Thoughts and ideas ENGLISH COLLOCATIONS IN USE (ADVANCED)

ENGLISH COLLOCATIONS IN USE (ADVANCED)

UNIT 13

Thoughts and ideas

A	Talking about thoughts I honestly think we can win the match tonight. [NOT I strongly think] I’m not sure if I want to invest in your business or not, but I’ll give it some thought. Bear in mind that there are often delays to flights during bad weather. [remember] It’s common knowledge that Hannah is looking for a new job. [everyone knows] My teenage son hasn’t yet grasped the importance of revising for exams. [understood how important something is] I take the view that we are all responsible for our own actions. [believe] It’s a foregone conclusion that Jaime will win the race. [absolutely certain] I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do but I’ve got a rough idea. [general idea] I don’t subscribe to the theory that nature and nurture are of equal significance but it is now a widespread belief. [hold the opinion]; [generally held view] Opinions are divided as to whether mothers of young children should go out to work or not, but it is my firm conviction that different things suit different families. [people hold different views]; [I am totally convinced] Common mistakes We say I am becoming aware of the problem, NOT I am getting aware.
B	Judging collocation example meaning judge someone harshly Don’t judge him too harshly. He really couldn’t have done things differently. be very critical of someone poor judgement Deciding to set up a business now shows poor judgement of the economic situation. pass judgement on Di’s quick to pass judgement on other people but she’s far from perfect herself. criticise against your better judgement I finally agreed to go out with him, against my better judgement. despite the knowledge that something is a bad idea a lack of judgement Her approach to the recent discipline problems in school showed a lack of judgement. an inability to judge a situation wisely an error of judgement Promoting Alec was a serious error of judgement. bad decision
C	Metaphors of thinking We can talk about thinking laterally1. We can say someone has a fertile imagination2. We can wrestle with a problem3 and we can have a nagging doubt4. We can also talk about something fuelling speculation5, and sometimes people jump to conclusions6. 1 approaching a problem in an imaginative and original way rather than using a traditional approach 2 one that produces lots of original and interesting ideas 3 struggle to find a solution 4 an unpleasant feeling of doubt that will not go away 5 encouraging people to consider that something may be true 6 guess the facts about a situation without having enough information

EXERCISES

13.1	Look at A. Correct the collocation errors in these sentences. 1 Opinions are separated on the issue of single-sex schools and there are sound arguments on both sides of the case. 2 I believe that the government will win another term in office but my girlfriend takes a different opinion. 3 I strongly think that you’d be making a serious mistake if you took that job. 4 I don’t believe it’s a foregone fact that the larger company will win the contract. 5 People are gradually getting aware of the problem of climate change. 6 You should bear in thought that your visitors will be tired after their long flight. 7 I’ve got a raw idea of what I want to say in my essay but I haven’t planned it properly yet. 8 Increasing numbers of people today subscribe for the theory that small is beautiful.
13.2	Complete the paragraph using words from the box. error firm grasped laterally pass poor Recent research shows that people who spend time meditating each day improve their mental abilities. It seems that meditation particularly enhances our ability to think in creative, unusual ways, in other words, to think ‘outside the box’ or think (1) __________ . It may, then, have been an unfortunate (2) __________ of judgement on the part of the management at BNM & Co. to put a stop to the yoga classes that staff­ had organised for their lunch breaks. ‘It would seem that our managers have not yet (3) __________ the importance of these classes,’ explained yoga instructor Zandra, ‘but it is not my place to (4) __________ judgement on them. Their judgement may be (5) __________ at the moment but it is my (6) __________ conviction that as people come to understand yoga better, they will see how it could benefit the company as well as individual members of staff.’
13.3	Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets. 1 It’s unwise to draw conclusions too quickly about people’s motives. (JUMP) 2 Everyone knows that Ellie has been taking money from the till. (COMMON) 3 I agreed to help him though I knew it was wrong. (AGAINST) 4 I’m afraid your decisions show you are unable to judge situations well. (LACK) 5 We have to decide when to have the party. Can you think about it? (THOUGHT) 6 I think you are being too critical of him. Remember he’s only 18. (HARSHLY) 7 Surprisingly, a large number of people believe left -handed people are more intelligent. (WIDESPREAD)
13.4	Use a dictionary such as The Cambridge Online Dictionary to find frequent collocations with these words. Your collocations can use the words literally or metaphorically. 1. a fertile 2. to fuel 3. to wrestle with 4. a nagging

ANSWER KEY

13.1 1 Opinions are divided on the issue of single-sex schools and there are sound arguments on both sides of the case. 2 I believe that the government will win another term in office but my girlfriend takes a different view. (or … has a different opinion.) 3 I honestly/really think that you’d be making a serious mistake if you took that job. 4 I don’t believe it’s a foregone conclusion that the larger company will win the contract. 5 People are gradually becoming aware of the problem of climate change. 6 You should bear in mind that your visitors will be tired after their long flight. 7 I’ve got a rough idea of what I want to say in my essay but I haven’t planned it properly yet. 8 Increasing numbers of people today subscribe to the theory that small is beautiful. 13.2 1 laterally 2 error 3 grasped 4 pass 5 poor 6 firm 13.3 1 It’s unwise to jump to conclusions about people’s motives. 2 It’s common knowledge that Ellie has been taking money from the till. 3 I agreed to help him (though it was) against my better judgement. 4 I’m afraid your decisions show a lack of judgement. 5 We have to decide when to have the party. Can you give it some thought? 6 I think you are judging him too harshly. Remember he’s only 18. 7 Surprisingly, there’s a widespread belief that left-handed people are more intelligent. 13.4 1 a fertile land / egg / soil / environment / mind / area 2 to fuel resentment / a feeling of … / a heating system / a vehicle (the verb is used mainly in the passive when referring to vehicles) / a debate / desire / gossip 3 to wrestle with a decision / your conscience (Note that this verb collocates with only a small number of words.) 4 a nagging fear / voice / pain / sense / feeling