Level 09 – Step 02 : Verb + Preposition Collocations (He made rapid progress. Please take care of the classroom.)
/Level 09 – Step 02 : Verb + Preposition Collocations (He made rapid progress. Please take care of the classroom.)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn verb + preposition collocations — short word pairs that go together naturally.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn verb + preposition collocations — short word pairs that go together naturally.
🐧Igupen: Do you mean like “take care of” and “make progress”?
/🐧Igupen: Do you mean like “take care of” and “make progress”?
They sound like a single idea even though they’re more than one word.
/They sound like a single idea even though they’re more than one word.
🦉Professor Owl: Ho ho.
/🦉Professor Owl: Ho ho.
Exactly.
/Exactly.
These combinations are common in English and help your speech sound natural.
/These combinations are common in English and help your speech sound natural.
🐧Igupen: Great — I want to use them correctly so I don’t sound strange.
/🐧Igupen: Great — I want to use them correctly so I don’t sound strange.
🦉Professor Owl: Listen to the patterns and try to remember the usual partner for each verb.
/🦉Professor Owl: Listen to the patterns and try to remember the usual partner for each verb.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What are verb + preposition collocations?
/What are verb + preposition collocations?
Collocations are word pairs that commonly go together.
/Collocations are word pairs that commonly go together.
Verb + preposition collocations use a verb followed by a specific preposition or particle and then an object.
/Verb + preposition collocations use a verb followed by a specific preposition or particle and then an object.
The meaning often depends on the pair, not just the verb.
/The meaning often depends on the pair, not just the verb.
Why they matter
/Why they matter
Native speakers use them naturally.
/Native speakers use them naturally.
Using the correct preposition makes your meaning clear and natural-sounding.
/Using the correct preposition makes your meaning clear and natural-sounding.
Common patterns and examples
/Common patterns and examples
take care of = look after; Please take care of the classroom.
/take care of = look after; Please take care of the classroom.
make progress = improve; He made rapid progress.
/make progress = improve; He made rapid progress.
depend on = trust or need; We depend on clean water.
/depend on = trust or need; We depend on clean water.
look forward to = feel happy about something coming; I look forward to the trip.
/look forward to = feel happy about something coming; I look forward to the trip.
insist on = demand strongly; She insisted on good explanations.
/insist on = demand strongly; She insisted on good explanations.
How to learn them
/How to learn them
Learn a few useful collocations at a time with example sentences.
/Learn a few useful collocations at a time with example sentences.
Practice them in short spoken or written phrases.
/Practice them in short spoken or written phrases.
Group verbs by topic such as school, emotions, and actions to remember them easier.
/Group verbs by topic such as school, emotions, and actions to remember them easier.
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Memorize the whole phrase (verb + preposition) as one unit.
/Memorize the whole phrase (verb + preposition) as one unit.
If you only know the verb, you might choose the wrong preposition and change the meaning.
/If you only know the verb, you might choose the wrong preposition and change the meaning.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
“depend on” not “depend of.”
/“depend on” not “depend of.”
“look forward to” is followed by a noun or -ing form: I look forward to meeting you.
/“look forward to” is followed by a noun or -ing form: I look forward to meeting you.
“make progress” describes improvement, not “do progress.”
/“make progress” describes improvement, not “do progress.”
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 He made rapid progress.
/No.01 He made rapid progress.
No.02 Please take care of the classroom.
/No.02 Please take care of the classroom.
No.03 I depend on my parents for help.
/No.03 I depend on my parents for help.
No.04 She looks forward to the holiday.
/No.04 She looks forward to the holiday.
No.05 They insisted on an answer.
/No.05 They insisted on an answer.
No.06 He apologized for the mistake.
/No.06 He apologized for the mistake.
No.07 We agreed on the plan.
/No.07 We agreed on the plan.
No.08 The students arrived on time for class.
/No.08 The students arrived on time for class.
No.09 She takes part in many activities.
/No.09 She takes part in many activities.
No.10 I’m interested in learning languages.
/No.10 I’m interested in learning languages.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Choose the correct collocation: I _____ on my sister for advice. (depend / depend of)
/Q1: Choose the correct collocation: I _____ on my sister for advice. (depend / depend of)
Q2: Fill the blank: We _____ forward to the summer vacation. (look / look forward)
/Q2: Fill the blank: We _____ forward to the summer vacation. (look / look forward)
Q3: Choose the correct collocation: He made _____ progress. (a rapid / rapid)
/Q3: Choose the correct collocation: He made _____ progress. (a rapid / rapid)
Q4: Fill the blank with preposition: Please take care _____ the plants. (of / for)
/Q4: Fill the blank with preposition: Please take care _____ the plants. (of / for)
Q5: True or False: You can say “insist of” to mean demand strongly.
/Q5: True or False: You can say “insist of” to mean demand strongly.
Q6: Choose the correct collocation: She apologized _____ being late. (for / about)
/Q6: Choose the correct collocation: She apologized _____ being late. (for / about)
Q7: Fill the blank: They agreed _____ the new rules. (to / on)
/Q7: Fill the blank: They agreed _____ the new rules. (to / on)
Q8: Choose correct usage: I take part _____ the science club. (in / on)
/Q8: Choose correct usage: I take part _____ the science club. (in / on)
Q9: Fill the blank: I am interested _____ art and music. (in / on)
/Q9: Fill the blank: I am interested _____ art and music. (in / on)
Q10: Choose the best collocation: The meeting starts _____ 9 o’clock. (at / on)
/Q10: Choose the best collocation: The meeting starts _____ 9 o’clock. (at / on)
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: depend on → I depend on my sister for advice.
/A1: depend on → I depend on my sister for advice.
A2: look forward → We look forward to the summer vacation.
/A2: look forward → We look forward to the summer vacation.
A3: rapid → He made rapid progress.
/A3: rapid → He made rapid progress.
A4: of → Please take care of the plants.
/A4: of → Please take care of the plants.
A5: False — correct is “insist on.”
/A5: False — correct is “insist on.”
A6: for → She apologized for being late.
/A6: for → She apologized for being late.
A7: on → They agreed on the new rules.
/A7: on → They agreed on the new rules.
A8: in → I take part in the science club.
/A8: in → I take part in the science club.
A9: in → I am interested in art and music.
/A9: in → I am interested in art and music.
A10: at → The meeting starts at 9 o’clock.
/A10: at → The meeting starts at 9 o’clock.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
Learn common verb + preposition pairs as whole phrases and practice them often.
/Learn common verb + preposition pairs as whole phrases and practice them often.
🐧Igupen: I will make a short list of ten collocations and use each in a sentence this week.
/🐧Igupen: I will make a short list of ten collocations and use each in a sentence this week.
🦉Professor Owl: Little steps every day will make these natural for you.
/🦉Professor Owl: Little steps every day will make these natural for you.
Keep practicing and enjoy noticing collocations in the books and videos you read and watch.
/Keep practicing and enjoy noticing collocations in the books and videos you read and watch.
