Words that go together
Which words usually go together?
Meaning
Some words have familiar partners that speakers normally choose together. Another word with a similar meaning may fit the grammar but still sound unusual in that combination. Each language has its own preferred pairings, and a pairing in one may have no matching pairing in another. Unlike Idioms, Words that go together often have a meaning you can understand from the separate words.
How to spot it
Notice combinations that speakers repeatedly choose, especially where replacing one word with a similar word sounds unusual despite correct grammar.
In your native language
English has many preferred word combinations, called collocations, such as make a decision and heavy rain. A near-synonym may sound unusual even if the sentence is grammatically correct. The choice depends on established usage, not just on the meanings of the individual words.
We need to make a decision today.
Make a decision is a usual combination; do a decision is not.
There was heavy rain last night.
Heavy is a usual partner of rain when describing a large amount.
Please pay attention to the signs.
Pay attention is a familiar combination meaning to watch or listen carefully.
In your learning language
Spanish words have preferred partners: speakers normally use tomar with decisión, hacer with pregunta, and prestar with atención. These collocations, usual word combinations, are often understandable from their parts, but replacing a partner with a similar word may sound unnatural. The verb can change its ending while the usual pairing stays the same.
Tenemos que tomar una decisión hoy.
We have to make a decision today.
¿Te puedo hacer una pregunta?
Can I ask you a question?
Por favor, presta atención a las instrucciones.
Please pay attention to the instructions.
Learners whose language uses one general verb for making or doing may use hacer in combinations that normally take tomar or prestar, such as *hacer una decisión. Learn the verb and noun together rather than only the noun's meaning.