This lesson practises 31 C2 collocations on Places, Towns & the Built Environment. 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.
make room for
The city plan will make room for more green spaces.
there’s no place like home
After months of travel, she smiled and said, “There’s no place like home.”
rural idyll
The brochure sells a rural idyll, but the nearest shop is ten miles away.
product placement
The film used product placement to fund part of the location shooting.
picturesque village
The footpath ends at a picturesque village with a small museum.
place great value on
The council places great value on green public spaces.
fall on
The town festival falls on the first Saturday in May.
urban regeneration
The former docks are now the focus of an urban regeneration project.
picturesque town
Tourists stop in the picturesque town on their way to the coast.
residential dwellings
The plan includes two hundred residential dwellings near the station.
broad generalisation
It is a broad generalisation to say that all city centres are unsafe.
shape the resident's life
Access to green space can shape residents' lives in important ways.
desirable place to live
Reliable transport makes the district a desirable place to live.
eco-friendly design
The couple chose an eco-friendly design for their new home.
tree-planting scheme
The council launched a tree-planting scheme along the main road.
jot down a room number
Please jot down a room number before leaving the hotel.
bored rigid
Children can get bored rigid during a long bus journey.
take up a lot of room
The old equipment takes up a lot of room in the office.
rustic charm
The renovated cottages retain their rustic charm.
manage urban sprawl
The region needs a plan to manage urban sprawl around the rail corridor.
quiet backwater
The old canal remains a quiet backwater despite nearby development.
soak up the atmosphere
Visitors linger in the square to soak up the atmosphere.
ample room
The redesigned square leaves ample room for pedestrians and cyclists.
room for improvement
The report found room for improvement in the design of public spaces.
vast expanse
From the hill, we could see a vast expanse of housing and parkland.
in the middle of nowhere
The hikers found themselves in the middle of nowhere after missing the trail.
preserve historic landmarks
The council adopted stricter planning rules to preserve historic landmarks and prevent their demolition.
picturesque location
The café has a picturesque location beside the harbour.
revitalise a deprived neighbourhood
The project aims to revitalise a deprived neighbourhood through new homes and shops.
simplicity itself
Using the new ticket machine is simplicity itself once you know the steps.
hit the high street
After lunch, visitors often hit the high street for independent shops.