50 Collocations with GIVE

50 Collocations with GIVE (with Meanings & Natural Examples)

If you want to sound more natural in English, learning collocations with common verbs is essential. The verb “give” appears in hundreds of everyday expressions, from give advice and give a speech to give up and give in. In this lesson, you’ll learn 50 essential collocations with give, complete with meanings and natural examples — perfect for B2 First and C1 Advanced exam preparation.

The verb give is one of the most powerful building blocks in English.

We don’t just give presents. We:

• give advice
• give a sigh
• give permission
• give up
• give in
• give someone a chance

Mastering collocations with give will instantly make your English sound more natural, fluent, and confident — especially in B2 First and C1 Advanced exams.

Let’s explore 50 of the most useful ones, grouped by meaning and usage.

Everyday Actions & Communication

These are extremely common in daily conversations.

Give a call / give someone a ring

phone someone

Give me a ring when you get home.

Give advice

offer guidance

She gave me valuable advice before the interview.

Give a hand

help

Could you give me a hand with this report?

Give a hug

embrace

He gave his sister a hug before leaving.

Give a kiss

kiss someone

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Give a smile

smile at someone

She gave him a reassuring smile.

Give a speech

deliver a formal talk

The mayor gave a speech at the ceremony.

Give a presentation

formally present information

He gave a presentation on climate change.

Give an example

provide an illustration

Let me give you an example.

Give a warning

alert someone

The teacher gave us a warning about the exam.

Emotional & Physical Reactions

Very useful for storytelling and descriptive writing.

Give a sigh

He gave a sigh of relief.

Give a shout / yell / scream

She gave a loud scream when she saw the spider.

Give a laugh

He gave a short laugh at the joke.

(Note: simply “laugh” is often more natural.)

Give a groan

He gave a groan when he saw the traffic.

Give thanks

We gave thanks for the opportunity.

Give an impression

He gave the impression of being confident.

Give a cheer

The crowd gave a cheer as the team scored.

Give comfort

She gave him comfort during a difficult time.

Give someone a fright

You gave me a fright sneaking up like that!

Give someone the creeps

That abandoned house gives me the creeps.

Formal & Academic Contexts

Very useful for Cambridge writing tasks.

Give permission

Her parents gave her permission to travel.

Give notice

He gave notice at work last week.

Give an opinion

She gave her honest opinion.

Give a reason

He gave no reason for his absence.

Give a verdict

The jury gave a guilty verdict.

Give a performance

The band gave a brilliant performance.

Give an answer

She refused to give a clear answer.

Give one’s word

He gave his word he would return.

Give a reaction

He gave no reaction to the news.

Give a recommendation

Could you give me a recommendation?

“Give Someone…” Expressions

Very natural and conversational.

Give someone a lift

Can you give me a lift to the station?

Give someone a break

Oh, give her a break — she’s trying.

Give someone the sack (informal)

They gave him the sack after the incident.

Give someone a chance

Give him a chance to explain.

Give someone a look

She gave him a puzzled look.

Give someone credit

You have to give her credit for trying.

Give someone a headache

This noise is giving me a headache.

Give someone an idea

That conversation gave me an idea.

Phrasal Verbs with GIVE

These are essential for fluent English.

Give up

stop trying

She gave up smoking.

Give in

surrender

He finally gave in to pressure.

Give out

distribute

They were giving out free samples.

Give off

emit

The flowers gave off a sweet smell.

Give way

yield

You must give way at the roundabout.

Give it a go

try something

I’ll give it a go.

Give ground

stop defending a position

He refused to give ground in the argument.

Cambridge Exam Tip

In essays and stories, avoid repeating “say” or “do.”

Instead of:

The teacher said something and did something helpful.

Upgrade it:

The teacher gave a warning and gave us advice.

Examiners reward natural collocations and varied vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

❌ Give a homework → incorrect

✔ Hand in homework

❌ Give an exam (BrE) → usually incorrect

✔ Take an exam / Sit an exam

❌ Overusing “give a laugh”

✔ Simply use “laugh” when possible

Why Learning GIVE Collocations Matters

• They appear constantly in spoken English
• Many are exam-friendly
• They improve writing sophistication
• They help you sound less translated

Small verb. Massive impact.

FAQ 

What are collocations with “give”?

Collocations with “give” are natural word combinations such as give advice, give a speech, or give up. Native speakers use them frequently.

Why are collocations important for exams?

Using correct collocations shows vocabulary range and accuracy, which improves your score in Cambridge exams.

How can I remember collocations more easily?

Group them by topic and practise using them in sentences or short writing tasks.

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Collocations with MAKE

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