Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking are extremely important if you want your English to sound natural, accurate and fluent. In the Cambridge B2 First exam, it is not enough to know individual words. You also need to know which words commonly go together.
For example, we say:
- make a decision, not do a decision
- take a risk, not make a risk
- meet a deadline, not catch a deadline
- express an opinion, not say an opinion
These natural word combinations are called collocations.
Using collocations correctly can help you improve your writing, sound more confident in speaking, and avoid common mistakes. In this lesson, you will learn useful collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking, grouped by topic, with meanings and example sentences.
Useful Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking
Below you will find collocations grouped by common B2 First topics.
Thinking and Decision-Making Collocations
These collocations are useful when discussing choices, opinions, problems and solutions.
Make a decision
Meaning: to choose what to do
- Young people often have to make important decisions about their future.
Reach a conclusion
Meaning: to decide something after thinking carefully
- After discussing the issue, we reached the conclusion that more research was needed.
Change your mind
Meaning: to decide something different from what you decided before
- I was going to study medicine, but I changed my mind.
Weigh the pros and cons
Meaning: to consider the advantages and disadvantages before deciding
- You should weigh the pros and cons before moving abroad.
Work and Study Collocations
These are especially useful for essays, reports and speaking questions about education, jobs and future plans.
Do research
Meaning: to study a subject carefully in order to learn more
- Scientists are doing research into climate change.
Meet a deadline
Meaning: to finish something by the required time
- Students often feel stressed when they have to meet tight deadlines
Gain experience
Meaning: to learn from doing something
- Young people should gain work experience before choosing a career.
Take notes
Meaning: to write down important information
- Students who take good notes often revise more effectively.
Attend a course
Meaning: to go to a series of lessons
- She attended a course to improve her writing skills.
Communication and Speaking Collocations
These collocations are useful in Speaking Part 3 and Part 4, where you need to discuss ideas and express opinions.
Express an opinion
Meaning: to say what you think
- In the speaking exam, you need to express your opinion and support it.
Make a suggestion
Meaning: to offer an idea or plan
- In Speaking Part 3, candidates often need to make suggestions and respond to their partner.
Have a conversation
Meaning: to talk with someone
- It is easier to learn English if you regularly have conversations in English.
Ask a question
Meaning: to say something in order to get information
- Good students usually ask questions when they do not understand.
Give a presentation
Meaning: to speak formally to an audience
- Learning how to give a clear presentation is useful for work and study.
Travel and Holiday Collocations
Travel is a common topic in English exams and everyday conversation.
Catch a flight
Meaning: to get on a plane in time
- She nearly missed the chance to catch the flight.
Go on holiday
Meaning: to travel somewhere for rest or enjoyment
- Many families go on holiday during the summer.
Miss the bus
Meaning: to arrive too late to get on the bus
- If you leave now, you won’t miss the bus.
Book a hotel
Meaning: to arrange to stay at a hotel
- It is cheaper to book a hotel in advance.
Pack your bags
Meaning: to put your things into a suitcase or bag
- I need to pack my bags before tomorrow morning.
Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking
Emotions and Feelings Collocations
These collocations are useful for stories, personal experiences and speaking answers.
Feel proud
Meaning: to feel pleased about something you or someone else has done
- Parents often feel proud of their children’s achievements.
Lose your temper
Meaning: to suddenly become angry
- It is important to stay calm and not lose your temper.
Make a mistake
Meaning: to do something incorrectly
- You should learn from your mistakes instead of worrying about them.
Burst into tears
Meaning: to suddenly start crying
- He was so disappointed that he almost burst into tears.
Give someone a hand
Meaning: to help someone
- It is kind to give someone a hand when they are struggling.
Everyday Life Collocations
These collocations are useful for simple, natural speaking answers.
Take a shower
Meaning: to wash yourself in a shower
- She takes a quick shower before work.
Do the shopping
Meaning: to buy food or other things from shops
- My mother usually does the shopping on Saturdays.
Make a phone call
Meaning: to phone someone
- I need to make a phone call before the meeting.
Cook a meal
Meaning: to prepare food
- He cooked a delicious meal for his family.
Go for a walk
Meaning: to walk for pleasure or exercise
- I often go for a walk to clear my head.
Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking
Writing and Exam Collocations
These collocations are especially useful for B2 First Writing tasks.
Write an essay
Meaning: to produce a formal piece of writing on a topic
- In B2 First Writing Part 1, you usually write an essay.
Answer the question
Meaning: to respond directly to what is being asked
- Some students lose marks because they do not answer the question fully.
Correct a mistake
Meaning: to fix something that is wrong
- It is easier to improve when you understand and correct your mistakes.
Check your work
Meaning: to read your work again to find mistakes
- I found several spelling mistakes when I checked my work.
Finish on time
Meaning: to complete something before the time limit
- It is important to practise so you can finish on time in the exam.
Opinions and Beliefs Collocations
These are excellent for essays, discussions and Speaking Part 4.
Agree strongly
Meaning: to completely agree with something
- I agree strongly with the idea that education should be free.
Hold a belief
Meaning: to believe something deeply
- She holds the belief that children learn best through play.
Take a stand
Meaning: to clearly and publicly support or oppose something
- Young people should take a stand against bullying.
Challenge an idea
Meaning: to question or disagree with an idea
- The speaker challenged the idea that exams are the best way to test knowledge.
Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking
Effort and Achievement Collocations
These collocations are useful when talking about goals, success and personal development.
Make an effort
Meaning: to try hard
- You need to make an effort if you want to improve.
Achieve a goal
Meaning: to succeed in doing what you planned
- He finally achieved his goal of passing the exam.
Reach your potential
Meaning: to become as good as you can be
- Every child should have the chance to reach their full potential.
Set a target
Meaning: to decide on a goal
- I have set a target to learn ten new words a day.
Overcome a difficulty
Meaning: to successfully deal with a problem
- She overcame many difficulties to become successful.
Business and Money Collocations
These are useful for formal writing, business English and work-related speaking topics.
Run a business
Meaning: to manage a company or shop
- She runs a small business from home.
Make a profit
Meaning: to earn more money than you spend
- Small businesses often struggle to make a profit.
Cut costs
Meaning: to reduce spending
- The company had to cut costs during the crisis.
Sign a contract
Meaning: to officially agree to something in writing
- You should read carefully before you sign a contract.
Launch a product
Meaning: to start selling a new product
- A successful campaign can help a company launch a product.
Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking
Technology Collocations
Technology is a common topic in B2 First exams.
Come up with an idea
Meaning: to think of a new idea
- She came up with an idea for a new app.
Solve a problem
Meaning: to find an answer to a problem
- It took several hours to solve the technical problem.
Install software
Meaning: to put a program on a computer.
- The technician helped us install the new software.
Back up data
Meaning: to make a copy of information so it is not lost
- You should back up your data regularly.
Surf the internet
Meaning: to look at websites online
- Many teenagers surf the internet in their free time.
Formal Collocations for B2 First Writing
These collocations are particularly useful in essays, reports and formal letters.
Play a vital role
Meaning: to be very important
- Parents play a vital role in children’s development.
Raise an issue
Meaning: to mention a topic or problem for discussion
- I would like to raise the issue of student stress.
Provide insight
Meaning: to give a deeper understanding
- The research provides insight into teenage behaviour.
Pose a threat
Meaning: to be dangerous or harmful
- Climate change poses a threat to the environment.
Take into account
Meaning: to consider something before making a decision
- Teachers should take into account students’ different abilities.
How to Use Collocations in B2 First Writing
Do not simply memorise long lists. Instead, learn collocations in useful groups.
For example, if you are writing an essay about education, you could use:
- play a vital role
- gain experience
- reach your potential
- make progress
- take into account
- raise an issue
Example paragraph:
Education plays a vital role in helping young people reach their full potential. Schools should not only teach academic subjects, but also help students gain practical experience and develop useful skills. However, teachers need to take into account the fact that students learn in different ways.
This sounds much stronger than using only simple words.
Want to Take Your B2 First Writing Further?
Collocations can make your English sound much more natural, but strong B2 First writing also depends on knowing how to plan, organise and develop your answer for each task type.
My B2 First Writing Bundle brings together three books designed to help you develop those skills:
- Mastering Writing Skills for B2 First
- B2 First Writing Practice Workbook
- Writing for B2 First for Schools
Together, they give you explanations, model answers and plenty of practical writing practice to help you prepare with greater confidence.
How to Use Collocations in B2 First Speaking
In the Speaking test, collocations can help you sound more fluent and natural.
For example, instead of saying:
- I like travelling because I can learn things.
You can say:
- I enjoy travelling because it helps me broaden my knowledge and gain experience of different cultures.
Instead of saying:
- I think exams are stressful.
You can say:
- I think exams can put pressure on students, especially when they have to meet deadlines and finish on time.
Instead of saying:
- I want to be better at English.
You can say:
- I want to make progress, improve my ability to communicate and gain confidence in speaking.
Small changes like these can make your answers sound much more natural.
Download the Collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking – Printable Table Handout in PDF here
Download the Extensive Practice Worksheet for B2 First Writing and Speaking in PDF here
Final Thoughts
Learning collocations for B2 First Writing and Speaking is one of the best ways to make your English sound more natural and fluent.
Instead of learning single words, learn useful word partnerships:
- make a decision
- meet a deadline
These phrases will help you write better essays, give clearer speaking answers and avoid common mistakes.
The more collocations you know, the more confident and accurate your English becomes — and that is exactly what you need for B2 First.
Related posts:
- How to Write an Essay for B2 First (FCE)
- 50 Formal and Informal Verb Pairs
- 100 Formal and Informal Noun Pairs
- Grammatical Patterns after Reporting Verbs
- Expressing Opinions and Arguments in English
- Suggestions in English
- Expressing Cause and Effect in English
- Time Conjunctions in English
Discover more from My Lingua Academy
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