This lesson practises 30 C2 collocations on Food, Lifestyle & Daily 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.
share prices fluctuate
When share prices fluctuate, pension funds may adjust their investments.
see off an intruder
The security guard managed to see off an intruder at the warehouse.
great significance
The timing of a shared evening meal can have great significance for family life.
adopt sustainable eating habits
The family chose to adopt sustainable eating habits by planning meat-free meals.
greatly influence
Advertising can greatly influence children's food choices.
burst into tears
The patient burst into tears after receiving the test results.
give repeated assurances
The restaurant continued to give repeated assurances that it could serve guests with severe allergies.
exercise greater control over
Keeping a food diary can help people exercise greater control over the daily routine.
flurry of excitement
The arrival of the street-food stalls caused a flurry of excitement at the festival.
mutter under their breath
The waiter began to mutter under their breath after the customer complained again.
take their custom elsewhere
After two disappointing meals, the diners chose to take their custom elsewhere.
touch of class
Fresh flowers and polished glassware added a touch of class to the café.
wreak havoc
A serious outbreak of food poisoning can wreak havoc with a restaurant's reputation.
wine and dine
The company chose to wine and dine its overseas clients.
juvenile delinquent
The article described the teenager as a juvenile delinquent, ignoring the support he needed.
take delight in
Some people take delight in the daily routine of preparing breakfast together.
maintain a demanding routine
Athletes must maintain a demanding routine if they want to manage training and nutrition.
acquire a taste for
Children often acquire a taste for bitter vegetables after repeated exposure.
wear and tear
The kitchen floor showed signs of wear and tear after years of heavy use.
head a team
She was asked to head a team preparing meals for the charity event.
widespread looting
The widespread looting after the blackout forced local shops to close early.
work as a team
The researchers had to work as a team to complete the study.
humiliating defeat
The celebrity chef suffered a humiliating defeat in the televised cook-off.
watch what you eat
If you watch what you eat, you can still enjoy occasional treats.
take the customer seriously
The restaurant must take the customer seriously when they report a food allergy.
sweat blood
The volunteers had to sweat blood to prepare 500 meals before noon.
go out for a meal
For their anniversary, they decided to go out for a meal at the new bistro.
rustle up a meal
With a few vegetables and eggs, she could rustle up a meal in ten minutes.
sweat their guts out the details
The kitchen staff had to sweat their guts out to serve the wedding guests on time.
underage drinking
The school ran a workshop on the dangers of underage drinking.