English Lesson: Collocations for Success

In this lesson, you will learn collocations that will help you express the idea of succeeding in doing something or getting something. They are used in contexts such as work and achieving personal goals. 

ACHIEVE AN AMBITION 
To do what you want to do. 

Examples: 

• I think it's extremely important for young people to have ambitions they want to achieve. 
• I would say I'm an ambitious person. I have many ambitions I want to achieve in my life. For example, I want to learn other foreign languages apart from English and I want to live and work in those countries so that I can practise my language skills. 
• It took me a few years to achieve my ambition of speaking English fluently. 

FULFIL A DREAM 
To do or get what you want. 

Examples: 

• I've always wanted to be a doctor, so becoming a specialist in this field was a chance for me to fulfil my dream. 
• I really want to fulfil my dream of visiting as many countries as I can. 
• I helped my student prepare for her job interview and I'm proud of her because she fulfilled her dream and became an interpreter.  

GET RESPECT | EARN RESPECT 
To be treated with respect. | To start to be respected. 

Examples: 

• People make assumptions based on your appearance so you are more likely to get respect if you are dressed appropriately for the occasion. 
• He earned his boss's respect by working hard and effectively. 
• Earning respect may sound simple, but it takes a lot of work. 

CAPTURE SOMEONE'S INTEREST 
To make someone interested in or excited about something. 

Examples: 

• What I find difficult about my job is giving presentations to my colleagues at work because I need to be well prepared and able to capture their interest. 
• This is the best film I've ever seen. It definitely captured my interest from the beginning. 
• When you're telling a story, you have to start with something that will really capture the listener's interest. 

PROVIDE (SOMEONE WITH) AN OPPORTUNITY | GIVE SOMEONE AN OPPORTUNITY 
To have a chance to do something. 

Examples: 

• Without doubt, big cities provide better educational opportunities. 
• My university provides opportunities for a number of extracurricular activities such as sport and fitness, volunteer work, and more. 
• Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to learn more about a new culture and experience a completely new way of life.  

REAP THE BENEFIT | REAP THE REWARD  
To get something good as a result of your own actions or something that you have done. 

Examples: 

• I know that I need to work hard now if I want to reap the benefits later. 
• She studied hard every day and reaped the benefit at the exam. 
• I made a few attempts to get the job I wanted but it was worth it. I'm now reaping the rewards of all my hard work in the last few months. 

BOOST SOMEONE'S CONFIDENCE | BUILD UP SOMEONE'S CONFIDENCE 
To make someone feel more confident. | To gradually increase it. 

Examples: 

• I prefer to have make-up on because it really boosts my confidence. 
• If you focus on your passion, you will feel unique and accomplished and will definitely boost your confidence. 
• I'm not experienced in public speaking and I always feel quite nervous when speaking in front of others. What really helps me build up my confidence is writing my content in advance and improvising when giving a presentation. 

GET INTO A ROUTINE | SETTLE INTO A ROUTINE 
To have a fixed order of doing things. 

Examples: 

• When I was at school, I didn't think about my study habits at all, but once I entered university, I got into a study routine. I wanted to study effectively and to be organised, so that I could enjoy my free time without having to worry about my studies. 
• Parents should get their children into a routine of doing their homework after school. 
• Being a university student can be quite challenging, especially when revising for exams, but once you settle into a routine, it gets easier. 

TASK:
Think about your achievements and experiences. Write sentences about them using the collocations you have learned in this lesson. 


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 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 


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 

​
Please LIKE and SHARE with friends! 

DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH SKILLS?

Our lessons are engaging and encourage students to speak more on a specific topic.
Students learn and practise new vocabulary, and improve grammar as well.
​You will receive feedback on your mistakes and advice how to improve.

English Speaking Course

English Speaking & Writing Course

Subscribe to our newsletter for any future lessons on this blog.
You will be notified via email.

Join Our Newsletter