In the Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET) Reading Part 5, the examiners aren’t just testing your vocabulary—they are testing your knowledge of collocations. As a Professor of English, I often see students choose an answer because the meaning makes sense, only to find out it was wrong because the grammar didn’t fit. In this article, I will show you the three types of collocations that appear most frequently and how to spot them in seconds.
What is a Collocation?
A collocation is a pair or group of words that are habitually used together. Think of them as “word friends.” For example:
- We say “make a decision,” not “do a decision.”
- We say “highly successful,” not “strongly successful.”
In Part 5, the gap is often surrounded by a “word friend” that tells you exactly which answer is correct.
1. Verb + Preposition Collocations
This is the most common trap in the PET exam. The examiner will give you four verbs with similar meanings, but only one works with the preposition following the gap.
Example: “The success of the project _______ on everyone working together.” (A) stays (B) depends (C) carries (D) insists
The Professor’s Logic: All these words imply a state of being or action, but only “depends” collocates with the word “on.”
- Tip: Always look at the word immediately after the gap before you look at the options.
2. Adjective + Preposition Collocations
Similar to verbs, adjectives have “favorite” prepositions.
Common B1 Pairs to Memorize:
- Interested in…
- Proud of…
- Famous for…
- Similar to…
If you see “of” after the gap, and your options are “interested,” “proud,” “similar,” and “known,” your logic should immediately lead you to proud.
3. Fixed Phrases
These are groups of words that never change. They act as a single unit of meaning.
- In a hurry
- On holiday
- By mistake
- At the moment
Example: “I left my umbrella on the bus _______ mistake.” (A) with (B) by (C) in (D) through
Even though “with mistake” might sound okay in some languages, in English, the fixed phrase is always “by mistake.”
How to Study Collocations (The Professor’s Way)
Do not study lists of single words. Instead:
- Read in Blocks: When you read a text, highlight word pairs, not just single words.
- Use a Collocation Dictionary: Tools like the Oxford Collocations Dictionary are invaluable.
- Create “Logic Tables”: In your notebook, create columns for prepositions (at, in, on, for) and list the verbs/adjectives that go with them.
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