100 Collocations to Easily and Effectively Strengthen Your TOEIC Score
“I’ve memorized the words, but I still can’t read TOEIC passages...”
Have you ever had that experience?
In Part 5 grammar questions, even though I know all the words, for some reason I can’t get the right answer.
Even in Part 7 long passages, I understand every word, but the meaning of the whole sentence doesn’t sink in.
Actually, the cause of that was collocations.
Collocations are pairs of words that naturally go together.
For example, “make a decision” is natural, but “do a decision” is unnatural.
In this article, we have carefully selected 100 TOEIC-frequent collocations and will present them along with efficient study methods.
By the time you finish reading, you should be able to see a path to increasing your TOEIC score by 30 points or more.
I am sharing content with you today that you will wish you had known sooner.
Why collocations determine your TOEIC score
“Isn’t it enough to just memorize words?”
Many of you must have thought that.
However, people who get high scores on the TOEIC have not only vocabulary skills but also high collocation skills.
In fact, TOEIC test creators design questions to test your knowledge of collocations.
Especially in Part 5 vocabulary questions, all four options are often words with similar meanings.
For example, “accomplish,” “achieve,” “attain,” and “reach.”
They all mean “to achieve,” but the correct answer changes depending on the noun that follows.
“Achieve a goal” is natural, and “accomplish a goal” is also correct.
But “attain a deadline” is unnatural, and “meet a deadline” is correct.
Whether or not you know this difference greatly influences your accuracy rate .
I realized the importance of collocations when I was stuck at a TOEIC score of 700.
At that time, I came across a blog post that said, "Learn words in context."
As a result of studying with a focus on context, my score rose to 825.
My accuracy rate for Part 5 improved from 70% to 90%.
By knowing collocations, you will be able to choose the correct answer instantly without hesitation .
Also, in Part 7 reading comprehension, knowing collocations significantly increases your reading speed.
This is because you can recognize word combinations as chunks .
"conduct a survey", "submit a report", "attend a meeting".
If you can process these as a single chunk, your reading speed will become much faster.
So, what specific collocations should you learn?
The big picture of the 100 collocations you absolutely must learn for TOEIC
The collocations that appear on the TOEIC can actually be patterned.
As a result of my analysis of the past 10 official workbooks, I found that they can be classified into 5 categories .
1. Business and Work-related Collocations (30 items)
Since TOEIC is a business English test, expressions frequently used in the workplace appear often.
For example, "hold a meeting", "file a complaint", "process an order", etc.
These also appear repeatedly in Part 3 and 4 listening questions.
I memorized these by grouping them by situation .
For instance, meeting-related, customer service-related, and document-related.
Learning them in context makes them easier to remember.
2. Verb + Noun Combinations (25 items)
The most frequently tested collocations on the TOEIC are these verb + noun combinations.
Basic verbs like 'make,' 'take,' 'do,' and 'give' are combined with various nouns.
For example, 'make a reservation,' 'take measures,' 'do research,' and 'give a presentation.'
These verbs are often confused by Japanese learners.
There are many mistakes, such as using 'do' for everything that means 'to do'.
I also thought it was 'make a homework' at first.
The correct form is 'do homework.'
It is important to learn this difference as a set with example sentences (or practice questions).
3. Adjective + Noun Combinations (20 items)
In Part 5 vocabulary questions, you may see a list of adjective options.
For example, 'strong,' 'heavy,' 'intense,' and 'severe.'
They all mean 'strong,' but you need to use them differently depending on the noun that follows.
'Heavy rain' is correct, but 'strong rain' is unnatural.
'Strong coffee' is natural, but 'heavy coffee' is incorrect.
On the TOEIC, there are many questions that test these subtle nuances.
4. Collocations Including Prepositions (15 items)
Prepositions are the area that Japanese learners struggle with the most.
However, if you learn them as collocations, you will no longer be confused.
For example, "agree with a person," "agree to a proposal," and "agree on a plan."
Even with the same word "agree," the meaning changes subtly depending on the preposition.
In TOEIC, questions testing the correct use of these prepositions appear frequently.
I started to grasp prepositions through mental images.
"With" has the image of "together," "to" has the image of "direction," and "on" has the image of "contact."
By connecting these images with specific examples of collocations, I was able to solidify my memory.
5. Fixed Expressions and Idioms (10 items)
Many fixed expressions commonly used in business settings also appear in TOEIC.
For example, "at your earliest convenience," "due to unforeseen circumstances," and "in accordance with."
Whether or not you know these makes a huge difference in your level of comprehension.
At first, I literally translated "at your earliest convenience" as "at your most early convenience."
Of course, I didn't understand the meaning at all.
The correct meaning is the fixed expression "as soon as it is convenient for you."
For expressions like these, it is efficient to memorize them as a whole.
If you cover 100 collocations across these five categories, you can handle the majority of the TOEIC test.
So, how can you learn these efficiently?
A 3-step learning method that even beginners can continue
"I don't have the confidence to memorize 100 of them..."
If that's what you're thinking, don't worry.
The method I practiced is designed to be sustainable without strain.
Step 1: Learn 20 per week by category
If you try to memorize 100 at once, you will definitely get discouraged.
I also tried to memorize 100 in 3 days at first, and by the 4th day, I had forgotten everything.
What is effective is a pace of 20 per week.
From Monday to Friday, learn 4 new collocations every day.
Make Saturday the day to review the 20 from that week.
Take Sunday completely off to let your brain rest.
This way, you can cover 100 in 5 weeks.
Moreover, because it is a sustainable pace, it is easier for the information to stick in your memory.
It might also be good to study during your morning commute using a smartphone memo app.
If you do 4 a day, it only takes 5 minutes to finish.
For example, on Monday, the 4 are "conduct a survey," "implement a policy," "evaluate performance," and "submit a proposal."
I used to extract example sentences for each from past TOEIC exams and save them in my notes.
Step 2: Read aloud in sets with example sentences
Even if you memorize collocations individually, you cannot use them in practice.
Always make sure to memorize them as a set with example sentences.
And it is important to read those example sentences aloud.
I used to read the 4 example sentences aloud 3 times each every morning.
By reading aloud, you can also memorize them through your ears, which also serves as listening practice.
For example, for "conduct a survey," I read aloud the example sentence, "The company will conduct a survey to gather customer feedback."
At first, I couldn't read them smoothly, but by the third day, they started coming out naturally.
Let's utilize official TOEIC practice test books as a treasure trove of example sentences.
The long passages in Part 7 are packed with business collocations.
Step 3: Review in a quiz format on the weekend
Reviewing on Saturday is not very effective if you just look over the material.
What I recommend is reviewing in a quiz format.
For example, try to see if you can recall the verb "conduct" just by looking at the noun "survey".
Conversely, practice listing the nouns that pair with "conduct" when you see it.
This acts as an active memory retrieval exercise, so your retention rate will improve significantly.
I used a flashcard app on my smartphone.
I would register "conduct" on the front and "a survey, research, an interview" on the back.
I spend 30 minutes reviewing the 20 items from the week in a quiz format.
At this time, mark the items you got wrong and check them again the following week.
Remove the ones you have memorized perfectly from the list.
With this method, after five weeks, 100 collocations reached a level where they automatically came out of my mouth.
Now that you know the study method, let's look at how to apply it in practice.
How to use them to directly boost your score on the actual TOEIC test
Even if you memorize collocations, it's meaningless if you can't use them on the actual test.
I will share the three application techniques that I put into practice.
Technique 1: Judge Part 5 by the "sound"
In Part 5 vocabulary questions, you may sometimes find yourself hesitating when looking at the four options.
In such cases, reading them aloud is effective.
Correct collocations sound natural when read aloud.
Incorrect collocations feel somewhat awkward.
I didn't believe it at first either, but this really works.
For example, in a question like "___ a decision," suppose the options are "make," "do," "take," and "give."
If you read them aloud one by one, only "make a decision" sounds natural.
This is because you have memorized the correct collocations by sound in your daily studies.
On the actual test, there is no time, so it is important to judge intuitively.
Reading collocations aloud cultivates this intuition.
Technique 2: Be conscious of "chunk reading" in Parts 6 and 7
In long-form reading comprehension, you will run out of time if you translate word by word.
By recognizing collocations as meaningful chunks, your reading speed will double (though individual results may vary).
For example, the moment you see "submit a report," you understand it as "submit a report."
"conduct a survey" is processed instantly as "conduct a survey."
Whenever I encountered a collocation, I had an image of enclosing it in a square in my mind.
This helped me develop the habit of reading sentences in phrases.
It is thanks to this chunk reading that I became able to solve all questions within the time limit for Part 7.
Technique 3: Use "predictive listening" in Parts 3 and 4
In the listening section, you can predict the next collocation from the flow of the conversation.
For example, if you hear "We need to," you can predict that the next word will be a verb such as "conduct," "implement," or "submit."
And after that, a noun such as "a survey," "a policy," or "a report" should follow.
Once you can make these predictions, your listening accuracy will improve significantly.
During listening, I developed the habit of predicting what comes next.
When your predictions are correct, your understanding of the content deepens, and you can answer questions more quickly.
Even if your predictions are wrong, you can catch important information from the difference.
Knowledge of collocations becomes the foundation for this predictive listening.
By using these techniques, my TOEIC score reached 900 from 825.
Collocations are not just rote memorization, but a weapon you can use in practice.
Now, finally, I will share common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Three traps people often fall into when learning collocations
There is a reason why many people fail at learning collocations.
I have experienced all of them myself.
However, if you know about them in advance, you can avoid them.
Trap 1: Relying too much on Japanese translations
Memorizing "make a decision" by literally translating it as "make a decision" (in Japanese).
This is the biggest failure pattern.
If you rely on Japanese translations, you will not acquire natural English combinations.
At first, I also tried to understand everything through Japanese.
But that doesn't allow for flexibility.
For example, I didn't realize that "make a choice" and "make a selection" follow the same pattern.
What is effective is to understand through imagery.
"Make" has the image of "forming something."
"Decision," "choice," and "selection" are all acts of "forming one thing from options."
If you understand it with this image, you can handle similar collocations as well.
Trap 2: Being satisfied with just looking at a list
Making a list of collocations and just looking back at it.
Unfortunately, this does not help with retention in memory.
I also had a period where I felt relieved after making a list of 100 items.
However, when I looked back at it a week later, I didn't even remember half of them.
What is important is output.
Create your own quizzes, read example sentences aloud, and actually try using them.
This kind of active learning helps solidify memories.
Trap 3: Aiming for perfection and building up stress
Thinking "I have to memorize all 100" and feeling the pressure.
And then, blaming yourself for not being able to memorize them.
This becomes a cause for giving up.
I was also a perfectionist for the first two weeks.
But I burned out around the 40th item and ended up slacking off for a week.
What is important is the 70% approach.
If you can memorize 70 out of the 100, that is enough.
For the remaining 30, it is fine if you just recognize them when you encounter them during the actual TOEIC test.
Do not aim for perfection; continuing within your capabilities will ultimately lead to great results.
By avoiding these traps, your collocation study will surely be a success.
Now, let's summarize what we have covered so far.
Summary: Collocations Will Change Your TOEIC
Thank you so much for reading this far.
I have shared the importance of collocations and efficient study methods.
Here is a summary of the key points.
In TOEIC, not only vocabulary power but also collocation power is tested.
Cover 100 items across 5 categories: Business, Verb+Noun, Adjective+Noun, Prepositions, and Set Phrases.
Study effortlessly in 3 steps: 20 items per week, reading example sentences aloud, and weekend quizzes.
Utilize them for the sound of Part 5, chunk reading for Parts 6 and 7, and predictive listening for Parts 3 and 4.
Avoid the three traps: relying on Japanese translations, passive learning, and perfectionism.
Before I discovered collocations, I spent my days just memorizing vocabulary books.
However, after learning collocations, English began to look three-dimensional to me.
I began to feel that words were not isolated dots, but a web connected by lines.
You, too, will definitely experience the same feeling.
And beyond that, a world of 800 or 900 points awaits you.
The important thing is to start today.
After finishing this article, try writing down just five collocations to start with.
Then, try reading them out loud.
That small step will change your TOEIC score and expand your career possibilities.
Let's conquer the TOEIC together with the power of collocations.
If you found this article even slightly helpful, I would be happy if you could support me with a like or a follow.
I am also always looking forward to your comments.
I am rooting for your success from the bottom of my heart.
#TOEIC #Collocations #EnglishLearning #TOEICPreparation #EnglishStudyMethods #BusinessEnglish #Vocabulary #ScoreUp #EnglishBeginner #StudyMethods #EnglishWords #TOEIC900 #ConsistencyIsKey
BONUS
I have compiled 100 frequently used business collocations for the TOEIC, complete with Japanese translations and example sentences. I have made them into short sentences that you can use directly as practical phrases.
[30 Business and Work-Related Collocations]
conduct a survey - Conduct a survey. Example: The company will conduct a survey to gather customer feedback.
hold a meeting - Hold a meeting. Example: We will hold a meeting next Tuesday to discuss the project.
attend a conference - Attend a conference. Example: She attended a conference on marketing strategies last week.
submit a report - Submit a report. Example: Please submit your report by Friday afternoon.
file a complaint - File a complaint. Example: The customer filed a complaint about the damaged product.
process an order - Process an order. Example: Our team will process your order within 24 hours.
implement a policy - implement a policy Example: The management decided to implement a new policy next month.
evaluate performance - evaluate performance Example: Managers evaluate employee performance twice a year.
meet a deadline - meet a deadline Example: We worked overtime to meet the deadline for the project.
reach an agreement - reach an agreement Example: After long discussions, both parties reached an agreement.
submit a proposal - submit a proposal Example: The team submitted a proposal for the new marketing campaign.
issue a refund - issue a refund Example: The store issued a refund for the defective item.
handle inquiries - handle inquiries Example: Our customer service team handles inquiries from 9 AM to 6 PM.
place an order - place an order Example: You can place an order through our website or by phone.
arrange a meeting - arrange a meeting Example: Could you arrange a meeting with the client for next week?
cancel a reservation - cancel a reservation Example: Please cancel your reservation at least 24 hours in advance.
approve a budget - approve a budget Example: The board approved the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
extend a deadline - extend a deadline Example: The professor agreed to extend the deadline by three days.
hire employees - hire employees Example: The company plans to hire 20 new employees this quarter.
schedule an appointment - make an appointment Example: I need to schedule an appointment with my dentist.
launch a product - release a product Example: Apple will launch a new product line in September.
sign a contract - sign a contract Example: Both parties signed the contract yesterday morning.
provide feedback - provide feedback Example: Please provide feedback on the new system by Friday.
resolve an issue - resolve an issue Example: The IT department resolved the technical issue quickly.
negotiate terms - negotiate terms Example: The two companies are negotiating terms of the merger.
monitor progress - monitor progress Example: The project manager monitors progress on a daily basis.
update information - update information Example: Please update your contact information in the system.
distribute materials - distribute materials Example: We will distribute the training materials at the workshop.
coordinate activities - coordinate activities Example: She coordinates all marketing activities for the region.
allocate resources - allocate resources Example: Management must allocate resources efficiently to maximize profit.
[25 Verb + Noun Combinations]
make a decision - make a decision Example: The board will make a decision about the merger next week.
take measures - take measures Example: The government took measures to prevent the spread of disease.
do research - conduct research Example: Scientists are doing research on renewable energy sources.
give a presentation - give a presentation Example: I have to give a presentation to the executive team tomorrow.
make a reservation - make a reservation Example: I made a reservation at the restaurant for 7 PM.
take action - take action Example: We need to take action immediately to address this problem.
do business - do business Example: Our company has been doing business in Asia for 20 years.
make an effort - make an effort Example: Please make an effort to arrive on time for the meeting.
take responsibility - take responsibility Example: The manager took responsibility for the project's failure.
make a profit - make a profit Example: The company made a significant profit last quarter.
give notice - give notice Example: Employees must give two weeks' notice before resigning.
take notes - take notes Example: Please take notes during the training session.
make arrangements - make arrangements Example: I'll make arrangements for your hotel accommodation.
do homework - do homework Example: Students should do their homework before coming to class.
give permission - give permission Example: The supervisor gave permission to leave early.
make progress - make progress Example: We are making good progress on the construction project.
take a break - take a break Example: Let's take a 15-minute break before continuing.
make a contribution - make a contribution Example: She made a significant contribution to the team's success.
take advantage of - take advantage of Example: You should take advantage of this special offer.
make a choice - make a choice Example: You need to make a choice between the two options.
give advice - give advice Example: The consultant gave us valuable advice on improving efficiency.
take part in - take part in Example: Over 500 people took part in the charity event.
make a complaint - make a complaint Example: I'd like to make a complaint about the service I received.
do damage - do damage Example: The storm did considerable damage to the building.
give priority to - to prioritize Example: We should give priority to customer satisfaction.
[20 Adjective + Noun Combinations]
heavy traffic - traffic congestion Example: I was late because of heavy traffic on the highway.
strong coffee - strong coffee Example: I need a cup of strong coffee to wake up in the morning.
high demand - high demand Example: There is high demand for organic products these days.
close attention - careful attention Example: Please pay close attention to the safety instructions.
serious consideration - serious consideration Example: Your proposal deserves serious consideration.
valuable experience - valuable experience Example: Working abroad was a valuable experience for me.
major problem - major problem Example: Water pollution is becoming a major problem worldwide.
significant impact - significant impact Example: The new policy had a significant impact on sales.
considerable amount - considerable amount Example: We spent a considerable amount of time on this project.
immediate action - immediate action Example: The situation requires immediate action.
rapid growth - rapid growth Example: The company experienced rapid growth over the past year.
fierce competition - fierce competition Example: There is fierce competition in the smartphone market.
widespread support - widespread support Example: The proposal gained widespread support from employees.
severe weather - severe weather Example: Flights were cancelled due to severe weather conditions.
potential customer - potential customer Example: We identified 100 potential customers for our new product.
limited resources - limited resources Example: We must work efficiently with our limited resources.
detailed information - detailed information Example: Please provide detailed information about your qualifications.
positive feedback - positive feedback Example: The new design received positive feedback from users.
competitive advantage - competitive advantage Example: Innovation gives us a competitive advantage in the market.
flexible schedule - flexible schedule Example: This job offers a flexible schedule for working parents.
[15 Collocations including prepositions]
agree with (someone) - agree with (someone) Example: I completely agree with your opinion on this matter.
agree to (something) - agree to (something) Example: The committee agreed to the proposed changes.
agree on (a plan) - agree on (a plan) Example: We finally agreed on a date for the next meeting.
apologize for (something) - apologize for (something) Example: The manager apologized for the delay in delivery.
apply for (a job) - apply for (a job) Example: I applied for the position of marketing director.
depend on - depend on Example: Our success depends on teamwork and dedication.
focus on - focus on Example: Let's focus on completing this task first.
participate in - participate in Example: All employees are encouraged to participate in the training.
consist of - consist of Example: The team consists of five experienced engineers.
in accordance with - in accordance with Example: All procedures must be done in accordance with regulations.
in charge of - in charge of Example: Susan is in charge of the marketing department.
on behalf of - on behalf of Example: I'm speaking on behalf of the entire team.
with regard to - with regard to Example: I'm writing with regard to your inquiry about our services.
prior to - prior to Example: Please arrive 10 minutes prior to the scheduled time.
due to - due to Example: The event was cancelled due to bad weather.
[10 Standard Expressions and Idioms]
at your earliest convenience - as soon as it is convenient for you. Example: Please reply to this email at your earliest convenience.
as soon as possible - as quickly as possible. Example: We need to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
until further notice - until more information is provided. Example: The office will remain closed until further notice.
free of charge - for free. Example: Delivery is free of charge for orders over $50.
out of stock - not available in inventory. Example: I'm sorry, but that item is currently out of stock.
in advance - beforehand. Example: Please make your reservation at least one week in advance.
on time - at the scheduled time. Example: The train arrived on time despite the heavy snow.
in detail - thoroughly. Example: The report explains the problem in detail.
at no extra cost - without additional charges. Example: We offer installation services at no extra cost.
under construction - being built. Example: The new facility is currently under construction.