This lesson practises 30 C2 collocations on Feelings, Opinions & Attitudes. 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.
absolutely furious
She was absolutely furious when she learned that the complaint had been ignored.
express strong reservations
Several residents chose to express strong reservations about closing the library.
feel a sense of relief
After the missing child was found, the family could finally feel a sense of relief.
a thought occurs to someone
During the discussion, a thought occurred to the student: the results might be incomplete.
breed resentment
Unfair promotion decisions can breed resentment among staff.
nasty shock
The sudden cancellation came as a nasty shock to the volunteers.
high risk
The financial gamble carries a high risk of losing the family's savings.
pod of whales
A pod of whales appeared beside the boat at sunset.
intense dislike
His intense dislike of confrontation made the meeting difficult.
vain hope
It was a vain hope that the storm would pass before nightfall.
drive the residents crazy
The constant alarm was starting to drive the residents crazy.
render obsolete
New technology could render obsolete many routine tasks.
give something some thought
Before responding, she decided to give the proposal some thought overnight.
subscribe to the theory
Some readers may subscribe to the theory that money alone brings happiness.
needless to say
Needless to say, all passengers must show a valid ticket.
put the past behind
After months of counselling, he began to put the past behind him.
fuel fears
The leaked report may fuel fears about further job cuts.
minor niggles
The new software has a few minor niggles, but nothing serious.
perfect a technique
The athlete trained daily to perfect her technique.
stroke of genius
Choosing the smaller venue was a stroke of genius: every seat was filled.
honestly think
I honestly think the proposal deserves more support.
take the colleague's point
After listening carefully, I could take the colleague's point about the deadline.
mildly surprised
I was mildly surprised by how calmly he accepted the news.
was up for joining the activity
The speaker was up for joining the activity after the discussion.
sincerely hope
The team sincerely hopes that the new plan will succeed.
very much hope
The team very much hopes that the new policy will succeed.
judge the colleague harshly
It is unfair to judge the colleague harshly without hearing their side.
grave danger
The warning signs suggested that the hikers were in grave danger.
let out a cry
On hearing the result, she let out a cry of disbelief.
present an award
The host will present an award to the winner at the closing ceremony.