Verb Phrases & Collocations

Why collocations matter on CELPIP

A collocation is a natural word pair — the verb and noun (or adjective) that native speakers expect together. Make a complaint sounds normal; do a complaint does not.

Strong collocations make Writing Task 1 emails sound professional without forcing rare vocabulary. They also help Speaking responses sound fluent under time pressure.

Weak (unnatural)	Strong (natural)
"I did a complaint."	"I filed a complaint."
"Please give attention to this."	"Please pay attention to this matter."
"I want to do contact with you."	"I would like to get in touch with you."

Complaints, requests, and follow-up

These patterns appear often in CELPIP Writing Task 1 (emails about problems, requests, or feedback).

Collocation	Example in context
file / lodge / submit a complaint	"I filed a complaint with the property manager on March 3."
raise an issue / concern	"I would like to raise a concern about the heating system."
report a problem / issue	"I am writing to report a problem with the plumbing."
request repairs / a refund / assistance	"I requested repairs twice, but nothing has changed."
follow up (on something)	"I am following up on my email from last week."
reach out to someone	"I reached out to maintenance, but I received no response."
take action / take steps	"Please take immediate action to resolve this issue."
address the issue / matter	"This problem has not been addressed despite multiple requests."
resolve the issue / dispute	"I hope we can resolve this matter promptly."
escalate the complaint	"If this continues, I will escalate my complaint to the tenancy board."

Tip: Pair these verbs with specific nouns from our Noun lesson — heating system, water damage, lease agreement — instead of vague words like thing or stuff.

Communication and documentation

Collocation	Example
send an email / message / update	"I sent an email on January 10 and again on January 17."
attach a document / receipt / photo	"I have attached photos of the damage."
provide information / details / evidence	"Please provide an update on the repair timeline."
acknowledge receipt of	"I have not received acknowledgment of my previous messages."
keep someone informed / updated	"Please keep me informed of any progress."
get back to someone	"I would appreciate it if you could get back to me by Friday."

Responsibility, delay, and impact

Useful when explaining why a situation is serious or urgent.

Collocation	Example
hold someone responsible / accountable	"The landlord should be held accountable for unsafe conditions."
meet a deadline	"The repairs were supposed to be completed by Friday, but the deadline was not met."
cause inconvenience / damage / distress	"The leak has caused significant damage to my belongings."
pose a risk / threat	"Mold in the bathroom poses a health risk."
fail to respond / comply / repair	"You have failed to respond to my repeated requests."
in a timely manner	"I expect this issue to be handled in a timely manner."

Speaking: experience and opinion

Collocations that sound natural in personal-experience and opinion tasks:

Collocation	Example
make a decision	"I made a difficult decision to relocate for work."
take advantage of an opportunity	"I took advantage of a training program at my company."
gain experience / confidence	"That role helped me gain valuable experience."
have an impact on	"The mentorship program had a positive impact on my career."
be involved in	"I have been involved in community events for several years."
express an opinion / concern	"I would like to express my concern about the new policy."
strongly believe / recommend	"I strongly believe that public transit should be expanded."

Verb + preposition pairs (common mistakes)

Some verbs need a fixed preposition. Mixing these up is a frequent CELPIP Writing error.

Correct	Wrong	Example
listen to	listen	"I listened to the announcement carefully."
apologize for	apologize about	"I apologize for the inconvenience."
depend on	depend from	"Tenants depend on timely repairs."
complain about	complain for	"I complained about the noise repeatedly."
apply for	apply to (a job)	"I applied for the position in May."
succeed in	succeed to	"We succeeded in resolving the dispute."

See Preposition for more relationship words.

Before you submit: quick check

Does the verb + noun pair sound like something you have read in a formal email?
Are you using a specific noun after the verb (report the leak, not report the thing)?
If you are unsure, say it out loud once — unnatural pairs often "sound wrong" even when grammar rules look fine.

Practice Questions (10)

Choose the correct verb phrase.

I _____ a position in their company.
- a) applied to
- b) applied for
- c) applied in
- d) apply for
She _____ as a manager after 5 years.
- a) got promoted
- b) got promote
- c) was promote
- d) promote
We need to _____ the project by Friday.
- a) hand on
- b) hand in
- c) give in
- d) take in
Can you _____ this issue for me?
- a) look up
- b) look for
- c) look into
- d) look after
He _____ a leadership role in the team.
- a) took on
- b) took in
- c) took with
- d) took at
_____ if you need any support.
- a) Ask help
- b) Ask to help
- c) Ask for help
- d) Ask about help
The team _____ the project without any issues.
- a) carried out
- b) made out
- c) put out
- d) took out
I _____ working as a software engineer.
- a) succeeded to
- b) succeeded in
- c) succeed in
- d) success in
_____ everyone about the meeting tomorrow.
- a) Tell
- b) Say
- c) Speak
- d) Spread the word to
Let's _____ tomorrow to discuss the results.
- a) follow up
- b) follow through
- c) keep on
- d) follow with

Answer Key

Q	Answer	Explanation
1	b) applied for	Correct: "apply for" a job
2	a) got promoted	Correct: "got promoted" (past tense)
3	b) hand in	Correct: "hand in" = submit work
4	c) look into	Correct: "look into" = investigate
5	a) took on	Correct: "take on" = accept responsibility
6	c) Ask for help	Correct: "ask for" = request
7	a) carried out	Correct: "carry out" = complete/execute
8	b) succeeded in	Correct: "succeed in" + verb-ing
9	d) Spread the word to	Correct: "spread the word" = inform people
10	a) follow up	Correct: "follow up" = contact again

Understanding Verbs
Verb Tenses
Tenses
Noun — specific nouns to pair with these verbs
Preposition
Parts of Speech