Collocations — Work & Study Power Combos

B2 — vocabulary, reading, writing, speaking

Sofía: I really need to make a decision about this new internship.

Ben: Have you done your research on the company culture?

Kenji: If you take the opportunity, you will gain valuable experience.

Abuela Carmen: Always do your best, take notes, and remember to take a break when your tea is hot!

Common mistake: “I need to do a decision before Friday.” — Correct: “I need to make a decision before Friday.”

Collocations are natural word combinations. Using 'make' vs 'do' vs 'take' correctly makes your English sound fluent and professional.

• make a decision — choose a course of action
• make an effort — try as hard as possible
• make progress — develop or improve
• make a mistake — do something incorrect
• do homework — complete school assignments
• do research — investigate in depth
• do your best — try with all your energy
• do business — engage in commercial trade
• take a break — pause and rest briefly
• take notes — record key information
• take responsibility — accept duty or accountability
• take an opportunity — seize a favorable chance
• meet a deadline — finish by the required time
• achieve a goal — reach a desired objective
• gain experience — acquire practical knowledge
• apply for a job — formally seek employment
• attend a lecture — listen to an academic talk
• hand in an assignment — submit completed coursework
• fail an exam — not obtain a passing grade
• pass with flying colours — pass with distinction
• run a team — lead and manage colleagues
• set a goal — establish a clear target
• solve a problem — find an effective solution
• raise a question — bring up a query or doubt

• Sofía made an effort to meet the tight deadline.
• We must do research before making any final decision.
• Kenji passed the certification with flying colours.
• She decided to apply for the design job in London.
• He didn't make a single mistake during the presentation.
• They haven't met the project deadline yet.
• You shouldn't take responsibility for other people's delays.
• She didn't hand in her assignment on time.
• Did you make progress on your research paper today?
• How do you plan to achieve your professional goals?
• Would you like to take a break after this meeting?
• Who is going to run the creative team next semester?
• Did she pass with flying colours? Yes, she did.
• Have you made a decision yet? No, I haven't.
• Can we take a short break now? Yes, we can.

Practice

1. Before launching the product, we must ___ thorough market research. (do, make, take)
2. She had to ___ a difficult decision regarding her career. (make, do, take)
3. The whole team worked overtime to ___ the Friday deadline. (meet, reach, catch)
4. If you study consistently, you will pass your exams with ___ colours. (flying, shining, running)
5. Let's ___ a ten-minute break before continuing. (take, make, do)
6. In English, we say 'make homework' rather than 'do homework'.
7. 'Pass with flying colours' is an idiom meaning to pass an exam with exceptional results.
8. It's completely normal to ___ (make / do) mistakes when learning a new language.
9. Don't forget to ___ (hand in / give in) your assignments by 5 PM.
10. The manager asked her to ___ (run / drive) the new design team.
11. Unscramble: she, made, an, effort, to, solve, the, problem
12. Unscramble: you, must, do, research, before, writing
13. Find the mistake: He did a big mistake in his calculation.
14. Find the mistake: We need to make our homework now.
15. She passed the exam with the highest possible marks. — Rewrite using the collocation 'flying colours'.
16. She decided to attend the international conference. — Rewrite using 'take the opportunity'.
17. They made significant progress on the project. — Write the sentence in the negative form.
18. Did you take notes during the lecture? (Short answer: Yes)
19. Did you make a mistake in the calculations? (Short answer: No)

Listening

Sofía: The client wants us to **meet the deadline** by next Monday.

Kenji: That is very tight. We need to **make an effort** and divide the tasks today.

Ben: I can **do the research** on the background images tonight.

Sofía: Excellent! If we work together, we can **achieve our goal** without working over the weekend.

Abuela Carmen: And don't forget: an organized mind always leaves time for a cup of chamomile tea.

Reading

Securing a top position in modern industries requires more than just technical qualifications. Employers actively look for candidates who can take responsibility, solve complex problems under pressure, and communicate clearly. During university, students who take every opportunity to gain practical experience and attend specialized lectures build stronger professional networks. When the final assessments arrive, those who have set clear study goals and kept consistent routines invariably pass with flying colours.

• Employers look for candidates who take responsibility and solve problems.
• Practical experience is irrelevant for building professional networks.
• Setting clear study goals helps students pass assessments with flying colours.
• Attending lectures is discouraged in the text.