Collocations About Teaching: Trivia Quiz!

1. Complete the collocation: "I was running late so I only had time for a _____ shower."

Short

Quick

Fast

The correct answer is "quick." In this context, "quick" implies that the person only had a limited amount of time and needed to take a shower that was brief and efficient.

Explanation

The correct answer is "quick." In this context, "quick" implies that the person only had a limited amount of time and needed to take a shower that was brief and efficient.

2. Complete with a verb + adverb collocation: "You'll do it if you ________ enough."

Try hard

Really try

Want to

The sentence is expressing that if you put in enough effort and make a strong attempt, you will be able to accomplish the task. The collocation "try hard" conveys the idea of putting in a significant amount of effort and exerting oneself to achieve the desired outcome.

Explanation

The sentence is expressing that if you put in enough effort and make a strong attempt, you will be able to accomplish the task. The collocation "try hard" conveys the idea of putting in a significant amount of effort and exerting oneself to achieve the desired outcome.

3. Collocations can be divided into several types such as _________ collocations.

Verb + noun

Subject + object

First + second

Collocations can be divided into several types based on the combination of words used. One type of collocation is "verb + noun" where a verb is paired with a noun to form a common expression. This type of collocation is commonly used in language to convey specific meanings and is an important aspect of vocabulary acquisition and usage.

Explanation

Collocations can be divided into several types based on the combination of words used. One type of collocation is "verb + noun" where a verb is paired with a noun to form a common expression. This type of collocation is commonly used in language to convey specific meanings and is an important aspect of vocabulary acquisition and usage.

4. Which is a common adverb + adjective collocation?

Richly decorated

Richly wealthy

Greedily rich

"Richly decorated" is a common adverb + adjective collocation because it combines the adverb "richly" with the adjective "decorated" to describe something that is adorned or embellished in a lavish or opulent manner. The adverb "richly" intensifies the adjective "decorated" and provides additional information about the extent or quality of the decoration.

Explanation

"Richly decorated" is a common adverb + adjective collocation because it combines the adverb "richly" with the adjective "decorated" to describe something that is adorned or embellished in a lavish or opulent manner. The adverb "richly" intensifies the adjective "decorated" and provides additional information about the extent or quality of the decoration.

5. Which of these is NOT a strong collocation with 'homework'?

Set

Hand in

Make

Mark

Do

A teacher 'sets' homework when s/he tells the students what to do. Then they 'do' it (or don't do it!). The 'hand in' the homework to the teacher for him/her to 'mark', so they know which answers they got right and wrong.

Explanation

A teacher 'sets' homework when s/he tells the students what to do. Then they 'do' it (or don't do it!). The 'hand in' the homework to the teacher for him/her to 'mark', so they know which answers they got right and wrong.

6. Which of these is NOT a strong collocation with ' (a/the) board' (ie blackboard or whiteboard?

Clean

Delete

Rubber

Put something on

Pen

The teacher (or a student) 'puts something on' the board with a 'board pen' (on a whiteboard) or with chalk (for a blackboard). Later the teacher can 'clean' the board with a 'board rubber'. You can't delete the board, but you can delete words on the board.

Explanation

The teacher (or a student) 'puts something on' the board with a 'board pen' (on a whiteboard) or with chalk (for a blackboard). Later the teacher can 'clean' the board with a 'board rubber'. You can't delete the board, but you can delete words on the board.

7. Which of these is NOT a strong collocation with '(an) exam'?

Make

Sit

Do

Take

Retake

Our poor students have to 'do', 'take' or 'sit' exams. They all mean the same but 'sit' sounds more formal. If they aren't successful the first time they may have to 'retake' an exam (or 'resit').

Explanation

Our poor students have to 'do', 'take' or 'sit' exams. They all mean the same but 'sit' sounds more formal. If they aren't successful the first time they may have to 'retake' an exam (or 'resit').

8. One more about exams. Which one is different? (clue: before or after?)

Cram for an exam

Revise for an exam

Remember doing an exam

Study for an exam

Do a mock exam

Before a real exam, you might 'do a mock exam' so you know what to expect. And you need to 'study' or 'revise' for the exam. If you've left it rather late and perhaps you haven't done much work during the course, you might need to 'cram for' the exam. But you 'remember doing' an exam afterward, and maybe you think "Oh no! Why did I write THAT?"

Explanation

Before a real exam, you might 'do a mock exam' so you know what to expect. And you need to 'study' or 'revise' for the exam. If you've left it rather late and perhaps you haven't done much work during the course, you might need to 'cram for' the exam. But you 'remember doing' an exam afterward, and maybe you think "Oh no! Why did I write THAT?"

9. Which of these collocations with '(an/the) exam' has a different meaning?

Pass

Look through

Sail through

Scrape through

Get through

You might 'look through' the exam when you are given the paper, so you can get an idea of what it contains. In all the others you get a successful result. If you 'pass' or 'get through' the exam, it's good but we don't know how well you did. If the pass mark for the exam is 50%, and you get 51%, then you 'scrape through' it. But if you get 95% then you 'sail through' it.

Explanation

You might 'look through' the exam when you are given the paper, so you can get an idea of what it contains. In all the others you get a successful result. If you 'pass' or 'get through' the exam, it's good but we don't know how well you did. If the pass mark for the exam is 50%, and you get 51%, then you 'scrape through' it. But if you get 95% then you 'sail through' it.

10. Look at these expressions with 'try'. In four of them, the teacher seems disappointed with the student's behavior or work. Which one is different?

Try not to fidget

Try harder

Try to behave

Try again

Try your best

If the teacher thinks the student is able to do better work s/he might say 'try harder'. If the learner gets an answer wrong the teacher can give him/her another chance by saying 'try again'. The teacher or parent of a child who often behaves badly might ask the child to 'try to behave' or, to a child who can't sit still, 'try not to fidget'. But 'try your best' would be said to a student before they started a task, especially if they thought they couldn't do it very well.

Explanation

If the teacher thinks the student is able to do better work s/he might say 'try harder'. If the learner gets an answer wrong the teacher can give him/her another chance by saying 'try again'. The teacher or parent of a child who often behaves badly might ask the child to 'try to behave' or, to a child who can't sit still, 'try not to fidget'. But 'try your best' would be said to a student before they started a task, especially if they thought they couldn't do it very well.