This lesson practises 50 C2 collocations on Social Issues & Culture. 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.
open hostility
There was ____ between the two teams.
carry on a conversation
It was difficult to ____ in the noisy room.
simple truth
The ____ is that hard work pays off.
tentative suggestion
She made a rather ____.
divided opinions
The proposal has led to ____ among experts.
get a message across
It took several attempts before the speaker could ____ to the hostile crowd.
force for change
The charity acts as a powerful ____.
urban regeneration
The project aims at ____ of the old district.
not bear comparison with
The new model does ____ the classic version.
flurry of speculation
The announcement caused a ____ in the press.
belittle someone's achievements
He tends to ____ to make himself look better.
take the easy way out
He tried to ____ of the difficult situation.
throwaway comment
He made a ____ that caused offence.
have an obligation
Everyone seems to ____ to help.
deeply personal
The topic is far too ____ to discuss openly.
give some thought to
It is wise to ____ the offer before deciding.
break news
It is never easy to ____ of this kind.
presenting an award
The mayor will be ____ at the ceremony.
widespread belief
There is a ____ that hard work brings success.
derelict building
The council plans to demolish the ____.
perfect venue
The hall was the ____ for the conference.
soaring crime rates
The city is concerned about ____ in certain districts.
dig out info about a crime
Journalists tried to ____ from local sources.
damp squib
The much-hyped event turned out to be a ____.
in broad agreement
Both sides were ____ on the main issues.
restore peace
The agreement helped ____ to the region.
formal attire
Guests are requested to wear ____.
take account of
The plan must ____ every possible risk.
mounting fury
There was ____ among the fans after the referee's decision.
ease traffic congestion
The new ring road should ____ around the city.
luxury cream
The new skincare is a real ____.
simplicity itself
The solution was ____.
pure luck
Winning the prize was simply ____.
social fabric
The war threatened to tear the ____.
be drawn into an argument
He tried not to ____ with the stranger.
spate of attacks
There has been a recent ____ on public transport.
minor niggles
There were only a few ____ with the new system.
bitter enemy
The two countries had been ____ for decades.
with all due respect
____ I must disagree with that view.
dash of cream
The recipe calls for just a ____ on top.
take someone seriously
No one seemed to ____ after the mistake.
cut down on luxuries
It is wise to ____ during tough times.
preparations are underway
____ for the festival.
establish communication
The negotiators finally managed to ____ between the two sides.
shirk responsibilities
He was accused of trying to ____.
look into a crime
Detectives continue to ____ that occurred downtown.
score stands at
The ____ three-nil at half-time.
face the thought of
She could not ____ losing everything.
incite violence
The speech seemed to ____ among the crowd.
unsocial hours
Many nurses work ____.