English collocations are two words together that equal one meaning- they almost always combine NOUNS or ADJECTIVES together. Some popular collocations have the feeling/meaning of ‘absolutely’ for the first word.
Adjective collocations exercise 1
In the following exercises these kind of collocations are used. Their function is as an adjective.
Exercise 1: Read the sentences, decide on the correct second word in the collocation (which is the main word) and then check at the end.
1. My brother just sits around the house all day and does nothing. He’s so lazy… he’s bone _____!
a) idle b) dead
a) dark b) night click here to see the answer
a) new b) shiny click here to see the answer
a) snoring b) asleep click here to see the answer
a) happy b) awake click here to see the answer
Adjective collocations exercise 2
Exercise 2: Put a completed, correct collocation from Exercise 1 into each gap in the following dialogue and then check your answer.
A: “Come on, wake up. You’ll be late for work. You really need a
brand new
fast asleep
pitch dark
bone idle
wide awake
alarm clock – your old one is not loud enough!”.
B: “Leave me alone…I was
brand new
fast asleep
pitch dark
bone idle
wide awake
and you woke me up! It must be only 6.00am…the room is still
brand new
fast asleep
pitch dark
bone idle
wide awake
”.
A: “Wrong! It’s after 7.00. The room’s dark because it’s raining hard outside. Anyway, you should be
brand new
fast asleep
pitch dark
bone idle
wide awake
now so just go and have breakfast”.
B: “Not now thanks, I’m not hungry, just sleepy…I’m going back to bed for a bit longer”.
A: “Oh my goodness, you really are
brand new
fast asleep
pitch dark
bone idle
wide awake
, aren’t you”?!
Show the answers