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.
go clubbing
Young people often ____ at the weekend.
change the subject
He tried to ____ when the topic became awkward.
keep someone on their toes
The new rules will ____.
bring stability
The agreement helped ____ to the region.
food miles
Consumers are becoming aware of high ____.
grounds for complaint
There were no ____ about the service.
bear little resemblance to
The copy seemed to ____ the original.
viable option
No one could suggest a truly ____.
observe a festival
Many communities still ____ according to tradition.
incessant noise
The ____ from the construction site was unbearable.
run-down area
The city is trying to improve the ____.
clear distinction
There is a ____ between the two concepts.
show a growth
The sector continues to ____.
drive someone crazy
The constant noise was beginning to ____.
tie the knot
The couple finally decided to ____.
press coverage
The story received extensive ____.
crystal clear
Her explanation made everything ____.
crying shame
It is a ____ that the old theatre was demolished.
pick a fight
He tried to ____ with the stranger.
wildly exaggerated
The report was ____.
pre-emptive strike
The army launched a ____.
bumper crop
The farmers celebrated a ____ this year.
suffer casualties
The army began to ____ in the battle.
broad generalisation
His statement was criticised as a ____.
unprovoked attack
The victim described a completely ____.
epic proportions
The scandal reached ____.
change radically
Society has begun to ____ in recent years.
desperate straits
The company found itself in ____ after the scandal.
good quality
The material is of very ____.
barrage of insults
The speaker faced a ____ from the audience.
soaring crime rates
The city is concerned about ____ in certain districts.
festival celebrates
The annual ____ the town's history.
have a special charm
The old town seems to ____ for visitors.
hold a festival
The town plans to ____ every summer.
surgical strike
The army carried out a precise ____.
large amount
The recipe requires a ____ of sugar.
take something the wrong way
He tends to ____.
social exclusion
The report highlighted problems of ____.
yawning gap
There is a ____ between the rich and the poor.
explore different ways
The team decided to ____ of solving the problem.
reliable public transport
The city needs more ____.
convincing victory
The team achieved a ____ in the final match.
widespread looting
There was ____ after the storm.
collateral damage
The strike caused some ____.
be given a sentence
The judge decided to ____ of five years.
put some distance between
The couple decided to ____ after the argument.
considerable reputation
The author has earned a ____ within literary circles.
have no respect for
Some people seem to ____ authority.
caught in the crossfire
The civilians were ____ during the conflict.
be left with little alternative
The situation left them ____ but to accept.