Everyday Descriptions — Collocations
Coffee, sleep, smokers, and welcomes — how natives actually describe daily life. · Pattern: Adjective + Noun · Level B1
strong coffee
Coffee with a powerful flavor (and effect).
Example: Pilots drink strong coffee on night flights.
⚠️ Not: “powerful coffee” — say “strong coffee”.
a heavy smoker
A person who smokes a lot.
Example: He was a heavy smoker for twenty years.
⚠️ Not: “a big smoker” — say “a heavy smoker”.
a deep sleep
Very deep, hard-to-wake sleep.
Example: After the marathon, she fell into a deep sleep.
⚠️ Not: “a strong sleep” — say “a deep sleep”.
a sound sleep
Undisturbed, healthy sleep.
Example: The baby enjoyed a sound sleep all night.
⚠️ Not: “a good sound” — say “a sound sleep”.
a quick shower
A very short shower.
Example: He took a quick shower and ran to work.
⚠️ Not: “a fast shower” — say “a quick shower”.
a soft drink
A sweet non-alcoholic drink like cola or lemonade.
Example: Kids ordered a soft drink with their burgers.
⚠️ Not: “a sweet drink (describes taste, not the category)” — say “a soft drink”.
fast food
Quick restaurant food like burgers and fries.
Example: Many students eat fast food between classes.
⚠️ Not: “quick food” — say “fast food”.
a big mistake
A serious error with important consequences.
Example: Selling the house then was a big mistake.
⚠️ Not: “a grand mistake” — say “a big mistake”.
a great success
A major achievement or very successful thing.
Example: The festival was a great success this year.
⚠️ Not: “a big success (possible, but great is the classic partner)” — say “a great success”.
a warm welcome
A friendly, enthusiastic greeting.
Example: The town gave the team a warm welcome.
⚠️ Not: “a hot welcome” — say “a warm welcome”.
Practice
Flashcards
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Matching Game
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