In this guide
What you will be able to do
- Learn combinations with their purpose
- Retrieve the phrase in a conversation
- Check combinations and practise alternatives
Learn combinations with their purpose
Business English collocations are word combinations commonly used together, such as meet a deadline, raise a concern and reach an agreement. Learning the whole combination can make retrieval easier than choosing each word separately.
Keep a situation beside each phrase. “Raise a concern” belongs with an issue you want discussed; “address a concern” belongs with responding to it. Do not treat a short list as the only acceptable wording. Usage varies with register, region and context.
| Combination | Original example | Situation |
|---|---|---|
| Meet a deadline | We can meet the deadline if the draft arrives today. | Discussing delivery. |
| Allocate resources | We need to allocate more resources to testing. | Planning people, time or money. |
| Reach an agreement | We reached an agreement on the revised scope. | Reporting a decision. |
| Raise a concern | I would like to raise a concern about access. | Introducing a risk. |
| Take responsibility | I will take responsibility for the final check. | Confirming ownership. |
| Make a recommendation | Can you make a recommendation based on the trial? | Requesting a reasoned proposal. |
Retrieve the phrase in a conversation
Fictional exchange: “Can we meet the deadline?” “Only if we allocate more time to testing.” “Then let’s raise that concern with the project lead and agree a revised schedule.” The combinations help express actions. They do not make the exchange better if the actual decision remains unclear.
Cover the phrase column in the table. Read the situation and produce a sentence relevant to your own work. Then change the subject or time: “We reached an agreement” becomes “We have not reached an agreement yet.” This builds flexible use rather than recognition alone.
Check combinations and practise alternatives
Complete: “We need to ___ a decision before Friday.” “Make” is a widely useful choice. “Take a decision” also occurs, especially in British institutional usage. Complete: “Could you ___ a concern at the review?” “Raise” fits introducing it; “address” would change the action to dealing with it.
Choose four combinations for a two-minute project update. After speaking, check unclear combinations in a reputable learner dictionary. Keep an example sentence and register note. Next week, use the same combinations for a different project without looking at your original script.
Continue with guided practice
Would feedback help you apply this skill?
Compare your learning goals with the CVAF syllabus, live practice and assessment. Ask about placement and suitability before choosing a programme.
Useful answers
Frequently asked questions
How many collocations should I learn at once?
Choose a small set you can use in a real task and retrieve again later. Usable combinations with examples are more valuable than a long list you only recognise.
Sources, scope and accuracy
Original Cambridge Veritas learning guide. Cases and figures are fictional practice examples. Activities are self-study aids, not validated proficiency assessments. Cambridge Veritas offers CVAF; consult the course page for current programme details.
Continue the cluster
Related guides and resources
CVAF9 · Learning guide
Advanced Grammar for Speaking: Use Complex English Without Losing Your Message
Open resourceCVAF10 · Learning guide
Conditionals for Workplace Decisions: Discuss Options, Risks and What Might Have Been
Open resourceCVAF12 · Learning guide