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Use Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: Offer
Offer 1 Verb + offer Use the correct form of these verbs: accept make turn down put in up withdraw Marie must be mad! She’s declined an offer of an all-expenses-paid weekend in Prague! > Yes, she__________ a similar offer last year. I’d never refuse an offer like that! It was well after midnight. Andrew suggested that I stay the night at his place and I __________ the offer. I wouldn’t usually do that, but he’s got two spare rooms. The company have offered us a 5% salary increase. However, if we don’t agree within seven days, the offer will...
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Use Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: suggestion
suggestion 1 Verb + suggestion Use the correct form of the verbs: agree to have ignore reject make welcome Can I___________ a suggestion? Try turning the key in the opposite direction. I’m sure that’ll work. Have you got a few minutes to spare? I ___________ a suggestion I want to put to you. I know it’s not a good idea. I only___________ her suggestion in order not to upset her. Please use the form provided to make any comments on your stay at our hotel. We would___________ any suggestions you have for improving our services to our customers. You can...
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Use Collocation to Hike up Your IELTS Score – Key Word: subject
Subject 1 Verb + subject Use the correct form of these verbs: change come up deal with drop get onto talk about Can we ____________ a different subject please? I really don’t like talking about other people behind their backs. When I asked him about his job, he just ____________ the subject like a hot potato! How did we____________ the subject of your mother? I thought we were discussing holidays. His poems often ____________ the subject of death. I asked Richard about the money he owed me, but he just____________ the subject and started talking about his health problems. We...
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Use Collocation to Improve Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a series of
a series of 1 Series of + noun Complete the sentences with these nouns: results events explosions lectures murders strikes reports tests We’ll need to put you through a series of _____________ to discover what is wrong with you. The police are trying to determine the series of _____________ that led up to the disappearance of the child. Leeds City Football Club have sacked their manager after a series of disappointing _____________ . A series of unsolved _____________ in Berlin have raised fears that a serial killer is on the loose. Professor Wilson will give a series of _____________ at...
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Using Collocation to Ace The IELTS – Key Word: Decision
Decision 1 Verb + decision Use the correct form of these verbs: influence justify abide by reverse Nobody knows how the headmaster can ___________ his decision to spend £3,000 on computers when there is an acute shortage of books in the school. Our boss is a very honest and fair man. No matter what you say or what you offer him, you will not ___________ his decision in any way. All competitors must ___________ the judges’ decision. No appeals will be allowed. I’m sorry, but we can’t ___________ our decision without having another board meeting. The next one isn’t for...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a great deal of
Key Word: a great deal of A great deal of + noun Deal – used on its own – is not a common word, but a great deal of is used in many different situations. Complete the sentences with these words: concentration soul-searching time and effort work controversy publicity truth trouble Fox-hunting is a sport which arouses a great deal of ____________ in the UK. This job requires a great deal of ____________. You can’t relax for a minute. We have invested a great deal of ____________ in setting up this meeting. I hope it was all worth it...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a list of
Key Word: a list of 1 Verb + list of Use the correct form of these verbs: make find leave cross publish memorise We were burgled last night. The police have asked us to __________ a list of everything that’s missing. At the back of your handout you will __________ a list of the books that I have referred to during the lecture. The English teacher made us__________ the whole list of irregular verbs. It took ages! Every year The Times __________ a list of the 30 richest people in the UK. My wife went off on holiday and__________...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: A matter of
Key Word: a matter of Matter of + noun Complete the sentences with these nouns: urgency dispute conscience interest It was very difficult for my grandfather to refuse to join the army in 1939, but for him it was a matter of ____________. He’s been a pacifist all his life. It remains a matter of____________ whether he did the right thing. Some people believe his actions have made the situation worse. This is a matter of considerable____________ to me, so I’ll gladly come to the meeting. This case is a matter of the greatest____________ to us all and must have...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a part of
a part of 1 Part of + noun Complete the sentences with these nouns: bargain blame life problem day treatment story experience Management will have to take part of the ___________ for the failure of the project. We spent part of the___________ in the art gallery, looking at their incredible collection of Picassos. Going bungee jumping is all part of the ___________ of spending a gap year in New Zealand. Yes, I’ll lend you my car if you let me use your flat next month, but how do I know if you’ll keep your part of the ___________ ? Voters...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a range of
a range of 1 Range of + noun Complete the sentences with these nouns: activities options products issues models opinions subjects uses For someone with your qualifications, there is a huge range of ___________ open to you. The careers advisory service are here to help you make the best decision. Oil is a very important substance because it has a wide range of industrial __________ . The speaker will deal with a broad range of ___________ affecting the teaching profession. The La Manga complex offers a wide range of sporting___________ for both children and adults. Each student’s ability is tested...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a sense of
a sense of 1 Sense of (feeling) Complete the sentences with these nouns: community achievement alarm loss Passing my driving test first time gave me a great sense of ______________ . We felt a growing sense of ______________ when my daughter had not returned home by midnight. She said she’d be home by 11. There’s a real sense of ______________in this neighbourhood. Everybody is very caring and friendly. He felt a deep sense of ______________ after the death of his wife. outrage importance well-being security Helmets can give cyclists a false sense of _____________ . They don’t give riders as...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score-Key Word:a sign of
Key Word:a sign of Verb+Sign of Use the correct form of these verbs: find see show The tyres on my car are beginning to______signs of wear. I’ll need to replace them soon. We must stick to our original plan. Any change of policy will be______as a sign of weakness. The detectives searched the house from top to bottom, but they______no sign of the stolen goods. (Be) a sign of 2. Match the two halves of these sentences: 1. A fall in unemployment is one sign of a. rain 2. Spelling words incorrectly is a common sign of b. strength, not...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score-Key Word:a stage of
Key Word:a stage of Stage of+Noun Complete the sentences with these nouns: campaign competition course development disease journey By the time his relatives called the doctor, old Harry was in the advanced stages of______the and there was little the doctors could do for him except make him as comfortable as possible. All the British teams were eliminated in the knockout stage of the______. Students are tested at the end of each stage of the______. The children are at different stages of______so they have to be taught in small groups. The last stage of our______was by helicopter from the small airstrip...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: a waste of
a waste of Waste of + noun Complete the sentences with these nouns: talent time effort Our meeting achieved absolutely nothing. It was a complete waste of ___________ . She graduated from university with a first-class degree in music, but has been unable to get a job. What a waste of ___________ ! We spent days decorating the spare room – then a water pipe burst and flooded it. All our work was ruined. What a waste of ___________ . resources human life money Lots of people believe that the building of this statue is a scandalous waste of taxpayers’...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: disaster
Key word: disaster 1 Verb + disaster Use the correct form of these verbs: avert court head for spell end in strike Disaster__________ when the plane’s engine failed shortly after take-off. An airliner came close to disaster while approaching Kennedy Airport yesterday. Fortunately, the disaster was narrowly __________ by the quick reactions of the pilot. The business was__________ financial disaster until a new manager arrived to save the situation. The discovery of foot and mouth disease in British cattle __________ disaster for many British farmers. Many went out of business as a result. Drinking and driving is stupid and irresponsible....
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: date
Key Word: date 1 Verb + date Use the correct form of these verbs: bring forward confirm delay fix change make We don’t have a date for our next meeting. We need to __________ one before we all leave today. Can we __________ the date of our AGM? We said May 16th. Is that still all right with everyone? The date of the wedding had to be __________ six months when Di discovered she was pregnant. A series of strikes by construction workers has __________ the opening date of the new airport by six weeks. Sorry we had to __________...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: criticism
criticism 1 Verb + criticism Use the correct form of these verbs: aim resent take single out for I’m very angry at the report on my teaching. I deeply ______________ the inspector’s criticism. The manager is very sensitive. He just can’t ______________ criticism. I don’t know how he got the job. The whole team was responsible for our poor performance. I don’t understand why I was______________ criticism by the manager. Criticism has been levelled at the government for the increase in hospital waiting lists. Most of the criticism has been______________ at the Minister. Go back and underline the verb collocations....
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score-Key Word:Cost
Key Word:Cost Verb+Cost Use the correct form of these verbs: calculate claim back cover depend on cut spread When we had the idea of making a video, we thought we would make a lot of money, but, in the end, we didn’t even______our costs. Cheap labour from abroad is being used to keep costs down. A number of factories have also been closed in an attempt to______costs. The cost of repairing the damage caused by the storms has been______at over £20 million. Whether or not we go on holiday to New Zealand will______the cost of the flights. I paid for...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score-Key Word:Control
Key Word:Control Verb+Control Use the correct form of these verbs: exercise go out of have keep lose take The rebels have______control of the city. They seized control early this morning when they stormed the presidential palace and assassinated the President. I don’t know what happened. I just______control of the car and went into the ditch. I think it must have been a patch of ice. When he was giving his speech at the wedding, you could tell he was very emotional by the way he struggled to______control of his voice. A lot of parents______absolutely no control over their own children...
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Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: consequence
consequence 1 Verb + consequence Use the correct form of these verbs: consider fear ignore realise suffer understand I’ve had too many late nights over the past few weeks. I’m now __________ the consequences! My friend Neil can be very irresponsible. He’s always making snap decisions and never __________ the consequences. The lawyer said that her client fully __________ the consequences of her actions and was prepared to go to jail for them. You__________ the consequences of smoking at your peril. I’d give it up now if I were you. The peace process has broken down again. I think the...
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