This lesson practises 30 C2 collocations on Arts, Culture & Entertainment. Collocations are fixed word pairings that native speakers expect — Cambridge examiners test them in Use of English Part 1 and reward precise lexis in Writing. Run through the interactive drills first, then open this glossary to revise every item in the set. For question-by-question feedback, use Review mode after you finish the session.
muffled voice
Behind the mask, the actor spoke in a muffled voice that made the line difficult to hear.
preserve for posterity
The archive's restoration project helps to preserve for posterity a collection of fragile early recordings.
take the view that
The reviewers take the view that the evidence is sufficient to credit the restored version to its original director.
touch of irony
The final exchange introduced a touch of irony that changed how the audience read the characters.
depart from a pattern
By filming the climax in silence, the director chose to depart from a pattern established earlier in the series.
amazing chain of events
The plot moved through an amazing chain of events before the final reveal.
dismal failure
The expensive revival proved a dismal failure, closing after only three performances.
bold experiment
The director described filming the entire drama in one take as a bold experiment.
create an atmosphere
Low blue lighting can create an atmosphere of unease before the villain appears.
meteoric rise to fame
The biopic charts the singer's meteoric rise to fame from local clubs to arenas.
highly recommend
I highly recommend the documentary to anyone interested in the history of jazz.
novel solution
The crew found a novel solution to the staging problem by moving the scene into the auditorium.
heavily influenced
The designer’s work was heavily influenced by traditional patterns.
husky voice
The narrator's husky voice gave the radio drama a distinctive texture.
awaken their interest
The tutor showed the trainees original props to awaken their interest in stage design.
series of events
The documentary reconstructs a series of events that led to the gallery's closure.
show a decrease
Box-office figures show a decrease after the lead actor left the production.
touch of humour
The playwright added a touch of humour to the otherwise sombre courtroom scene.
loosely based on
The new project in a film-festival meeting was loosely based on the new production.
suspense builds up
Suspense builds up as the detective gets closer to the truth.
heavy book
The assistant carried the heavy book of sketches from the archive to the studio.
bear the suspense
Even seasoned viewers struggled to bear the suspense as the thriller approached its final scene.
novelty value
The early novelty value of the virtual exhibit soon gave way to genuine critical interest.
all-star cast
The festival film featured an all-star cast of award-winning actors.
attention wanders
During a long performance, attention wanders unless the story remains engaging.
receive critical acclaim
The debut film went on to receive critical acclaim at several international festivals.
attract a wide audience
The museum hopes its evening programme will attract a wide audience beyond regular visitors.
glowing review
The new play received a glowing review from the theatre critic.
break into song
At the concert, the singer suddenly broke into song.
weighty tome
The graduate student spent the summer working through a weighty tome on Renaissance theatre.