took a long, lingering look at his old home
6. The book takes a critical look at
7. I’ve only had the chance to have a cursory look over the papers,
8. I think you need to take a long, hard look at yourself.

a          modem politics in South Africa.

b          and see if you recognise anyone.

c          so I can’t say I fully understand the problem.

d          your newspaper, please?

e          This discussion is getting us nowhere.

f           It promises to be very amusing.

g          before setting off for the airport and a new life in New Zealand.

h          You’re becoming become selfish and self-centred.

Now go back and underline all the adjective + look collocations. The first one is done for you.

3          Verb + look

Use the correct form of these verbs:

 get                  have                sneak               take

1. I’ve_________ another look for my watch, but I still can’t find it anywhere!
2. Our daughter _________ one look at the doctor’s needle and fainted there and then!
3. We were standing at the back, so we pushed our way to the front of the crowd to_________ a better look at the carnival as it passed.
4. I have to confess that I _________ a look at her private diary when she was out of the room. I couldn’t believe what I read.

4          Adjective collocations (appearance)

Use these adjectives in the sentences:

curious            distant             filthy

vacant               hurt                   wild

1. There was a _________ look in her eyes – her mind was obviously on something else.
2. Do you remember a boy in our class at primary school? His name was Dave Smithers. He wasn’t very bright and always had a _________ look in his eyes as if nobody was there!
3. The stranger had a _________ look in her eyes. It was hard to tell if she was frightened or simply crazy.
4. Why did you give me such a_________ look during the meeting? It wasn’t you I was criticising!
5. We just couldn’t stop laughing. That’s why we were getting such _________looks from passers-by!
6. Why have you got such a_________ look on your face? You look as though someone has just criticised you.

ANSWER KEY

Ex 1:    l. seen 2.gave              3. tell   4. spoil             5. like              6. has

Ex 2:    l-b        2-d       3-e       4-f      5-g       6-a       7-c       8-h

Ex 3:    l. had               2. took             3. get               4. sneaked

Ex 4:    1. distant     2. vacant     3. wild     4. filthy     5. curious    6. hurt

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