The B2 Plateau
We all know that student. Their grammar is flawless. They know 10,000 words. Yet, when they speak, they sound unnatural.
They say: *'I made a big mistake.'*
A native speaker says: *'I made a massive error in judgment.'*
A native speaker says: *'I made a massive error in judgment.'*
They say: *'The rain was very strong.'*
A native speaker says: *'The rain was torrential.'*
A native speaker says: *'The rain was torrential.'*
The difference isn't grammar. It isn't even vocabulary size. It's collocations—the predictable ways words combine. To push students from B2 to C1, you must shift focus from single words to 'chunks' of language.
Types of Advanced Collocations
1. Adverb + Adjective
Instead of 'very bad', teach *bitterly disappointed*, *deeply offensive*, *ridiculously expensive*, *highly unlikely*.
Instead of 'very bad', teach *bitterly disappointed*, *deeply offensive*, *ridiculously expensive*, *highly unlikely*.
2. Verb + Noun (Delexicalised Verbs)
Advanced students struggle with make, have, do, take, get, give.
Teach: *take exception to*, *give the impression*, *run a risk*, *draw a conclusion*.
Advanced students struggle with make, have, do, take, get, give.
Teach: *take exception to*, *give the impression*, *run a risk*, *draw a conclusion*.
3. Noun + Verb
How do things act?
*The economy collapsed. Opportunities arise. Rumors spread. Tensions mount.*
How do things act?
*The economy collapsed. Opportunities arise. Rumors spread. Tensions mount.*
4. Binomials
Fixed phrases joined by 'and' or 'or'.
*By and large, wear and tear, touch and go, pros and cons, sick and tired.*
Fixed phrases joined by 'and' or 'or'.
*By and large, wear and tear, touch and go, pros and cons, sick and tired.*
How to Teach Collocations
The Noticing Hypothesis
Students won't learn collocations until they notice them. Give them an authentic text (a news article). Give them a highlighter. Say: 'Highlight five adjective+noun combinations the author uses to describe the political situation.'
Students won't learn collocations until they notice them. Give them an authentic text (a news article). Give them a highlighter. Say: 'Highlight five adjective+noun combinations the author uses to describe the political situation.'
Corpus Data
Introduce advanced students to tools like the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) or Skell (Sketch Engine). Have them search a word like 'challenge' to discover what adjectives naturally precede it (*daunting challenge, formidible challenge*).
Introduce advanced students to tools like the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) or Skell (Sketch Engine). Have them search a word like 'challenge' to discover what adjectives naturally precede it (*daunting challenge, formidible challenge*).
Odd One Out
Write a noun on the board (e.g., 'A MISTAKE'). Write 4 verbs around it. Ask students: Which verb DOES NOT go with mistake? (Make, Commit, *Do*, Rectify).
Write a noun on the board (e.g., 'A MISTAKE'). Write 4 verbs around it. Ask students: Which verb DOES NOT go with mistake? (Make, Commit, *Do*, Rectify).
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Teacher Tip
"Ban the words 'very', 'good', and 'bad' for one week in an advanced class. Force them to reach for more precise collocations (extremely beneficial, thoroughly awful, highly effective)."
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I test collocations?
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Key-word transformation exercises (common in Cambridge exams) are excellent for this. DrillKit has a specific exercise generation mode for Key-Word Transformations that perfectly targets chunk-level grammar and collocations.
Should I correct unnatural but grammatically correct phrases?
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Yes, at C1/C2 level. Say: 'Your grammar is perfect, and I understand you completely. But a native speaker would probably say it like this...' Advanced students crave this exact feedback.