50 Collocations with GIVE
The verb give is one of the most common and versatile words in English, often used in a wide range of expressions that go beyond simply handing something to someone. In this lesson, we’ll explore 50 useful collocations with give – from everyday actions like give a hug or give a call, to more abstract uses such as give advice, give permission, or give a performance. Learning these expressions will help you sound more natural and fluent in both spoken and written English.
Give + noun
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Give a call / ring | to phone someone | Give me a ring when you get home, will you? |
| Give advice | to offer guidance | She gave me some useful advice before the interview. |
| Give a hand | to help | Could you give me a hand with these boxes? |
| Give a hug | to embrace someone | She gave her gran a big hug before leaving. |
| Give a kiss | to kiss someone | He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Collocations with GIVE |
| Give a speech | to deliver a formal talk | The headteacher gave a speech at the prize-giving. |
| Give a presentation | to deliver a formal visual or oral display | He gave a presentation on climate change. |
| Give a smile | to smile at someone | She gave him a warm smile across the room. |
| Give an example | to provide an instance | Let me give you an example to illustrate the point. |
| Give a warning | to alert someone to danger or rules | The police gave him a warning for speeding. |
Give + emotional/physical response
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Give a shout / yell / scream | to make a loud vocal sound | She gave a loud scream when she saw the spider. |
| Give a sigh | to exhale audibly | He gave a sigh of relief when the exam ended. |
| Give a laugh | to laugh | Everyone gave a laugh at his silly joke. Collocations with GIVE |
| Give a groan | to make a sound of pain or annoyance | He gave a groan when he realised he’d lost his keys. |
| Give thanks | to express gratitude | We gave thanks for the good weather on the day. |
| Give an impression | to convey a certain image | He gave the impression of being very confident. |
| Give a damn (informal) | to care (usually used negatively) | I don’t give a damn what he thinks. |
| Give a cheer | to shout in celebration | The crowd gave a loud cheer as the team scored. |
| Give comfort | to offer solace | He gave her comfort during the tough time. |
| Give energy | to provide vitality | That workout really gave me energy! |
Give + abstract ideas or actions
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Give permission | to allow something formally | Her parents gave her permission to go on the trip. |
| Give notice | to announce resignation or departure | I’ve given my notice at work – I’m starting a new job. |
| Give an opinion | to share a view | He gave his honest opinion on the matter. |
| Give a reason | to offer an explanation | She gave no reason for her absence. |
| Give a verdict | to announce a legal decision | The jury gave a guilty verdict. Collocations with GIVE |
| Give a performance | to perform in front of others | The band gave a brilliant performance last night. |
| Give an answer | to respond to a question | He refused to give a straight answer. |
| Give a promise / one’s word | to make a firm commitment | She gave her word she’d return the money. |
| Give a reaction | to respond emotionally or physically | He gave a strange reaction to the news. |
| Give a recommendation | to suggest something | Could you give me a recommendation for a good book? |
Give + something to someone
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Give someone a lift (car) | to offer a ride | Can you give me a lift to the station? |
| Give someone a break | to stop pressuring or judging someone | Oh, give him a break – he’s doing his best. |
| Give someone the sack (informal) | to fire someone | They gave him the sack after he turned up drunk. |
| Give someone a chance | to offer an opportunity | Give her a chance – she’s just learning. |
| Give someone a look | to glance | He gave her a puzzled look. Collocations with GIVE |
| Give someone an idea | to suggest a concept | That article gave me an idea for my essay. |
| Give someone a headache | to cause stress or confusion | All this paperwork is giving me a headache. |
| Give someone a fright | to scare someone | You gave me a fright sneaking up like that! |
| Give someone credit | to acknowledge someone’s effort | You’ve got to give him credit for trying. |
| Give someone the creeps | to cause unease | That abandoned house gives me the creeps. |
Miscellaneous expressions
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Give birth (to a child) | to deliver a baby | She gave birth to twins last night. |
| Give it a go / try | to attempt something | I’ve never done archery, but I’ll give it a go. |
| Give way (to) | to yield | You must give way to oncoming traffic. |
| Give off (a smell/heat) | to emit | The flowers gave off a lovely fragrance. |
| Give in (to pressure) | to surrender | She finally gave in to temptation and had dessert. |
| Give out (papers / leaflets) | to distribute | They were giving out free samples in town. |
| Give up (a habit) | to quit | I’ve decided to give up smoking. Collocations with GIVE |
| Give over (informal) | to stop doing something annoying | Oh, give over! You’re being ridiculous. |
| Give in (assignment) | to submit | Have you given in your coursework yet? |
| Give ground (in argument) | to yield a position | He refused to give ground on his proposal. |
Collocations with GIVE
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