Using Collocation to Boost Your IELTS Score – Key Word: luck
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Key Word: luck
1 Verb + luck
Use the correct form of these verbs:
believe bring
hold push
run out of trust
wish have
- So far I haven’t __________ any luck finding a job. I haven’t had one interview yet.
- She wears some kind of charm around her neck. She thinks it’ll __________ her luck.
- I could hardly __________ my luck when I found my wallet still lying in the middle of the road where I dropped it.
- The prisoner evaded police for four days, but he eventually __________ luck when he was caught on video stealing food from a small store.
- However hard you prepare for an exam, you still have to __________ to luck to a certain extent. Last year I was in luck when one of the essay titles I had prepared came up in the final examination.
- At my leaving party my boss shook my hand and __________ me luck in my new career.
- The team are playing well and if their luck __________ they could win the cup and the championship.
- You didn’t get caught last time, but don’t __________ your luck! You might not be so lucky next time.
2 Common adjective collocations
Choose the more natural collocation in the sentences below:
- Superstitious people believe that if you walk under a ladder, it brings you __________ luck. (bad / poor)
- __________ luck with your driving test tomorrow! (great / good)
- You say ‘Oh, __________ luck’ to somebody to express sympathy with them when something unlucky has happened to them. (hard / terrible)
- It was __________ luck that we met. I wasn’t even supposed to be in London that day. (complete / sheer)
- __________ luck next time! I’m sure with a little extra practice you’ll be able to beat him. (better / greater)
3 Useful expressions
Use these expressions in the sentences below:
for luck in luck out of luck
- You’re__________ ! We’ve got one pair of these shoes left in your size in black.
- I always wear this cross round my neck __________ .
- I’m sorry, you seem to be __________. We don’t have this model in stock at the moment.
by a stroke of luck a run of luck
with a bit of luck your lucky day
- This is__________ ! We’ve just had a cancellation. The dentist can see you this morning.
- __________ someone was passing, heard my mother shouting for help and called the police.
- I had __________ at the casino last night, but in the end I lost more than I won.
- Come on, this isn’t a difficult climb. We’ll be back in time for dinner __________ .
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Notes 1. In 2-3 ‘bad’ or ‘tough’ luck are also possible. In 2-4 ‘pure luck’ is also possible. 2. Note how we ask if somebody has been successful: Have you had any luck with your job-hunting? Any luck with your flat-hunting? 3. If you’re ‘down on your luck’, you are in need of money after a period of bad luck: I bought the car from a friend who was down on his luck. 4. We often reassure people that life will get better: Perhaps your luck will change. You never know! 5. When we say ‘Some people have all the luck!’, we wish we had what they had: I’ve just won £10,000 on the lottery! => Some people have all the luck!
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ANSWER KEY
Ex 1:
- had 2. bring 3. believe 4. ran out of 5. trust 6. wished 7. holds 8. push
Ex 2:
- bad 2. Good 3. hard 4. sheer 5. Better
Ex 3:
- in luck
- for luck
- out of luck
- your lucky day
- By a stroke of luck
- a run of luck
- with a bit of luck
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