English Lesson: Collocations for Feelings

As an English learner, you are probably familiar with many words connected with feelings. In this lesson you will learn collocations that will help you express how you feel in more interesting ways. 

We have selected different types of feelings and collocations that best describe them. 

ADMIRATION | RESPECT 

Examples: 

• I have nothing but admiration for people whose job involves helping others. 
• I'm full of admiration for what my parents have done for me throughout the years. (= be full of admiration) 
• I have a high regard for talented people. (= to respect and admire a lot) 
• I don't like people who have no regard for others' feelings. 

COURAGE | DETERMINATION | HOPE 

Examples: 

• Studying for my exams can be difficult at times but I try not to lose heart. (= I won't give up because I believe that I can succeed and pass my exams.) 
• I was doing a research on a specific topic for one of my school subjects. It was challenging for me to find and read all the information. My teacher actually supported me a lot and told me not to lose heart because I was doing really well. This motivated me and kept me going. 
• It takes courage to move abroad far from family and friends. 
• I didn't have the courage to tell my parents the truth. 

HAPPINESS | EXCITEMENT 

Examples: 

• I remember I was quite nervous before the test but when I got the results two weeks later my heart leaped with joy. I passed the exam with flying colours. (= with a very high mark/grade) 
• ​I was thrilled to bits when I got a pay rise. (= extremely excited and pleased) 
• I passed all my exams and I'm really thrilled with the results. 
• I think I would be blissfully happy if I didn't have any neighbours. 

SADNESS 

Examples: 

• I told him the bad news with a heavy heart. 
• I had been working as a teacher for 10 years before I decided to change career. I left my job with a heavy heart. 
• He was sick at heart about having to live far away from his family. (= very unhappy) 
• It breaks my heart to see her unhappy. (= makes me feel sad) 

FEAR 

Examples: 

• When I saw the lake we would jump in, my courage failed me. (= I was scared to do it.) 
• I've always been afraid of heights so I couldn't do a bungee jump. My courage failed me. 
• If your courage fails you, don't do it. (= If you're scared, don't do it.) 
• I've tried a few extreme sports as a way to overcome fear.  

ANGER 

Examples: 

• If I saw someone hit an animal, I don't think I would be able to contain my anger. 
• There are some situations where you just have to contain your anger. 
• It is not healthy to suppress your anger. 
• It's really shocking how many people express their anger through violence. 

DISLIKE 

Examples: 

• To be honest, I don't do any sport because I have an intense dislike of any form of exercise. I usually watch my weight and I try to eat a balanced diet. ('dislike' as a noun) 
• I really like having a tidy home but I have an intense dislike of household chores. 
• There are very few vegetables that I actively dislike. ('dislike' as a verb) 
• I simply dislike going to crowded places. I feel extremely tired after that. 

​
Exercise 1 

Rewrite the sentences using the collocations in brackets. 

1. I'm not a big fan of shopping. I don't like going to shopping malls. (intense dislike) 
2. I feel extremely happy every time my boyfriend calls me. (heart leaps) 
3. I really hate spicy food. (simply dislike) 
4. I think I have a really good English teacher. (high regard) 
5. ​Even if I'm angry, I try to hide it. (contain anger) 

Exercise 2 

Complete a short sentence about the situations, using the collocations you have learned in this lesson. Make sure you use the correct form of the verbs. 

1. For my sister's birthday, I bought her a book she really wanted to read. She was really excited when she opened her present. 
   She was .................................................. 
2. I've been learning English for many years now but I've always found it difficult to speak. I'm afraid of making mistakes. Once I saw a foreigner in my city and I really wanted to practise my English, but I was afraid of starting a conversation. 
   My .................................................. 
3. She had been with the company for five years when she decided to move on and change career. It was a difficult decision to make because she loved working with her colleagues. 
   She did it with .................................................. 
4. I feel sad when when I see injured animals or when my pets are sick. I always do my best to help them. 
   It .................................................. 
5. She's my best friend and I've always been honest with her but when I saw her boyfriend with another girl, I just couldn't tell her. 
   I didn't .................................................. ​​

Answers to exercise 1 

1. I have an intense dislike of shopping.
2. My heart leaps every time my boyfriend calls me. 
3. I simply dislike spicy food.
4. I have a high regard for my English teacher.
5. I try to contain my anger. 

Answers to exercise 2 

1. She was thrilled to bits.
2. My courage failed me.
3. She did it with a heavy heart.
4. It breaks my heart.
5. I didn't have the courage. 

​Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons:
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 
Social Media Addiction: Causes, Effects and Possible Solutions 


Other lessons:
Business English: Working in an office 
Business English: How to Talk about Your Job Responsibilities 
English Lesson: Jobs and Skills 
Collocations with Job (Part 1) 
Collocations with Job (Part 2) 
Phrasal Verbs: Phones and Technology 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 
​

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