Learning collocations is a must to score high on the PTE Reading section.

However, many test takers find collocations tough and often lose points in this grammatical area of a real PTE test.

Do not worry!

This post will summarize an ultimate PTE collocation list and some useful tips to help you memorize collocations easily.

(Read our Vietnamese version here)

Key takeaways

• The Academic Collocation List (ACL) includes 2469 common academic collocations in English.
• Collocations help you solve Fill-in-the-Blanks questions more easily, improve your essay writing skills, and answer Summarise Spoken Text questions more effectively.
• Reading often, using flashcards, and observing native speakers are tips to help you learn collocations.

What is a PTE academic collocation list?

A collocation is a group of words often go together to make a specific meaning.

Collocations are critical to enhancing your English. It also plays an important role in the PTE Academic test, especially in the Reading section.

The Academic Collocation List (ACL) compiled by Pearson includes 2469 common academic collocations in English.

The list was created using the Pearson International Corpus of Academic English (PICAE) written curricular component containing over 25 million words. 

The small but reasonable number of phrases in the ACL eases the pressure on test takers and helps them cultivate their English collocations more effectively.

Why it’s important?

Many students struggle with Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks since they lack a solid understanding of common expressions in a specific context.

Collocations are considered one of the “golden keys” to help you solve Fill in the Blanks questions easier.

Additionally, it also greatly improves your essay writing skills and forms answers to forms answers to Summarise Spoken Text questions better.

The ACL identifies essential cross-disciplinary collocations. Thank this, it can help you improve your collocational competency to boost your overall academic English proficiency.

Moreover, the ACL can assist EAP teachers in designing their lessons and provide critical learning materials to strengthen students’ academic language development.

Where can you get the PTE collocation list?

You can visit the official PTE website to download the full collocation list for your PTE exam preparation activities.

There are two files:

• Academic Collocation List (PDF)
• Academic Collocation List (.xls)

You can download one of the two or both. Most convenient for you to take notes or add more collocations.

What are some examples of popular collocations?

Here is a list of the most common PTE collocation words:

• Increasing Emphasis
• Information Processing
• Introductory Text
• Legal Basis
• Logical Approach
• Major Decision
• Maximum Duration
• Municipal Government
• Negative Attitude
• Obvious Point
• Paid Employment
• Personal Responsibility
• Political Identity
• Positive View
• Previous Decade
• Professional Activity
• Provide ( A ) Source
• Quantitative Analysis
• Recent Survey
• Reliable Information
• Rural Society
• Sexual Behaviour
• Significant Relationship
• Social Construct
• Sovereign State
• Statistically Significant
• Substantially Different
• Theoretical Analysis
• Undertake Work
• Vary Greatly
• Widely Different
• Academic Year
• Alternative Solution
• Basic Component
• Broad Category
• Central Role
• Immediate Environment
• Indigenous Population
• Intellectual Property
• Key Source
• Likely Outcome
• Low/Er Frequency
• Make Arrangements
• Metropolitan Area
• National Interest
• Newly Created
• Opinion Leader
• Particularly Sensitive
• Physical Symptom
• Political Stability
• Powerful Force
• Primarily Responsible
• Prominent Member
• Public Domain
• Raise Awareness
• Related Factor
• Report Findings
• Scientific Theory
• Show Evidence
• Similar Situation
• Social Isolation
• Specific Function
• Strong Reaction
• Take Precedence
• Top Management
• Use Effectively
• Visual Media
• Widespread Acceptance
• Actively Involved
• Appropriate Action
• Become Involved
• Careful Attention
• Characteristic Feature
• Imported Goods
• Individual Component
• Internal Conflict
• Large Percentage
• Limited Range
• Main Characteristics
• Make Policy
• Military Force
• National Movement
• Next Decade
• Organizational Structure
• Particularly Useful
• Place Emphasis
• Poorly Understood
• Practical Difficulties
• Primary Education
• Proposed Legislation
• Public Perception
• Random Variable
• Related Topic
• Research Effort
• Seek Help
• Significant Amount
• Single Entity
• Social Phenomenon
• Specific Needs
• Strongly Correlated
• Take On ( The ) Role
• Traditional Form
• Use ( A ) Method
• Vital Role
• Written Comment
• Additional Problem
• Appropriate Language
• Become ( The ) Focus
• Carry Out Research
• Classic Example
• Increased Production
• Industrialized Country
• Intimate Relationship
• Learning Objective
• Local Authority
• Major Cause
• Make ( A ) Judgement
• Modified Version
• Natural Science
• Objective Reality
• Overall Level
• Personal Experience
• Political Culture
• Positive Impact
• Present Evidence
• Private Sector
• Provide Insight
• Qualitative Approach
• Receive Information
• Relevant Factors
• Ruling Class
• Set ( An ) Objective
• Significant Interaction
• Social Attitudes
• Socioeconomic Status
• Statistical Data
• Subsequent Work
• Technological Innovation
  

Tips for memorizing collocations

Students often have trouble with collocations for many reasons. Notably, they commonly translate directly from their native tongue.

No more worry! These top tips can help you learn collocation effectively:

• Read often: Read as much as you can. Focus on how words are combined in phrases and expressions. Take notes and review them if necessary.
• Use flashcards: Make flashcards with collocations and their meanings. Read them over and over again until you can memorize them.
• Apply collocations in different contexts: Instead of cramming collocations, use them in different situations when writing English and communicating daily. Therefore, you can remember them better and longer.
• Observe native speakers: Listen or watch how they use collocations through TV shows, movies, and podcasts.
• Practice makes perfect: The more you use collocations, the easier you can grasp and use them correctly. You can practice with the MAGIC Platform for more flexible and effective learning.

Conclusion

Are you preparing for your upcoming PTE exam? Collocations would no longer be a headache if you master our tips above.

Contact us today! You will get more proven tips and tricks to help you ace your PTE with flying colors.