Collocations are your shortcut to natural English: ready-made word partners you can pull out under time pressure. Learn the patterns, stock your “chunk bank,” and practice producing them at speed.
Why chunks beat single words
- Faster to recall and speak.
- Safer tone and register (polite, professional, clear).
- Closer to how Canadian English is written in emails, notices, and customer service.
Rule of thumb: Memorize the phrase that does the job (e.g., file a complaint, request an extension, waive a fee) instead of a lone verb like do/make.
The four big patterns (with exam-safe examples)
1) Verb + Noun (action that “just sounds right”)
- file a complaint / claim / report
- submit an application / request / invoice
- request a refund / extension / adjustment
- waive a fee / requirement / penalty
- authorize a refund / payment / repair
- meet a deadline / requirement / condition
- miss a payment / deadline / call
- escalate an issue / ticket / concern
- renew a permit / lease / policy
- schedule a visit / inspection / appointment
- provide proof of address / identification / documentation
2) Adjective + Noun (tone + precision)
- urgent request / reasonable explanation / formal notice
- detailed estimate / written confirmation / temporary outage
- outstanding balance / valid ID / partial refund
- recurring noise / cosmetic damage / eligible expense
3) Noun + Noun (compound terms you’ll meet in forms)
- service outage / billing cycle / hold period
- delivery window / payment plan / coverage limit
- renewal notice / tracking number / claim reference
4) Preposition patterns (high-risk for errors)
- apply for a permit; apply to a program; applicable to
- eligible for a benefit; responsible for fees
- comply with rules; consistent with policy
- follow up on a ticket; inquire about an order
- pay by the 15th; due on Friday; ahead of schedule
- covered under warranty; in accordance with policy
- at your earliest convenience; in the meantime; on short notice
Repair these
- ❌ do a complaint → ✅ file a complaint
- ❌ ask extension for deadline → ✅ request an extension to/for the deadline
- ❌ responsible to the fee → ✅ responsible for the fee
Light verbs vs strong verbs (more points, fewer words)
Swap vague “light” verbs (do, make, have, get, take) for precise actions:
- make a payment → pay the invoice
- do a renewal → renew the permit
- get a refund → request / receive a refund
- have a problem → experience / report an issue
- take an action → escalate / authorize / schedule as needed
Two-step upgrade
- Identify the function (request? complain? schedule?).
- Pick the strong verb often used in that function.
Lexical bundles (2–4 words) that structure ideas
Use these to glue sentences together naturally in Writing and Speaking.
Giving reasons/results
- as a result, therefore, for this reason, consequently
Adding/ordering
- in addition, first/next/finally, to begin with, in the meantime
Contrasting/limiting
- however, that said, at the same time, on the other hand
Conditions/time
- as soon as, no later than, at your earliest convenience, for the time being
Requests & politeness
- would you mind, I’d like to request, could you please, I appreciate your help
Decisions & status
- we have approved, pending approval, subject to, effective immediately
Production tip: Bundle + collocation = strong opening:
“As a result, we’d like to request a refund for the second delivery.”
Build your personal collocation bank (by domain + function)
Create a simple grid (Domain × Function). Add only items you’ll use in Canada within 90 days.
Housing & Tenancy
- request an inspection; renew a lease; report a violation
- serve notice; approve a repair; grant access
Utilities & Telecom
- report an outage; schedule a technician; request a bill adjustment
- throttle speeds; restore service; credit the account
Banking & Personal Finance
- dispute a charge; waive a fee; set up an automatic transfer
- hold a deposit; issue a statement; verify identity
Workplace & Projects
- meet a deadline; raise a concern; hand over tasks; follow up on a ticket
- prioritize tasks; address a blocker; align on scope
Healthcare & Appointments
- book an appointment; reschedule a visit; refer a patient
- prescribe medication; renew a prescription; follow up on results
Tag each entry with register (formal/neutral) and mode (speaking/writing) to practice in the right voice.
Micro-drills you can reuse
A) Pair and produce (3 minutes)
Pick 5 verbs and 5 nouns from one domain. Make 10 natural pairs and speak one sentence for each. Delete any pair that sounds forced.
B) Light→strong swap (2 minutes)
Replace the light verb with a precise action:
- make the bill lower → apply a discount / waive the fee
- do the form again → resubmit the application
- get someone to come → schedule a technician visit
C) Preposition snap check (90 seconds)
Say the collocation and the preposition aloud:
- eligible for, comply with, inquire about, follow up on, consistent with.
D) Bundle→collocation combo (2 minutes)
Start with a bundle, finish with a collocation:
- However, the unit must meet the safety requirements.
- In the meantime, we’ll schedule an inspection.
- For this reason, we’re requesting a refund.
Quick self-repair list (common CELPIP errors)
- ❌ apply to a refund → ✅ apply for a refund
- ❌ eligible to insurance → ✅ eligible for insurance coverage
- ❌ consistent to policy → ✅ consistent with policy
- ❌ I want to do extension → ✅ I’d like to request an extension
- ❌ I will do a schedule → ✅ I’ll schedule/book an appointment
One-minute warm-ups (before practice)
- Say five collocations with request / report / schedule / waive / submit.
- Link each to a bundle: As a result, we… / However, we…
- Record a 20-second voice note using two collocations and one bundle. Listen once; fix one phrase.
Production templates you can steal
Polite request (formal):
I’m writing to request an extension on the payment due by June 15. As a result of a banking delay, the funds will clear on Monday.
Complaint + solution (neutral):
I’d like to report an outage affecting our unit. In the meantime, could you schedule a technician visit for tomorrow afternoon?
Follow-up (workplace):
Just following up on the invoice status. If anything is missing, I can provide documentation today.
Steal the structure, swap in your own nouns and verbs, and you’ll sound clear, polite, and natural every time.