Collocations Related to Deadlines
Hello English learners! Deadlines are a part of almost every job or study routine. Whether you are preparing for an exam, finishing a work project, or submitting homework, you’ve probably heard people say things like “We’re working to a tight deadline” or “I missed the deadline!” In today’s lesson, we’ll look at some common collocations related to deadlines that will help you sound more natural and professional in English. Knowing how to use these expressions correctly can make a big difference — especially if you are writing emails, reports, or taking Cambridge exams like FCE or CAE. Let’s dive in before the deadline looms!
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Meet a deadline | Finish something on time | We worked late to meet the deadline. |
| Miss a deadline | Fail to finish on time | He missed the deadline and had to apologise to the client. |
| Set a deadline | Decide when something must be completed | The manager set a strict deadline for the project. |
| Extend a deadline | Allow more time for completion Collocations Related to Deadlines | The teacher extended the essay deadline by two days. |
| Meet the target | Achieve something by the required time | We worked all weekend to meet the target. |
| Set a time frame | Decide how long something should take | The company set a three-week time frame for completion. |
| Stick to the schedule | Follow the planned timing strictly | If we stick to the schedule, we’ll finish on time. |
| Fall behind schedule | Not make progress as fast as planned | We’ve fallen behind schedule because of technical problems. |
| Bring a deadline forward | Make the deadline earlier Collocations Related to Deadlines | They brought the deadline forward to Friday instead of Monday. |
| Postpone a deadline | Move the deadline to a later date | The deadline was postponed due to technical problems. |
| Work to a deadline | Be under time pressure to finish something | Journalists are used to working to tight deadlines. |
| Tight deadline | A short amount of time to finish something | We’re under a tight deadline this week. |
| Strict deadline | A deadline that cannot be changed | The application has a strict deadline, so don’t delay. |
| Flexible deadline | A deadline that can be adjusted | The deadline is flexible if you need more time. |
| Impose a deadline | Officially require a task to be completed by a certain date | The government imposed a deadline for tax submissions. |
| Beat the deadline | Finish something before the deadline | We managed to beat the deadline by two days! |
| Work against the clock | Work very fast because time is running out | We’re working against the clock to get the report done. |
| Race against time | Try to finish before it’s too late | It was a race against time to prepare everything for the event. |
| Get something done on time | Complete a task before or at the correct moment | I always try to get my assignments done on time. |
| Run out of time | Have no time left to finish something Collocations Related to Deadlines | We ran out of time before we could finish the presentation. |
| Allow extra time | Give yourself more time than you think you need | Always allow extra time for unexpected delays. |
| Make up for lost time | Work faster to recover time lost earlier | After the power cut, we had to make up for lost time. |
| Ahead of the deadline | Before the required time | The report was ready well ahead of the deadline. |
| Deadline approaches | The final date is getting close | As the deadline approaches, everyone starts to panic. |
| Deadline looms | The deadline is coming soon and causing pressure | The deadline is looming, and there’s still so much to do. |
| Final deadline | The last possible date to submit or finish something | The final deadline for entries is 31 October. |
If you really want to learn English but don’t know how to do it and where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us. Book an online English lesson with one of our certified and experienced English teachers and take a test and consultation! Tap the banner to learn more!
Discover more from My Lingua Academy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
0 Comments