Everyday Collocation

Vocabulary Practice
Can you make an appropriate choice of words …then take the following challenges under the given headings?
 Use the words in italics to best match the following list under each the heading in boldface.

WALKING
Stagger  stride  stroll  stumble  march  dodder  prow  ramble  waddle  crawl scuttle  sneak  strut  totter stalk amble limp

1. Walk in a stiff, self-satisfied way 
2. Walk with slow steps and sideways roll 
3. Move along without hurrying 
4. Hurried flight or departure 
5. Move quietly to escape notice 
6. Move slowly, pulling the body along the ground 
7. Move slowly, unsteadily 
8. Walk with slow steps in a self-satisfied way 
9. Walk weakly, shakily (like an old man) 
10. A long walk for enjoyment (in the countryside) 
11. To walk with firm steps (like a soldier) 
12. Walk with great difficulty (almost falling) 
13. Walk with long steps 
14. Walk with uneven steps (like a lame person) 
15. Walk quietly so no one sees or hears 
16. Walk a short distance slowly and lazily 
17. Hit one’s foot while walking 

LOOKING
Gaze  glance  stare  glimpse  survey  peep  eye  scan

1. To look at for a long time (in surprise or shock) 
2. A steady, fixed look (often consciously) 
3. To look at something quickly, secretly 
4. To look at closely (often with desire) 
5. To examine something (as a whole) 
6. To have a quick incomplete view 
7. To examine closely (searching for something) 
8. Quick short look 

BREAKING
Knock-down  chip   crack   crush   chop   split   fracture   squash

1. Break (a piece of wood) from end to end 
2. Cause a break without falling apart 
3. Flatten by pressing 
4. Break off a small piece from 
5. Press together and break with great force 
6. Break (especially bones) 
7. Cut by repeated heating with a heavy, sharp tool(like an ax) 
8. To hit hard to cause to fall 

SPEAKING
Blurt out   chat   gossip   harp on   jabber   mutter   prattle   snap   stammer   whisper

1. Because of a bad headache, he was ready to …….at anyone who spoke to him 
2. Shiva was so nervous that she began to …...when she was asked to give the reason why she has not written. 
3. The women sat down to …, as they had nothing else to do. 
4. It is a bad habit to ….about other people. 
5. It is risky to ….whatever comes to your mind 
6. Please speak louder not … I cannot hear you. 
7. He began to ….because he was not happy with what he was given. 
8. Mina was so excited about the trip that she began to ….so much about it but no one could understand. 
9. To … the same thing is to anger him. 
10. You are now a grown-up man so it does not suit you to …all the time. 
11. 
    

EXPRESSING PAIN
Groan    wail    howl    whine    yelp    whimper

1. Cry in a loud, usually shrill voice 
2. Weak, frightened sound 
3. A long cry of complain (made by a dog) 
4. A long loud cry of pain 
5.  A sound of pain expressed in a deep voice
6.  A short, sharp cry of pain 

SOUNDS
Bawl   patter   blare   click   gurgle   rattle   rustle   rumble
1. Short, sharp sound (like a key turning in a lock)
2. A sound of quick, light taps (like rain on the roof)
3. Shout or cry loudly
4. Light, gentle sound (like dry leaves blown against the wind)
5. A sound of trumpet or horns
6. Make a short, sharp sound quickly one after another
7. Bubbling sound (like water flowing from a narrow-necked bottle)
8. Deep, heavy, continuous sound (like thunder)
9. As the camel moved along you could hear the ….. of bells.
10. Far above we heard the …..of an airplane.
11. The children love to… water over one another.
12. Suddenly we heard the…of wheels on the road.
13. There was no other sound except for the…of dry twigs in the campfire.
14. The guard heard the ….of the chain as the pow was taken in.
15. The… of a snake frightened me.
16. We were woken by the loud….on the door.
17. The…of the whip made the horse run faster.

©Jaya Narayan Bhusal Dept of English ELT Materials Vocabulary

Source Confirmation: Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary New Edition 2007