Grammar and Vocabulary for CAE and CPE | Unit 1 | Section 6

Which verbs does “time” collocate with?

• time flies

• time goes by

• time wears on (passes very slowly)

• time passes

Choose the correct option.

an academic year / a studying year

an academic year

Choose two correct options.

prolific discussions / productive discussions / fruitful discussions

productive discussions

fruitful discussions

Choose which of the words collocate in this sentence.

The fragile / weak agreement is under threat again.

a fragile /ˈfrædʒ.aɪl/ agreement

Choose which of the words collocate in this sentence.

After the accident, she frequently suffered bouts of blurred sight / vision.

blurred vision

Which verbs collocate with “wealth”?

• accumulate wealth

• acquire wealth

• amass wealth (to get a large amount of money by collecting it over a long period)

• come into wealth (receive it as a result of the death of a relation)

• flaunt your wealth (to show or make obvious something you are proud of in order to get admiration)

• inherit wealth

Paraphrase the sentence using the collocation in brackets. Identify what grammatical forms it comprises.

I love coffee so much that I can’t imagine living without it. (hopelessly addicted)

I’m hopelessly addicted to coffee.

(adverb + adjective)

Paraphrase the sentence using the collocation in brackets. Identify what grammatical forms it comprises.

I look back on the years that shaped me. (formative years)

I remember my formative years.

(adjective + noun)

Paraphrase the sentence using the collocation in brackets. Identify what grammatical forms it comprises.

The government has just made their strategic assessment public. (policy review)

The government has just unveiled their policy review.

(noun + noun)

Paraphrase the sentence using the collocation in brackets. Identify what grammatical forms it comprises.

We will uphold our commitment to lowering joblessness. (honour pledge)

We will honour our pledge to reduce unemployment.

(verb + noun)

Paraphrase the sentence using the collocation in brackets. Identify what grammatical forms it comprises.

From where I stand, they ought to feel embarrassed. (ashamed of)

Personally, I think they should be ashamed of themselves.

(adjective + dependent preposition)

Paraphrase the sentence using the collocation in brackets. Identify what grammatical forms it comprises.

I find it consistently engaging to revisit what came before. (to delve into the past)

It’s always interesting to delve into the past.

(a longer phrase)

Complete the sentence with a collocation.

People were (adverb + adjective) by the pictures of the rescued child.

genuinely moved

Complete the sentence with a collocation.

Paul is such an introvert: a real (noun + preposition) his brother.

contrast to

Complete the sentence with a collocation.

I would (verb + noun) of such an approach.

question the wisdom

Complete the sentence with a collocation.

Clearing out that room was (adjective + noun).

backbreaking work

backbreaking (adjective) /ˈbækˌbreɪ.kɪŋ/ needing a lot of hard, physical effort and making you feel extremely tired

Complete the sentence with a collocation.

She's a real (idiom meaning someone new making things exciting).

breath of fresh air

idiom, someone or something that is new and different and makes everything seem more exciting

Complete the sentence with a collocation.

I'm fed up with the endless (noun + noun) on the Botley Road.

road works

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

I ..... agree with everything you said.

a whole-heartedly b unconditionally

whole-heartedly agree

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

Doesn't time ..... when you're having fun?

a move b fly

Doesn’t time fly?

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

The leaders claimed the meeting had been … .

a fruitful b prolific

a fruitful meeting

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

Everyone got back safe and ..... after the storm.

a soundly b sound

safe and sound

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

I think I've ..... weight since I stopped work.

a accumulated b gained

gain weight

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

They're building a new water ... plant on the coast.

a cleaning b purification

water purification

to purify water

a water purifuing gadget

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

House prices have ..... dramatically in recent months.

a ascended b soared

prices soar (rise very quickly to a high level)

Other collocations:

• prices rise / shoot up / spiral / go through the roof

• prices drop / fall / plummet / slump

• prices fluctuate (change between one level and another)

• plices remain steady

Decide which words collocates in these sentences.

The disgraced former minister has decided to … politics altogether.

a desert b abandon

abandon politics

Other collocations:

• be involved in politics

• dabble in politics (to take a slight and not very serious interest in a subject, or try a particular activity for a short period)

• enter politics

• go into politics

• engage in politics

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

Let's leave it at that for the … being and continue tomorrow.

for the time being (for a limited period)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

Slowly but … the band is becoming more and more popular.

slowly but surely (carefully, in order to avoid problems)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

In the … of an eye the swindler had vanished, never to return.

in the twinkling of an eye (idiom = very quickly)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

In … to no time they had become the best of friends.

in next to no time (very quickly)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

The Whittington family have lived there since time … .

from/since time immemorial (for a very long time)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

I arrived in the … of time to prevent a potential disaster.

in the nick of time (idiom = at the last possible moment)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

I wandered around the city centre to … time before my appointment.

kill the time

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

Cooking good French food can be a very … job.

time-consuming

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

They had a … agreement to keep each other fully informed of developments.

a long-standing agreement (having existed for a long time)

Put one of the given words in the sentence to complete collocations connected with “time”.

next, time-consuming, matter, surely, twinkling, nick, immemorial, kill, long-standing, time

In a … of minutes the whole building had been razed to the ground.

in a matter of minutes

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. My watch is … several minutes a day.

2. The car in second place is … on the leader.

3. I think that the chances of our … access to such sensitive information are slim.

1. gaining minutes (watch gaines/loses time = the mechanism runs too fast/slowly)

2. gain on the leader (get closer to sb ahead in a competition)

3. gain access

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. The performance will start … on time.

2. The race was declared a … heat.

3. I was awoken in the … of night by a strange noise from outside.

1. dead on time (=right/bang on time)

2. a dead heat (a competition in which two or more competitors finish at exactly the same time or with exactly the same result)

3. the dead of night/winter (= in the middle)

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. The winning goal was scored in the … seconds of the game.

2. I've been … to meet you for ages.

3. Throughout the world, many minority languages are in danger of … out completely.

1. in the dying seconds/minutes/moments (= the very end od sth)

2. be dying to + infinitive (= to be eager to do it)

3. die out (= to become less common and finally stop existing)

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. Early evening is normally considered … viewing time by television bosses.

2. As a singer, she is at the … of her career.

3. As this is … season, I'm afraid flights are difficult to find.

1. peak viewing time

2. at the peak of (one’s) career

3. peak season

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. I'm sure such practices were common in the … and distant past.

2. The judge took a … view of her excuses.

3. I'm afraid I have only a … recollection of the events.

1. in the dim and distant past (a time in the past that is not clearly remembered)

2. take a dim view (to disapprove)

3. a dim recollection/memory (something that you remember slightly)

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. I think it's important to … this meeting for future reference.

2. Please let me know the … she arrives.

3. The director asked to be kept up to the … on major developments.

1. to minute the meeting (to make a written record of what was said at a meeting)

2. the minute (sb) arrives

3. be kept up to the minute (to receive the latest updates)

Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. In this exercise, many of the collocations are connected with 'time'.

1. A heated debate has … out in the media about corruption in high places.

2. She comes from a … home but has never been worried about only seeing one parent at a time.

3. I had a night of very … sleep and am consequently feeling a bit slow this morning.

1. break out (=begin)

2. a broken home (a family in which the parents are separated or divorced)

3. broken sleep (=interrupted sleep)