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Lesson guide & glossary

Work & Professional Life 4 — C2 Collocations

This lesson practises 50 C2 collocations on Work & Professional 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.

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Lesson glossary (50 collocations)

  • create instability

    Such policies tend to ____ in the market.

  • set yourself clear objectives

    It is wise to ____ at the start.

  • haven't the foggiest idea

    I ____ what the answer is.

  • not-so-distant future

    Experts predict major changes in the ____.

  • turn your thoughts to

    It is time to ____ the future.

  • network of contacts

    Building a strong ____ is essential in this industry.

  • miss the point

    He seemed to completely ____ of the argument.

  • come up with an alternative

    The team tried to ____ to the original plan.

  • thriving industry

    The technology sector is a ____.

  • let someone in on the secrets

    He finally decided to ____.

  • miss the point

    He seemed to completely ____ of the argument.

  • nasty piece of work

    The man was described as a real ____.

  • put your back into

    You need to ____ the task to finish on time.

  • strictly speaking

    ____ the rule does not apply here.

  • enter into a contract

    The company is ready to ____ with the supplier.

  • do a job-share

    Many parents now prefer to ____.

  • face trial

    The suspect will have to ____ next month.

  • fat chance

    There is ____ of winning the lottery.

  • set yourself clear objectives

    It is wise to ____ at the start.

  • awarded a penalty

    The team was ____ in the final minutes.

  • deep down

    ____ she knew the decision was wrong.

  • flock of sheep

    A large ____ blocked the narrow road.

  • world of difference

    There is a ____ between the two products.

  • differ widely

    Opinions on the issue ____ among experts.

  • put together a CV

    It is time to ____ for the new job.

  • necessary groundwork

    The team completed all the ____.

  • come to a conclusion

    The jury took hours to ____.

  • come up with a suggestion

    She always manages to ____.

  • aspects of the job

    She enjoys most ____ but dislikes the travel.

  • let out a cry

    The baby suddenly ____.

  • give a speech

    The president will ____ at the international summit.

  • build on the success

    The company plans to ____ of last year.

  • stoop to that level

    I would never ____.

  • thought occurred to me

    The ____ that I had forgotten the keys.

  • give something some thought

    It is wise to ____ before deciding.

  • physical exertion

    The job requires a lot of ____.

  • mental tasks

    The job involves a lot of ____.

  • proven ability

    The job requires candidates with ____ in the field.

  • grit your teeth

    You just have to ____ and finish the task.

  • bus network

    The city has an excellent ____.

  • play host to

    The city will ____ the international conference.

  • difficulty arises

    Whenever a new ____ the team solves it quickly.

  • take an issue with

    Several members began to ____ the new policy.

  • rumour flies around

    A worrying ____ the office about job losses.

  • honestly think

    I ____ the plan will work.

  • join (in) the festivities

    Everyone was invited to ____.

  • fire someone's imagination

    The story managed to ____.

  • bring up the subject

    She hesitated before deciding to ____.

  • generate business

    The website helps ____ for local shops.

  • exhaustive account

    The historian wrote an ____ of the events leading up to the revolution.