English Collocations about Speaking
Hi, dear English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. You have probably realized by now that it is very important to know collocations because they are natural expressions of a language. Every serious language learner should try to learn the word in its natural context in order to learn it really well. In that regard, we are going to discuss 11 collocations about speaking or different ways to speak in English.
- Brief chat
- Change the subject
- Crack a joke
- Drop a hint
- Get to the point
- Join in a conversation
- Speak off the record
- Speak highly of someone
- Make an observation
- Whisper softly
- Wish someone luck
Brief chat
Meaning: to have a quick conversation with someone.
- Sandra called me at the office today and we had a brief chat about our trip to Italy.
- I’d like to have a brief chat about my daughter’s grades.
English Collocations about Speaking
Change a subject
Meaning: to stop talking about something and start talking about something else.
- I didn’t feel like talking about work so I changed the subject.
- Simon tried to change the subject before they started arguing.
Crack a joke
Meaning: to tell a joke.
- Robin cracked a joke to liven up the mood.
- Back in school, John was always the one to crack a joke and make us all laugh.
Drop a hint
Meaning: to suggest something indirectly, hoping that people will understand what you mean.
- Diana dropped a hint about what she would like to get for her birthday.
- Can you drop a hint to the boss about me staying at the office after working hours?
Get to the point
Meaning: to say the most important thing in a discussion.
- The time for this meeting is limited, so let’s get to the point.
- I don’t have all day. Stop beating about the bush and get to the point!
English Collocations about Speaking
Join in a conversation
Meaning: to take part in a conversation.
- You are all welcome to join in a conversation with your ideas about the matter.
- Laura heard them talking about the new law so she decided to join in a conversation.
Speak off the record
Meaning: to talk about something in private, opposite of publicly.
- I don’t want the employees to know but I could speak off the record with you about it.
- The Minister’s comments were strictly off the record.
Speak highly of someone
Meaning: to say nice things about someone.
- The teacher spoke highly of Brian and said he’s one of the best students.
- The tourists usually speak highly of the islanders’ hospitability and especially cuisine.
English Collocations about Speaking
Make an observation
Meaning: to make a comment after a previous observation.
- I’ve been watching sea turtles for a while and I’d like to make an observation regarding their safety.
- I’d like to make an observation you may want to consider.
Whisper softly
Meaning: to talk very quietly.
- The baby was sleeping so Mary whispered softly on the phone.
- Michael leaned toward her and whispered something softly into her ear.
English Collocations about Speaking
Wish someone luck
Meaning: to tell someone that you hope they will be successful.
- Everyone at the party wished me luck at my new job.
- I wish you luck with your project!
Here is a list of the collocations we’ve learned today. They are collocations related to speaking. Try to use them in your writing or speaking exercises as soon as you can in order to remember them:
- Brief chat
- Change the subject
- Crack a joke
- Drop a hint
- Get to the point
- Join in a conversation
- Speak off the record
- Speak highly of someone
- Make an observation
- Whisper softly
- Wish someone luck
Let me take your English to the next level. If you feel that you are not making much progress with your English or as quickly as your academic or professional requirements demand, how about trying my reasonably-priced one-to-one English lessons that I can tailor to whatever needs you may have. Book an online English lesson with me or one of my fellow certified and experienced English teachers, and see for yourself. You won’t feel let down because we are going to make sure that you have a good run for the money you are investing in your linguistic education. Waste no time and take a trial test for only 1 euro.
Learn more collocations:
English collocations about Traffic
0 Comments