36 Examples of Verb + Noun Collocations [List]

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Verb Noun Collocations: get started, have a good time, make a difference, save money

Verb Noun Collocations

A collocation means that two or more words often go together. They are considered to be parts of one larger phrase. Verbs and nouns have a lot of fixed collocations that are set phrases.

In a collocation, these words form the phrase, and exchanging any word for another makes this phrase wrong. Using the correct verb and noun collocations is the difference between natural and unnatural English. 

Learning verb and noun collocations is one of the best ways to make your English sound more natural.

Verb + Noun Collocations List

Here is a list of some of the most common verb and noun collocations:

  1. Have a drink – get something to drink
  2. Have breakfast / lunch / dinner – eat something for a meal
  3. Have a good time – enjoy yourself
  4. Break a record – achieve a new record
  5. Break a leg – to do well
  6. Break the law – not follow the rules
  7. Pay attention – to be focused
  8. Pay a visit – go to visit someone
  9. Pay your respects – show someone you respect them
  10. Make a difference – change something
  11. Make money – to earn
  12. Make progress – to improve
  13. Save money – set money aside
  14. Save time – do something efficiently
  15. Save energy – conserve energy
  16. Do business – conduct business
  17. Do someone a favor – do something for someone
  18. Do your best – give all your effort to a task
  19. Take a break – pause work
  20. Take a look – see something up close
  21. Take notes – write down important information
  22. Catch a bus – get on a bus in time
  23. Catch a cold – get sick
  24. Catch a thief – capture a thief
  25. Come prepared – be prepared before a task
  26. Come to a decision – make a decision
  27. Come first – finish a contest in first place
  28. Go bad – when food becomes rotten
  29. Go bankrupt – lose all your money
  30. Go missing – disappear
  31. Get a job – find employment
  32. Get drunk – drink a lot
  33. Get started – start something
  34. Keep a promise – fulfill a promise you made
  35. Keep calm – be calm in a tough situation
  36. Keep quiet – stay quiet

Example Sentences

Have a drink

  • Can I have a drink, please? Yes, of course. What do you want to have? A glass of white wine, please. 

Have breakfast

  • Do you want to eat something before the class starts? No, thanks, I have had breakfast at home. 

Have a good time

  • Are you travelling somewhere? Yes, I’m going camping to the seaside. Have a good time. 

Break a record

  • I broke my own record at running. I ran 5 kilometers in 30 minutes last time. It’s 2 minutes faster than my previous run.  

Break a leg

  • I’m going to my hardest exam today. Wish me good luck. Break a leg. You can do it. 

Break the law

  • She broke the law, so now she is in prison for years. 

Pay attention

  • Please, pay attention, I’m talking to you!

Pay a visit

  • I paid a visit to my grandma. She is not very well. 

Pay your respects

  • You should pay your respects to the director. He is older and wiser than you. 

Make money

  • I have to find a second job. I want to make more money. 

Make progress

  • I want to make progress in my career. I’m going to a training. 

Save money

  • I want to save a big amount of money for my retirement because I’m not expecting any pension from the government. 

Save time

  • A saved time, because I made half of the cooking yesterday evening. Now I just have to put it in the oven. 

Save energy

  • I saved a lot of energy because I bought some energy saver lights for my house. 

Do business

  • He did his best business this week. He just signed the contract for a 1.000.000 dollar reconstruction. 

Do someone a favor

  • Could you please do me a big favor? I won’t have time to walk with my dog today. Would you mind doing it?

Take a break

  • Let’s take a break, and have lunch in the canteen. 

Take a look

  • Could you take a look at my calculation. I’m not sure it’s correct. 

Take notes

  • Please take notes during the presentation. 

Catch a bus

  • I don’t have time, I have to catch the next bus. 

Catch a cold

  • Sorry I can’t go with you, I caught a cold. I’m not feeling very well. 

Come prepared

  • Did you come prepared to this challenge?

Come to a decision

  • Did you come to a decision? Will you marry him?

Come first

  • Don’t worry, you came prepared, you come first. 

Go bankrupt

  • She gambled and she went bankrupt. 

Go missing

  • Her wife went missing. Even copes can’t find her.

Get a job

  • Finally She got a job. She has been looking for it for ages. 

Get drunk

  • Last night they got drunk, so they went home by taxi. 

Get started

  • Let’s get started with the diet. It will be easier together. 

Keep a promise

  • I kept my promise, I took him to the beach for his birthday. 

Keep calm

  • Keep calm, she will be ok soon. 

Keep quiet

  • If you keep quiet you will hear the birdsong. 

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