Position Collocation for IELTS: A List to Boost Your Score

Kasturika Samanta

7 min read

Updated On Sep 17, 2025

Boost your IELTS Speaking and Writing scores with position collocations. This guide covers detailed examples of verbs and adjectives used in different contexts with practice exercises to help you sound natural, confident, and exam-ready for Band 7.0+.

Lists of Position Collocations for IELTS to Boost Your Score
Position Collocation for IELTS: Practice Exercises
Notes
Answer Keys for Practice Exercises Position Collocations

Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!

The word ‘position’ is multi-functional, representing a place (physical location), a job role (employment), or an attitude/opinion (point of view). Using such words or learning their collocations can be quite beneficial if you are preparing for the IELTS exam. Therefore, besides knowing what is collocation for IELTS, it is important to explore position collocations for IELTS to enrich your speaking and writing answers.

This blog covers the most important structures, like Verb + Position and Adjective + Position collocations for IELTS, with meanings and exam-style examples, followed by exercises and answer keys to make them a part of your overall vocabulary.

Lists of Position Collocations for IELTS to Boost Your Score

Mastering position collocations will help you express ideas with accuracy, whether you are describing a company role in IELTS Writing Task 2, explaining a physical location in Task 1, or giving your viewpoint in IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Thus, the following tables will provide various position collocations for IELTS. Every table will feature the meaning and the sample sentences for each collocation associated with the word ‘position’.

Verb + Position (Place)

The verb + position collocations given below are used when talking about the location or arrangement of things/people.

Verb + Position	Meaning	Example Sentence
Adjust a position	change the placement slightly	The driver adjusted the seat position for comfort.
Change position	alter or shift one’s place	The speaker changed position to face the audience directly.
Hold a position	stay in a location for a purpose	The photographer held his position to capture the best shot.
Jostle for a position	compete aggressively for a place	Many athletes jostled for a position in the national team.
Move into position	shift to the correct location	The dancers moved into position before the performance began.
Occupy a position	take control of or fill a place	Protesters occupied a position in front of the parliament.
Return to position	go back to the original place	After the drill, students returned to their original positions.
Secure a position	establish oneself in a place safely	The climbers secured their position before setting up camp.
Take (up) a position	occupy a location or stance	The soldiers took a position near the border.

Verb + Position (Job)

These verb + position collocations describe employment roles or professional status, useful in Writing Task 2 (work/education essays) and IELTS Speaking Part 1 (job questions).

Verb + Position	Meaning	Example Sentence
Apply for a position	request employment	Thousands of graduates apply for a position in multinational companies every year.
Accept a position	agree to take a job	She accepted a position as an English lecturer at the university.
Abuse a position	use a role unfairly or corruptly	The politician was accused of abusing his position for personal gain.
Create a position	establish a new job role	The firm created a position for a social media strategist.
Fill a position	hire someone for a vacancy	The HR department filled the vacant position within two weeks.
Hold a position	maintain employment in a role	He has held a managerial position for over a decade.
Promote to a position	move to a higher role	She was promoted to the position of marketing manager.
Resign from a position	leave a job voluntarily	He resigned from his position to pursue higher studies abroad.
Rise to a position	progress to a higher role	Through dedication, she rose to the position of director.
Strengthen a position	make one’s job role more secure	The new project helped him strengthen his position in the company.

Verb + Position (Attitude or Opinion)

Expressing opinion is an integral part of IELTS opinion essays in Writing Task 2 as well as Speaking Part 3. As a result, these collocations help you express opinions or stances naturally.

Verb + Position	Meaning	Example Sentence
Clarify a position	make your viewpoint more understandable	The speaker clarified his position during the debate.
Defend a position	support or justify an opinion	Students must defend their position with evidence in IELTS Task 2.
State a position	express one’s viewpoint clearly	In her essay, she stated her position on globalization.
Maintain a position	keep the same stance	Despite pressure, the activist maintained her position.
Make a position clear	express a stance firmly	The chairman made his position clear on the company’s new policy.
Reconsider a position	think again about an opinion	After discussion, the committee reconsidered its position.
Shift a position	change one’s opinion or stance	The minister shifted his position after public backlash.
Soften a position	reduce the strictness of a stance	The negotiators softened their position to reach a compromise.
Take a position	adopt an attitude or opinion	The government took a strong position on environmental protection.

Common Adjective + Position Collocations

Adjectives describe the nature, importance, or status of a position. These are useful in both formal writing and speaking answers.

Adjective + Position	Meaning	Example Sentence
Awkward position	an uncomfortable or difficult situation	He was in an awkward position when asked to choose between two friends.
Enviable position	a highly desirable or admired situation	Graduates with strong English skills are in an enviable position when applying abroad.
Junior position	an entry-level role	Graduates usually start with a junior position in companies.
Neutral position	a stance without bias	The mediator remained in a neutral position during the discussion.
Official position	the publicly declared stance	The official position of the school is to ban mobile phones.
Prominent position	a highly visible or important role	She holds a prominent position in the field of medical research.
Senior position	a high-level job role	She works in a senior position at a law firm.
Sheltered position	a protected or safe place	The hikers rested in a sheltered position away from the strong winds.
Similar position	a role or situation comparable to another	I worked in a similar position before joining my current company.
Strategic position	an advantageous location or stance	The hotel is in a strategic position near the airport.
Strong position	a powerful or secure stance	The company is in a strong position to dominate the market.
Upright position	standing or sitting straight	During the exam, candidates must remain in an upright position for security checks.
Weak position	a disadvantaged stance	Without financial support, the charity is in a weak position.
Vulnerable position	an exposed or weak situation	Without financial support, the family was left in a vulnerable position.

Explore our Vocabulary for IELTS to boost your IELTS vocabulary!

Position Collocation for IELTS: Practice Exercises

There are a few exercises given below that you will have to complete to assist you in improving your understanding and your ability to use position collocations for the IELTS test.

Exercise A: Use the correct form of these verbs.

jostle for

occupy

change

take up

Government troops have______defensive positions around the capital.
I get cramp in one leg when I drive, so I have to keep______position on long journeys.
The castle______a commanding position at the top of a hill with unrivalled views of the surrounding countryside.
People in the crowd______the best positions to see the princess as she arrived at the theatre.

Exercise B: Use the correct form of these verbs.

abuse	apply for	strengthen
rise	hold	fill

Our sales manager is leaving, and I’m thinking of______the position.
She has______the position of chief accountant since 1994.
This latest move is clearly intended to______the President’s position as head of state.
I’m afraid it’s too late to apply. The position has already been______.
The Minister was sacked for______her position by giving jobs to her friends and cronies.
I started as a clerk, but I’ve______to a senior position in a government office.

Exercise C: Use the correct form of these verbs.

make

take

reconsider

soften

This new evidence on the vaccine has forced the medical profession to seriously______its position on the use of multiple vaccines for young children.
I have______my position as clear as I can. Nothing will change my mind.
My parents always______the position that children need lots of love rather than strict discipline.
The authorities are still taking a hard line on asylum seekers. They show no signs of______their position.

Exercise D: Use these adjectives in the sentences.

awkward	enviable	prominent	upright
sheltered	similar	vulnerable

Don’t plant these bulbs in an exposed place where the wind can get at them. The plants will only thrive in a______position.
Don’t lay the box on its side. Make sure it is kept in an______position at all times.
My parents are in the______position of having enough money to retire.
You should display new books in a______position at the front of the shop where they can be easily seen.
The council put me in contact with other single mothers who are in a______position to me.
I can’t understand why they built houses in such a______position on the slopes of the volcano.
You’ve put me in a very______position. Both candidates are my friends, so I really don’t want to get involved in deciding which one gets the job.

Notes

Note the following expression:
- I’m afraid that as I have no money, I am not in a position to help you.
We talk about a ‘sitting, kneeling, or standing position’.
The question ‘What’s your position?’ can mean either ‘What is your job?’ or ‘What is your stance on this issue?’

Answer Keys for Practice Exercises Position Collocations

Ex A:

taken up
changing
occupies
jostled for

Ex B:

applying for
held
strengthen
filled
abusing
risen

Ex C:

reconsider
made
took
softening

Ex D:

sheltered
upright
enviable
prominent
similar
vulnerable
awkward

To conclude, ‘position’ is a word that appears in both academic and everyday contexts. By mastering its collocations, whether about place, job, or opinion, you will be better prepared to handle a wide range of IELTS topics. So, make a vocabulary notebook where you note down various position collocations, along with your own IELTS-style sentences to improve your IELTS vocabulary, as repetition builds fluency.

Useful Links: