This lesson practises 31 C2 collocations on Plans, Decisions & Problem-solving. 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.
tentative suggestion
Her tentative suggestion led to a useful discussion.
cover every eventuality
No checklist can cover every eventuality, but planning reduces surprises.
abide by a decision
Once the panel has voted, everyone must abide by a decision.
after careful consideration
Only after careful consideration did the team revise the proposal.
herd of elephants
The conservation plan considered a herd of elephants crossing the corridor.
come up with an alternative
The planners had to come up with an alternative after the bridge closed.
viable option
Keeping the existing route is still a viable option.
arrive at a conclusion
The team used the evidence to arrive at a conclusion.
reject the proposal out of hand
The committee did not reject the proposal out of hand.
fired the young artist’s imagination
The science-fiction film fired the young artist’s imagination.
mitigate potential risks
The team added safeguards to mitigate potential risks.
be left with little alternative
After the flight cancellation, the travellers were left with little alternative but to take a bus.
adhere to ideals
Charities should adhere to ideals of fairness and transparency.
haven’t the foggiest idea
The student hasn’t the foggiest idea how the formula works.
declare outright hostility
The union refused to declare outright hostility before talks began.
devise a contingency plan
The organisers devised a contingency plan for bad weather.
shoal of fish
The environmental assessment recorded a shoal of fish near the proposed marina.
instigate measures
The school will instigate measures to improve attendance.
declare outright opposition
Several residents chose to declare outright opposition to the proposal.
constructive criticism
The report offered constructive criticism without dismissing the original plan.
feasible alternative
The engineers presented a feasible alternative to rebuilding the entire road.
wrestle with a problem
The team continues to wrestle with a problem that has no quick fix.
the only option open to someone
Cancelling the project may be the only option open to the manager.
distant echo
The new plan was only a distant echo of the original ambition.
necessary groundwork
The consultation provided the necessary groundwork for a better policy.
deeply offensive
The remark was deeply offensive to residents.
unbounded enthusiasm
The volunteers showed unbounded enthusiasm for the neighbourhood project.
toy with an idea
The designers began to toy with an idea for a modular layout.
implement a plan
The council will implement a plan to reduce flooding.
came to a conclusion
After reviewing the data, the researcher came to a conclusion.
leave the implementation plan to the manager's discretion
The board agreed to leave the plan to the manager's discretion.