Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: Interest

Collocations with the word “interest” are essential for expressing enthusiasm, curiosity, or attention naturally in IELTS Writing and Speaking. Mastering adjective, verb, and noun collocations will help you describe preferences, hobbies, and public attention with accuracy.

Common Adjective Collocations with “Interest”

Exercise 1: Complete the Sentences

Use these adjectives: main – keen – passing – real – shared – unhealthy

1. We looked at a number of brochures, but I could tell by her lack of enthusiasm that she had no real interest in going on holiday with me.
2. We’re more than a little worried by our son’s unhealthy interest in guns and death.
3. I have a wide range of interests, but my main interest is bird-watching.
4. When Jane and I first met, we discovered we had a number of shared interests – classical music, modern painting, and skiing.
5. No, my husband no longer collects stamps. It was only a passing interest.
6. During his visit, the Prince expressed a keen interest in seeing how chocolate was produced.

Answer Key: 1. real, 2. unhealthy, 3. main, 4. shared, 5. passing, 6. keen

IELTS Tip: Adjective + interest collocations are useful for IELTS Speaking Part 1 or 2 when talking about hobbies and personal preferences.

Verb + Interest

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Verb

1. Halfway through this morning’s grammar lesson, my interest began to sag. I began to lose interest.
2. Spielberg’s latest film has aroused a lot of interest. Everybody is talking about it.
3. What kind of father is Edward? He doesn’t seem to show much interest in his children.
4. My wife and I share an interest in gardening. We spend most of our free time either working in the garden or visiting gardens.
5. These days it takes a very good lecturer to hold the students’ interest for an hour.
6. Teachers who take a real interest in their students find that they get better results than teachers who just do their jobs and no more.

Answer Key: 1. lose, 2. aroused, 3. show, 4. share, 5. hold, 6. take

IELTS Tip: Verbs with “interest” help describe engagement and attention in essays or IELTS Speaking:

• The teacher held the students’ interest by using interactive activities.
• The documentary aroused my interest in wildlife conservation.

Exercise 3: Match the Two Halves

1. Unlike her brother, d. Beth has never expressed any interest in sport.
2. The use of child labour is an issue a. which has aroused a great deal of public interest.
3. Our youngest son, Jamie, is only 12, e. but he seems to be developing an interest in girls.
4. I think last night’s program on Channel 4 f. has created quite an interest in the new electric car.
5. Do you think it’s right for parents b. to take an interest in the children’s friends?
6. Why did so many teachers in the past c. kill most students’ interest in their subjects?

Answer Key: 1. d, 2. a, 3. e, 4. f, 5. b, 6. c

Noun + of + Interest

Exercise 4: Complete the Sentences

Use these nouns: lack – site – places – spark – building – source

1. You certainly won’t be bored in Edinburgh. There are many places of interest to visit.
2. My young children continue to fascinate me. They are a constant source of interest.
3. The trip was cancelled due to lack of interest. Only three tickets had been sold.
4. Despite our best efforts to get our children interested in classical music, they didn’t show a single spark of interest!
5. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is a building of huge architectural interest.
6. Just down the road from here is a site of great historical interest. It was where one of the biggest battles between England and Scotland took place.

Answer Key: 1. places, 2. source, 3. lack, 4. spark, 5. building, 6. site

IELTS Tip: Noun + of + interest collocations are useful for IELTS Writing Task 2 essays about tourism, education, or cultural topics.

Notes and Usage Tips

1. In verbs for Exercise 2, you can also use generate or attract interest.
2. “Outside interests” are hobbies not connected to your job. He has no outside interests. His work is his life.
3. “In the public interest” means something is for the good of the people. The government believes it is in the public interest that these facts are made known.
4. “Interests” can also refer to advantages or benefits. The interests of local fishing communities must be protected.
5. Common adjective expressions: I read your article with great interest. I took a keen interest in what he had to say.

Mastering collocations with “interest” is essential for IELTS success. It allows you to describe hobbies, preferences, and attention clearly in Speaking, write persuasive and coherent essays in Writing, and understand topics related to public attention, culture, or education in Reading and Listening.

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