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Lesson guide & glossary

Work & Professional Life 1 — C1 Collocations

This lesson practises 50 C2 collocations on Work & Professional Life. 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.

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Lesson glossary (50 collocations)

  • attend a formal function

    Senior staff are expected to ____ next week.

  • overstate a case

    The report seemed to ____ about the dangers.

  • create an impression

    The new website managed to ____ of professionalism.

  • embark on

    The company is ready to ____ a major expansion.

  • go out for a meal

    The couple decided to ____ to celebrate.

  • talk business

    The two men began to ____ over lunch.

  • do the shopping

    I usually ____ on Saturday mornings.

  • enlist help

    The organisers decided to ____ from volunteers.

  • fast-track scheme

    The company offers a ____ for high-potential graduates.

  • thirst for adventure

    Young people frequently show a strong ____.

  • tempting offer

    The job was a very ____.

  • respect someone's wishes

    It is important to ____ even if you disagree.

  • get hitched

    The couple decided to ____ next summer.

  • establish a state of euphoria

    The victory helped ____ among the fans.

  • market segmentation

    The strategy uses careful ____.

  • downright rude

    The customer was ____ to the staff.

  • give up work

    Many people plan to ____ at the age of sixty-five.

  • market share

    The brand now holds a large ____.

  • member of staff

    Every ____ received a bonus.

  • dream comes true

    For her the ____ when she won the prize.

  • festive mood

    The whole town was in a ____.

  • spate of thefts

    There has been a recent ____ in the area.

  • sharp wit

    He is known for his ____ in conversations.

  • disposal of household waste

    The council provides free ____.

  • polar opposite

    The two brothers are ____ in character.

  • sense of purpose

    The job gave her a real ____.

  • fierce competition

    The market faces ____ from abroad.

  • get your hands dirty

    Sometimes you just have to ____ to get the job done.

  • cycle network

    The town is building a new ____.

  • knob of butter

    She added a small ____ to the pan.

  • put the case for

    The speaker rose to ____ more funding.

  • make sound business sense

    It simply does not ____ to expand now.

  • hunk of bread

    He cut a large ____ for the sandwich.

  • satisfy a demand

    The company struggled to ____ for the new product.

  • poor sanitary conditions

    The report highlighted ____ in the camp.

  • work to someone's advantage

    The new law will ____ in the long run.

  • generally speaking

    ____ most people prefer the original version.

  • exacting standards

    The company maintains very ____.

  • give in to temptation

    It is hard not to ____ when you see the chocolate.

  • refuse point-blank

    She decided to ____ the invitation.

  • declare undecided

    The minister chose to ____ on the issue.

  • idle threat

    The warning was just an ____.

  • draw a comparison between

    The report tried to ____ the two systems.

  • dry run

    The team completed a successful ____ before the live event.

  • feasible alternative

    No one could suggest a truly ____.

  • foreseeable future

    There are no major changes planned in the ____.

  • establish a communication

    The team worked to ____ with the remote office.

  • laughable idea

    The suggestion seemed completely ____.

  • fit of jealousy

    He was suddenly overcome by a ____.

  • swarm of locusts

    A huge ____ destroyed the crops.