Collocations Related to Work | B2–C1 English Vocabulary
Collocations related to work are very useful for English learners, especially if you are preparing for the B2 First or C1 Advanced exam. In both speaking and writing, you may need to talk about jobs, salaries, deadlines, working conditions, career plans or work–life balance. If you know natural word combinations, your English will sound much more fluent and confident.
A collocation is a group of words that often go together. For example, we say apply for a job, not ask for a job, and meet a deadline, not finish a deadline. These expressions are common in everyday English, but they are also useful in Cambridge exams because they help you express your ideas clearly and naturally.
In this lesson, you will learn common collocations related to work with meanings, examples and a practice exercise at the end.
Why Learn Work Collocations?
Work is a common topic in English exams, business conversations and everyday life. You may need to talk about:
- your present or future job
- working hours
- salary and benefits
- career progress
- stress at work
- work–life balance
- job satisfaction
- employment problems
Instead of using simple phrases all the time, such as I work a lot or I want a better job, you can use more natural expressions:
- I often work long hours.
- I am looking for better job security.
- She wants to apply for a job abroad.
- He finds it difficult to meet deadlines.
- Many people struggle to maintain a healthy work–life balance.
These collocations can make your English sound more mature, especially at B2 and C1 level.
Collocations for Getting a Job
Apply for a job
Meaning: to ask officially for a job, usually by sending your CV, filling in an application form or writing a cover letter.
- I am going to apply for a job at an international company.
- Lisa applied for a job at her old university because she wanted to teach Biology there.
Learner note: We say apply for a job, not apply a job.
Look for work
Meaning: to try to find a job.
- After graduating from university, Mark started to look for work in London.
- Many young people look for work abroad because they want better opportunities.
Get a job offer
Meaning: to be offered a job by an employer.
- Anna was delighted when she got a job offer from a large publishing company.
- He had two interviews last week, but he hasn’t got a job offer yet.
Take up a position
Meaning: to start a new job or role.
- She will take up her new position in September.
- After ten years as a teacher, he took up a position as a school manager.
This collocation is more formal and is useful in writing.
Collocations for Describing Jobs
A full-time job
Meaning: a job in which you work the normal number of hours each week.
- She has a full-time job in a bank.
- It is difficult to study and have a full-time job at the same time.
A part-time job
Meaning: a job in which you work fewer hours than a full-time employee.
- Many students have a part-time job while they are at university.
- He works in a café as a part-time job.
A permanent job
Meaning: a job that is expected to continue for a long time.
- She finally found a permanent job after years of temporary work.
- Many people prefer a permanent job because it gives them stability.
A temporary job
Meaning: a job that lasts for a limited period of time.
- He found a temporary job during the summer holidays.
- A temporary job can be useful if you need short-term experience.
A dead-end job
Meaning: a job with little or no chance of promotion or career progress.
- He felt trapped in a dead-end job and wanted to change career.
- Although the salary was regular, it was a dead-end job with no future.
Learner note: This expression has a negative meaning. Use it carefully.
A demanding job
Meaning: a job that needs a lot of time, energy, skill or patience.
- Being a nurse is a very demanding job.
- Teaching can be a demanding job, but it is also very rewarding.
A rewarding job
Meaning: a job that gives you satisfaction because you feel it is useful or meaningful.
- Working with children can be a very rewarding job.
- Although the salary is not high, she finds her job extremely rewarding.
A well-paid job
Meaning: a job that gives you a good salary.
- He has a well-paid job in the IT industry.
- Many people dream of having a well-paid job, but money is not everything.
A badly paid job
Meaning: a job that does not pay enough money.
- She works very hard, but it is a badly paid job.
- Many essential workers have badly paid jobs.
Collocations Related to Working Hours
Flexible working hours
Meaning: a system that allows employees to choose when they start and finish work.
- I would love to have flexible working hours.
- Parents often appreciate flexible working hours because they can organise family life more easily.
Work long hours
Meaning: to work for many hours, often more than usual.
- Doctors and nurses often work long hours.
- He used to work long hours as a journalist, but now he has a better routine.
Work overtime
Meaning: to work extra hours in addition to your normal working hours.
- I had to work overtime last week because we had an important deadline.
- Some employees are paid extra when they work overtime.
Learner note:
Work long hours means your working day is generally long.
Work overtime means you work extra hours beyond your normal schedule.
Do shift work
Meaning: to work at different times of the day or night, for example morning, evening or night shifts.
- Nurses, factory workers and police officers often do shift work.
- It can be difficult to sleep well when you do shift work.
Have a nine-to-five job
Meaning: to have a regular job with normal office hours, usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Not everyone wants a nine-to-five job.
- He left his nine-to-five job to start his own business.
Collocations Related to Time Off Work
Take time off work
Meaning: to take a break from work, either for a holiday, personal reasons or illness.
- Joel is planning to take some time off work because he is exhausted.
- She had to take time off work to look after her daughter.
Be on sick leave
Meaning: to be absent from work because of illness.
- Paul is on sick leave this week because he has flu.
- She was on sick leave for a month after the operation.
Annual leave
Meaning: paid time off work that employees can take each year.
- I still have five days of annual leave left.
- Many employees use their annual leave to travel or spend time with family.
Holiday pay
Meaning: money you receive while you are on paid holiday from work.
- The job includes holiday pay and sick pay.
- Some temporary workers do not receive enough holiday pay.
Learner note: In British English, holiday pay usually refers to paid holiday from work. In American English, people often use the word vacation instead of holiday.
Collocations Related to Money and Job Security
Make a living
Meaning: to earn enough money to pay for food, bills and other necessary things.
- Ruth made a living working as a chef’s assistant in a hotel.
- It is not easy to make a living as a writer.
Earn a salary
Meaning: to receive regular money for the work you do.
- She earns a good salary as a software engineer.
- It is possible to earn a salary and still feel unhappy at work.
Get a pay rise
Meaning: to receive more money for the work you do.
- He asked his manager for a pay rise.
- After working hard for two years, she finally got a pay rise.
Learner note: In British English, pay rise is very common. In American English, people often say pay raise. You may also hear pay increase, which is more neutral and formal.
Job security
Meaning: the feeling that you are unlikely to lose your job.
- Many employees are interested in better job security.
- Although the salary is not very high, the job offers good job security.
Learner note: Job security does not simply mean “a permanent job”. It means you feel safe in your job and believe you will probably keep it.
Collocations Related to Work Performance
Meet a deadline
Meaning: to finish a task before or by the agreed time.
- We worked all evening to meet the deadline.
- He is very organised and always meets deadlines.
Learner note: We say meet a deadline, not catch a deadline or finish a deadline.
Miss a deadline
Meaning: to fail to finish a task on time.
- The company lost the client because it missed the deadline.
- If you miss a deadline, you should explain the situation honestly.
Work under pressure
Meaning: to work in a stressful situation, often with little time or many responsibilities.
- Nurses have to work under pressure every day.
- I can work under pressure, but I prefer to be organised in advance.
Take on responsibility
Meaning: to accept more duties or tasks.
- She is ready to take on more responsibility at work.
- When he became manager, he had to take on responsibility for a large team.
Get promoted
Meaning: to move to a higher position at work.
- He got promoted after only one year in the company.
- If you work hard and show initiative, you may get promoted.
Gain work experience
Meaning: to get practical experience in a job or professional environment.
- Students often do internships to gain work experience.
- Volunteer work can help you gain useful work experience.
Collocations Related to Work–Life Balance
Take work home
Meaning: to do work at home after your normal working day.
- As a teacher, I sometimes have to take work home.
- He often takes work home because he cannot finish everything at the office.
Learner note:
This is not the same as work from home.
Work from home means your home is your workplace.
Take work home means you bring extra work home after your normal working hours.
Work from home
Meaning: to do your job from your house or flat instead of going to an office.
- Many employees now work from home several days a week.
- She enjoys working from home because she saves time on commuting.
Maintain a work–life balance
Meaning: to have a healthy balance between your job and your personal life.
- It is important to maintain a good work–life balance.
- People who work long hours often struggle to maintain a work–life balance.
Be a workaholic
Meaning: to be a person who works too much and finds it difficult to stop working.
- Ryan is such a workaholic. He never takes time off work.
- She used to be a workaholic, but now she spends more time with her family.
Learner note: This word is usually negative. It suggests that someone works too much.
Suffer from burnout
Meaning: to become extremely tired, stressed and unable to work well because you have worked too hard for too long.
- Many employees suffer from burnout because they work long hours.
- If you never rest, you may eventually suffer from burnout.
Common Mistakes with Work Collocations
Incorrect: I applied a job.
Correct: I applied for a job.
Incorrect: I finished the deadline.
Correct: I met the deadline.
Incorrect: She is in sick leave.
Correct: She is on sick leave.
Incorrect: He made overtime yesterday.
Correct: He worked overtime yesterday.
Incorrect: I have flexible work hours.
Correct: I have flexible working hours.
Incorrect: She got a salary increase.
Better: She got a pay rise.
Incorrect: He has a work from home today.
Correct: He is working from home today.
Download the practice worksheet and revise these work collocations with matching, gap-fill, correction, speaking and writing exercises.
Collocations Related to Work Practice Worksheet
Final Thoughts
Learning collocations related to work will help you speak and write more naturally in English. Instead of using basic words, you can express your ideas more clearly and accurately. This is especially important if you are preparing for B2 First or C1 Advanced, where vocabulary range and accuracy can make a real difference.
Try to learn these collocations in full phrases, not as single words. For example, do not just learn deadline; learn meet a deadline and miss a deadline. Do not just learn salary; learn earn a salary and get a pay rise.
The more natural collocations you know, the more confident you will feel when talking about work, jobs and your future career.
Related posts:
How to Learn 10 Phrasal Verbs a Week
Talking about Your Job in English
How to Write About Your Dream Job
How to Write a Report for C1 Advanced (CAE)
Visit our bookshop for more
Discover more from My Lingua Academy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
0 Comments