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

Improving your knowledge of collocations is one of the best ways to enhance your IELTS Speaking and Writing scores. The word “luck” appears frequently in everyday English and is used in many idiomatic expressions. Learning its natural combinations will help you sound fluent and confident during the IELTS test.

This lesson explores verb, adjective, and expression collocations with “luck,” along with examples, meanings, and practice exercises.

Verb + Luck

Here are some common verbs that naturally collocate with luck. Study them carefully and use them in your IELTS answers to express experiences, outcomes, and attitudes more naturally.

Exercise

Use the correct form of these verbs:
believe | bring | hold | push | run out of | trust | wish | have

1. So far I haven’t __________ any luck finding a job. I haven’t had one interview yet.
2. She wears some kind of charm around her neck. She thinks it’ll __________ her luck.
3. I could hardly __________ my luck when I found my wallet still lying in the middle of the road where I dropped it.
4. The prisoner evaded police for four days, but he eventually __________ luck when he was caught on video stealing food from a small store.
5. 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.
6. At my leaving party, my boss shook my hand and __________ me luck in my new career.

Answer Key

1. had
2. bring
3. believe
4. ran out of
5. trust
6. wished

IELTS Usage Example

In IELTS Speaking Part 2, you might be asked to describe a lucky event. Try using these collocations naturally in your answer:

“I couldn’t believe my luck when I found out I’d passed the test. Honestly, I think with a bit of luck, I managed to answer the right questions.”

Common Adjective + Luck Collocations

Certain adjectives frequently go with luck. Knowing these helps you express positive or negative experiences accurately during the IELTS test.

Exercise

Choose the most natural adjective collocation in each sentence:

1. Superstitious people believe that if you walk under a ladder, it brings you __________ luck. (bad / poor)
2. __________ luck with your driving test tomorrow! (great / good)
3. You say “Oh, __________ luck” to someone to express sympathy when something unlucky has happened. (hard / terrible)
4. It was __________ luck that we met. I wasn’t even supposed to be in London that day. (complete / sheer)
5. __________ luck next time! I’m sure with a little extra practice you’ll be able to beat him. (better / greater)

Answer Key

1. bad
2. good
3. hard
4. sheer
5. better

IELTS Examples

• “I had sheer luck when I found a flight ticket on discount just before my trip.”
• “He had hard luck during the interview and missed the opportunity by a few points.”
• “I wished my friend good luck before her IELTS test.”

Using such expressions makes your speech sound natural and spontaneous, a key indicator of Band 7+ fluency.

Useful Expressions with “Luck”

These fixed expressions are very common in spoken English and can make your IELTS Speaking responses more engaging.

Exercise

Use the expressions below to complete the sentences:
for luck | in luck | out of luck | by a stroke of luck | a run of luck | with a bit of luck | your lucky day

1. You’re __________! We’ve got one pair of these shoes left in your size in black.
2. I always wear this cross round my neck __________.
3. I’m sorry, you seem to be __________. We don’t have this model in stock at the moment.
4. This is __________! We’ve just had a cancellation. The dentist can see you this morning.
5. __________ someone was passing, heard my mother shouting for help and called the police.

Answer Key

1. in luck
2. for luck
3. out of luck
4. your lucky day
5. by a stroke of luck

IELTS Usage

In IELTS Speaking Part 1, if asked about luck or superstition, you could say:

“I don’t really believe in superstitions, but I sometimes carry a bracelet for luck when I have an important test.”

Notes on Usage

1. In expressions like “bad luck,” you can also say “tough luck.”
   Example: “Tough luck! Maybe next time you’ll win.”
2. To ask if someone has succeeded, we use:
   Example: “Any luck finding a new apartment?”
3. If someone is down on their luck, it means they’re having financial or personal difficulties.
   Example: “I bought the car from a friend who was down on his luck.”
4. We often reassure people by saying:
   Example: “Perhaps your luck will change. You never know!”
5. The phrase Some people have all the luck! is used when we wish we had someone else’s fortune.
   Example: “He won another free trip? Some people have all the luck!”

IELTS Vocabulary Practice – “Luck” Collocations

Here are some useful examples to practice and include in your IELTS answers:

Mastering collocations with “luck” helps you speak and write more fluently in IELTS. These expressions add authenticity to your language and allow you to describe experiences more vividly. Whether you’re discussing fortune, success, or chance events, using natural collocations will give your speech a polished, native-like tone.

Also Check: 

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