Using Collocation to Boost your IELTS Score-Key Word:Occasion

Key Word:Occasion

Verb+Occasion

1. Use the correct form of these verbs :

1. Remember it’s a wedding that you’re going to. Make sure you______for the occasion. Have you got a dark suit?
2. My husband is fifty next week. We’re having a big party to______the occasion.
3. The Prime Minister opened a new school in London and he______the occasion to announce the government’s intention to spend more money on primary schools.
4. They seem a very nice couple, don’t they? I’ll never______the occasion when they screamed and shouted at each other in public.

Common Adjective Collocations

2. Complete the sentences below with the following :

1. As my parents’ golden wedding was an extra______occasion, we let off a lot of fireworks.
2. OK! I’ll speak to him about his behaviour – but only if a______occasion arises.
3. We listened to his speech and tried not to laugh – a funeral is meant to be a solemn and______occasion.
4. Yes, I know Hans. We’ve met on two _________ occasions, once in Hamburg, the other time in London.
5. I’m sure I’m speaking for everyone when I say that this has been both an enjoyable and a truly______occasion. It’s certainly one that I will never forget.
6. The Millennium was a very______occasion. People were singing and dancing in the streets.

Common Expressions

3. Complete the sentences below with these adjectives and determines :

1. You usually beat Dave easily. How did he get the better of you on______occasion?
2. My mother is now over 80 and can be very demanding. On______occasion, she called me in the middle of the night asking me to come round to her house to make her a cup of tea!
3. Smith has been late now on______than one occasion. I think we’re going to have to speak to him.
4. Jane and I talk about lots of things, but I just can’t remember what we were discussing on that______occasion.
5. His work has been unsatisfactory now on a______of occasions. If it happens again, we’ll have no choice but to dismiss him.
6. I don’t really smoke. I just have a cigar on the very______occasion.

Noun+Preposition+Occasion

4. Use these nouns to complete the expressions :

1. The music, the flowers and the crowds gave the event a real feeling of importance. They gave the wedding a real______of occasion.
2. I know she doesn’t really like party games, but she decided to join in and she seemed to enjoy herself. She certainly entered into the______of the occasion.
3. His behaviour during the awards ceremony was rude and inappropriate. It was definitely not in______with the occasion.
4. The room was full of men in grey suits, but the presence of the Prime Minister’s wife in a beautiful green silk dress added a much needed______to the occasion.

Answer Key

Ex 1:

1. dress
2. celebrate
3. used
4. forget

Ex 2 :

1. special
2. suitable
3. serious
4. previous
5. memorable
6. festive

Ex 3 :

1. this
2. one
3. more
4. particular
5. number
6. odd

Ex 4 :

1. sense
2. spirit
3. keeping
4. sparkle

Also check :

• Best IELTS Vocabulary books
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• Sports Vocabulary IELTS
• English Pronunciation in use Intermediate pdf
• Work Vocabulary IELTS
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS