Chapter 7 · English Grammar

Vocabulary: Collocations & Word Families

Advanced ⏱ 35–45 minutes 🎓 Grade 10

What you will be able to do

  • Use common collocations correctly (make/do, etc.)
  • Use fixed expressions naturally
  • Build word families (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)
  • Choose the right word form for the gap
  • Switch between formal and informal vocabulary
Builds on / Related chapters
Grade 6 · Vocabulary & Usage (foundation)

1 Quick Introduction

English

Advanced vocabulary is not just knowing many words — it is knowing which words go together. A collocation is a natural word partnership (you make a decision, not 'do' a decision). A word family is a group built from one root (beauty → beautiful → beautify → beautifully). Mastering these makes your English sound fluent and precise.

हिन्दी

उन्नत शब्द-सम्पदा केवल बहुत शब्द जानना नहीं है — यह जानना है कि कौन-से शब्द साथ चलते हैं। collocation एक स्वाभाविक शब्द-संगति है (आप make a decision कहते हैं, 'do' a decision नहीं)। word family एक मूल से बना शब्द-समूह है (beauty → beautiful → beautify → beautifully)। इन्हें साधने से आपकी अंग्रेज़ी धाराप्रवाह और सटीक लगती है।

2 A Real-Life Situation

Imagine this

A gap that tests word form:

Q: Her ___ (kind) towards animals is well known.

A: Her kindness towards animals is well known.

Why this form? The blank needs a noun, so 'kind' becomes 'kindness'. Knowing the whole word family — kind, kindness, kindly — lets you supply the exact form the sentence demands. Boards test this in gap-fills constantly.

3 The Grammar Rule

Rule & Formula
TypeExample
make + …make a decision, make progress
do + …do homework, do a favour
take + …take a risk, take a break
Word familysuccess → successful → succeed → successfully
Right word partner + right word form = natural, precise English
She made a decision and did her best to succeed.

4 Collocations & Fixed Expressions

A collocation is a pair of words that naturally go together. The most tested are with make, do and take:

makedotake
make a decisiondo homeworktake a risk
make a mistakedo a favourtake a break
make progressdo businesstake notes
make an effortdo the dishestake care

Fixed expressions are phrases that don't change: in a nutshell, on the contrary, by and large, as a matter of fact, in the long run. Also learn collocations with adjectives and prepositions: heavy rain, strong coffee, fast food; keen on, good at, proud of.

Visual — Collocations & Fixed Expressions
MAKEa decisionDOhomeworkTAKEa risk
1
Worked Example
Choose: She ___ a mistake. (make/do)
Solution

made a mistake — 'make a mistake' is the correct collocation.

2
Worked Example
Fixed expression for 'in summary'?
Solution

in a nutshell (or 'to sum up').

Key Points

  • Collocations are natural word partnerships (make a decision, do homework)
  • make/do/take each pair with specific nouns
  • Fixed expressions don't change (in a nutshell, by and large)

5 Word Families & Formal vs Informal

A word family is all the words built from one root, across parts of speech:

NounVerbAdjectiveAdverb
beautybeautifybeautifulbeautifully
successsucceedsuccessfulsuccessfully
strengthstrengthenstrongstrongly
decisiondecidedecisivedecisively

For a gap, decide which part of speech is needed, then pick that family member (a noun after 'her', an adjective before a noun, an adverb after a verb).

Formal vs informal: the same idea has different registers — buy (informal) / purchase (formal); kids / children; get / receive; ask for / request. Match the word to the situation.

1
Worked Example
Fill with the right family member: He answered ___ (decide).
Solution

decisively — an adverb is needed after the verb 'answered'.

2
Worked Example
Give the formal word for 'kids'.
Solution

children (formal/neutral).

Key Points

  • A word family spans noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms
  • Choose the form by the part of speech the gap needs
  • Match register: formal (purchase, request) vs informal (buy, ask for)

6 Vocabulary Builder

WordMeaningहिन्दी
Collocationwords that go togetherशब्द-संगति
Fixed expressionan unchanging phraseस्थिर वाक्यांश
Word familywords from one rootशब्द-परिवार
Registerlevel of formalityभाषा-स्तर
Derivativea word formed from anotherव्युत्पन्न शब्द
✎ Vocabulary Quick Test0 / 1
Q.Which collocation is correct?
Explanation: 'make a decision' is the standard collocation.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗ Incorrectdo a mistake
✓ Correctmake a mistake
'make a mistake' is the correct collocation.
✗ Incorrectmake your homework
✓ Correctdo your homework
'do homework', not 'make'.
✗ IncorrectHer kind is well known.
✓ CorrectHer kindness is well known.
A noun is needed → 'kindness'.
✗ IncorrectHe spoke very decisive.
✓ CorrectHe spoke very decisively.
An adverb is needed after the verb.

8 Practice Exercises

Fill in the BlanksLevel 1
Choose make, do or take.
  1. ______ a decision
  2. ______ your homework
  3. ______ a risk
  4. ______ progress
  5. ______ a break
Answer Key
  1. make
  2. do
  3. take
  4. make
  5. take
Fill in the BlanksLevel 2
Fill with the correct word from the family in brackets.
  1. Her ______ surprised us. (decide)
  2. He worked ______ to win. (success)
  3. Exercise will ______ your muscles. (strength)
  4. It was a ______ victory. (decide)
  5. She painted the wall ______. (beauty)
Answer Key
  1. decision
  2. successfully
  3. strengthen
  4. decisive
  5. beautifully
Error Detection
  1. He did a big mistake.
  2. Please make your homework.
  3. Her honest is admired.
  4. He answered the question confident.
Answer Key
  1. He made a big mistake. (error: did)
  2. Please do your homework. (error: make)
  3. Her honesty is admired. (error: honest)
  4. He answered the question confidently. (error: confident)
Sentence Correction
  1. She took a decision quickly.
  2. We need to do progress.
  3. His strong helped the team.
Answer Key
  1. She made a decision quickly. (or: She took a quick decision.)
  2. We need to make progress.
  3. His strength helped the team.
Rearrange the Words
  1. a / decision / made / she / wise
  2. homework / your / do / first
  3. her / by / kindness / is / loved / all
Answer Key
  1. She made a wise decision.
  2. Do your homework first.
  3. Her kindness is loved by all.
Match the Following
Column AColumn B
1. makea. a risk
2. dob. beautiful (adj)
3. takec. a decision
4. beautyd. homework
Answer Key
make → a decisiondo → homeworktake → a riskbeauty → beautiful (adj)

9 Micro Quiz

✎ Quick Check — 5 questions0 / 5
Q1.Choose: '___ a decision'
Explanation: 'make a decision'.
Q2.Choose: '___ homework'
Explanation: 'do homework'.
Q3.Noun from 'decide':
Explanation: The noun is 'decision'.
Q4.Adverb from 'success':
Explanation: The adverb is 'successfully'.
Q5.Fixed expression for 'in summary':
Explanation: 'in a nutshell' = briefly/in summary.

10 Reading Practice

Riya made a bold decision: to start her own business. She knew she would make mistakes, but she was determined to make progress. With great patience and remarkable determination, she did all the research herself. By and large, her strategy succeeded. In a nutshell, her dedication and her willingness to take risks turned a small idea into a successful company.

Comprehension Questions
  1. List three collocations with 'make' from the passage.
  2. Find two abstract nouns from word families in the passage.
  3. Identify a fixed expression and its meaning.
Answer Key
  1. make a decision, make mistakes, make progress.
  2. patience, determination, dedication (from patient, determined, dedicated).
  3. 'In a nutshell' = in summary / briefly (also 'By and large' = generally).

11 Speaking, Writing & Daily Use

Say these aloud
  • She made a quick decision.
  • Please do me a favour.
  • Don't take such a big risk.
  • His determination inspired us all.
  • In a nutshell, hard work pays off.
Write five sentences about a goal, using two make/do/take collocations, one fixed expression and two word-family derivatives (e.g. success → successfully).
Example: I made a plan and did my best. I took a risk. By and large, my dedication helped me succeed successfully.

12 Challenge Zone

🔥 Higher-Level Questions — 30 / 3
Q1.Choose the correct collocation: 'The medicine had a strong ___.'
Explanation: 'a strong effect' — 'effect' is the noun.
Q2.Fill with the right word form: 'His ___ to detail impressed the judges. (attentive)'
Explanation: A noun is needed → 'attention'.
Q3.Choose the more formal word: 'The company will ___ new staff.'
Explanation: 'recruit' is the formal word for hiring.

13 Chapter Mind Map

Mind Map
  COLLOCATIONS & WORD FAMILIES
                |
   +------------+------------+
   |            |            |
 COLLOCATIONS FIXED       WORD
 make/do/take EXPRESSIONS FAMILIES
 a decision   in a        noun/verb/
 homework     nutshell    adj/adverb
 a risk       by and      formal vs
 adj+noun     large       informal

14 One-Minute Revision

Remember these

  • Collocations are natural partnerships (make a decision, do homework, take a risk)
  • Fixed expressions don't change (in a nutshell, by and large)
  • A word family spans noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms
  • For a gap, choose the form the part of speech requires
  • Match register: formal (purchase, request) vs informal (buy, ask for)