100 Most Common English Collocations List (2026 Edition)

1. MAKE Collocations

We use make when we create, build, construct, or produce something that did not exist before.

• make a decision: It is time to make a decision about our holiday.
• make a mistake: Everyone makes mistakes when learning grammar.
• make progress: You are making great progress in your English classes.
• make an effort: Please make an effort to arrive on time.
• make sense: This math problem doesn't make sense to me.
• make a phone call: I need to make a quick phone call.
• make plans: We are making plans to buy a house in 2026.
• make a promise: Do not make a promise you cannot keep.
• make a difference: Your donation will make a big difference.
• make a noise: Try not to make a noise while the baby is sleeping.
• make money: He wants to make money online.
• make friends: It is easy for kids to make friends at school.
• make a mess: The children made a mess in the living room.
• make an excuse: Stop making excuses for being late.
• make an appointment: I need to make an appointment with the doctor.

2. DO Collocations

We use do for work, jobs, duties, obligations, repetitive actions, or general non-specific activities.

• do homework: You should do your homework before dinner.
• do chores: We split the house chores on weekends.
• do a favor: Can you do me a favor?
• do business: Our company does business in Europe.
• do research: Scientists are doing research on the vaccine.
• do damage: The high winds did severe damage to the roof.
• do laundry: I usually do the laundry on Sundays.
• do your best: It doesn't matter if you fail, as long as you do your best.
• do a job: She did a fantastic job preparing the presentation.
• do exercises: Doing exercises daily keeps you fit.
• do shopping: We need to do some grocery shopping.
• do harm: Spreading rumors can do a lot of harm.
• do hair: She is doing her hair in front of the mirror.
• do wonders: A good night's sleep will do wonders for you.
• do cooking: My husband does all the cooking in our house.

3. TAKE Collocations

The verb take is highly versatile and collocates with time, actions, steps, and transport.

• take a break: Let's take a five-minute break.
• take notes: It is smart to take notes during class.
• take action: The government must take action against pollution.
• take responsibility: You need to take responsibility for your actions.
• take a test: I am taking my driving test tomorrow.
• take a photo: Can you take a photo of us?
• take a seat: Please take a seat while you wait.
• take time: Learning English takes time and dedication.
• take a risk: Entrepreneurs must be willing to take risks.
• take a shower: I always take a shower in the morning.
• take advice: You should take your doctor's advice.
• take place: The concert will take place in the park.

4. GET Collocations

We often use get to mean become, receive, or reach a destination.

• get started: Let's get started on the project.
• get married: They are getting married in June.
• get lost: We got lost in the winding streets of Prague.
• get better: I hope your English gets better with practice.
• get a job: He managed to get a job at a tech firm.
• get permission: You must get permission to enter the building.
• get ready: Hurry up and get ready, we are leaving.
• get tired: I get tired when I study late at night.
• get home: What time do you usually get home?
• get angry: It takes a lot to make him get angry.
• get values: We get high values from studying daily.
• get a cold: I always get a cold during winter.

5. HAVE Collocations

We use have for ownership, experiences, consumption, and social interactions.

• have a conversation: I had an interesting conversation with Sarah.
• have fun: Have fun at the party tonight!
• have an effect: The weather has a direct effect on my mood.
• have a look: Let me have a look at your report.
• have a headache: I have a terrible headache today.
• have a party: We are having a party for his graduation.
• have a drink: Would you like to have a drink with us?
• have an argument: They had an argument about money.
• have difficulty: I have difficulty understanding fast speech.
• have a dream: I had a strange dream last night.
• have time: Do you have time for a coffee?
• have an idea: I have an idea for our marketing campaign.

6. Business English Collocations

In professional environments, using precise collocations helps you sound structured, authoritative, and polite.

• meet a deadline: We must work hard to meet the Friday deadline.
• reach an agreement: After hours of negotiation, we reached an agreement.
• make a decision: The board made a decision to expand the budget.
• conduct a meeting: She will conduct the training meeting tomorrow.
• close a deal: The sales team closed the deal with the client.
• schedule an appointment: Let's schedule an appointment for next week.
• take minutes: Who is going to take minutes during the meeting?
• give a presentation: He gave an excellent presentation on growth strategies.
• solve a problem: We need creative thinking to solve this problem.
• make a profit: Our startup finally made a profit this quarter.
• cut costs: The manager is trying to cut costs across all departments.
• face competition: Small companies face intense competition from tech giants.
• run a business: Running a business requires long working hours.
• gain market share: We hope to gain market share with our new software.
• meet expectations: The results did not meet our initial expectations.

7. Academic English Collocations

When writing essays, articles, or taking exams like IELTS or TOEFL, these collocations add structure and credibility:

• conduct research: The university is conducting research on climate change.
• draw a conclusion: It is too early to draw conclusions from the study.
• raise awareness: The campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health.
• provide evidence: You must provide evidence to support your thesis statement.
• carry out research: They are carrying out research into ocean currents.
• establish a relationship: The data establishes a relationship between sleep and memory.
• gather information: We spent three weeks gathering information from surveys.
• make a contribution: She made a significant contribution to science.
• present arguments: The essay presents arguments for and against globalization.
• subject to change: Please note that the lecture dates are subject to change.

8. Common Errors Table

Here are some of the most common mistakes English learners make by translating word-for-word from their native tongues:

9. Interactive Quiz

Test your memory! Choose the correct verb to complete each sentence collocation.