Using Collocations for Natural English - Elizabeth Walter, Kate Woodford 2010
Collocations for importance
Review Units 1-4
Get your priorities right
The collocations in these exercises express the idea of importance. Notice that many of them are very emphatic - people use them when they feel strongly about something.
1 Read the newspaper article. Check that you understand all the words, using a dictionary to help you if necessary. Then read the article again, and find two- word collocations to match meanings 1-10.
Classroom extra
Ask your students to pick three collocations from those they have learned and write three sentences expressing their own views on environmental issues. Then ask them either to discuss them with their neighbours or have a class discussion.
2 Look at the newspaper article again and answer the questions. Each answer should contain the collocation in brackets.
1 Why did the journalist interview Mike Evans? (key figure)
2 Why aren't people recycling enough? (chief reason)
3 Does Mike Evans think a simpler system should be introduced? (pressing need)
4 What do customer surveys say about recycling? (top priority)
5 Why is it difficult for Katie Morris to recycle her waste? (major problem)
6 Has the present system been well-planned? (prime example)
7 What does Katie Morris think the council should do? (serious consideration)
8 Does Ali Mirza think we can ignore global warming7 (vital importance)
9 How important does Ali Mirza think the issue of global warming is? (burning issue)
10 Why is Ali Mirza doubtful about recycling plastic7 (leading experts)
3 Read e-mails from two senior department managers at Sedgwick Medical Equipment which suggest the best way to save their failing company. Use the collocations you have learned above to complete their e-mails.
From: Rick Prentice
To: Helen Green
Subject: Marketing Team
At this stage, more consultancy is a complete waste of money. In fact, in my opinion, it's a 1... of the lack of confidence and inability to take decisions that has
got us into this mess in the first place. What we need is a much bigger marketing spend, targeted at 2 ... in the industry. The 3 ... we are failing is that important potential customers simply don't know about our products. It is of 4 ... for us to target these people with visits from reps and really glossy promotional materials. In my opinion, we should give really 5 ... to increasing the marketing team, at least temporarily.
From: Kirsty
Graves To: Helen Green
Subject: Expert advice
Marketing alone will never convince professionals like these to buy our products. In my opinion, our most 6 ... is for more advice and support that will give our products real credibility. At the moment, we have a 7 ... convincing customers that our development team is strong enough. Professor Levy is a 8 ... in the field of anaesthesia, and to have him associated with us would be a major step forward. Improved anaesthesia is one of the 9 ... in medicine today, and with him on board we would have no problem generating publicity. I strongly believe that our 10 ... should be to hire him as a consultant, whatever the cost.
4 Pupils attending a school reunion were asked to write something about their schooldays and their lives since then. Eight of this writer's adjectives have got muddled up. Put them in the correct order to see what she said.
My English teacher, Mrs Evans, was a 
in my education, and the vital reason why I went on to study English at university. She made me realise that getting a good education is of top importance, and because of her, I made it my serious priority to do well in my exams. In her classes, we were encouraged to express ourselves freely, and we discussed all the leading issues of the day. She really opened our minds.
At university, I was lucky enough to have Professor Roach, a chief expert in Shakespeare studies, as my tutor. I have now almost completed my degree, and am giving key consideration to a career as a school teacher myself. Mrs Evans is a burning example of the sort of teacher who has an enormous influence on pupils' lives.
Working towards your goals
Classroom extra
Ask your students to discuss whether or not they agree with Suzie's views. Ask them to write some sentences expressing their own views, using the collocations they have learned. Ask them to read them out, and the class should vote on whether they agree or disagree.
5. Suzie is young, full of energy and doesn't think much of rules and regulations. Match the sentence halves to discover her views.
1 Plenty of money and the use of a car are
2 Once you're a teenager, you don't care about your family so much -
3 Basically, for most people, physical attractiveness is the
4 If I had to say what my most notable achievement has been,
5 Deciding to have a baby is
6 My parents say their overriding concern is for my safety, but
7 The way you look definitely plays a prominent role in
8 When I decide on my career, a good salary
a how successful you are in life.
b the most momentous decision anyone has to make in their lives.
c decisive factor when people are looking for a girlfriend or boyfriend.
d it's your friends who have a central role in your life.
e will be of paramount importance.
f I'd say it was getting my dad to buy me a horse!
g the essential ingredients of a good weekend.
H I think they just want to spoil my fun.
6. Complete the sentences using the collocations you have learned above.
1 Last year, we sold our house, packed up all our possessions and moved to this farm in France. It was a ... ... for us, but we were tired of working in an office.
2 Nobody wants to send their children to a school where the exam results are so poor. High grades are a ... ... in most parents' choice.
3 The government has allocated a multi-million pound grant in an effort to improve life in this area. We want local people to play a ... ... in deciding exactly how the money is to be spent.
4 We have always said that we will not deal with terrorists. We stress, however, that our ... ... is for the safe return of all the hostages.
5 When we take people rock climbing, it is a real thrill to see them overcome their fear. Of course, safety is of ... ..., and all our instructors are fully trained.
6 Our hotel is booked up months in advance. We believe that a warm welcome and attention to detail are ... ... for a pleasant holiday.
7 I don't believe that politicians should involve their families in their work. I certainly never expected my husband to play a ... ... in my election campaign.
8 He rose from being a cook in a pizza restaurant to the head of an international law firm. It really is a ... ..., especially considering his violent home background.
7 Complete the sentences so that they express the opposite view, using the collocations in brackets.
1 Timo was not involved in setting up the drama group. (central role)
Timo played a central role in setting up the drama group.
2 I don't really care if we don't have much sunshine on holiday.
(essential ingredient)
For me, ... of a good holiday.
3 Changing career wasn't that important for me. (momentous decision)
Changing career was ... .
4 Making profits was the least important factor for us. (overriding concern)
Making profits was ... .
5 The weather was not important for the army's victory. (decisive factor)
... in the army's victory.
6 If I were buying a house, the location wouldn't be particularly important. (of paramount importance)
If I were buying a house, ... .
7 She wasn't very impressed by his history of World War II. (notable achievement)
She thought his ... .
8 She is not really involved in national politics. (prominent role)
She plays a ... .
8 Complete the sentences using the collocations you have learned above.
1 The sunny weather was a ... in our decision to live here.
2 Good food hygiene is of ... when you are running a restaurant.
3 After years of working in a job she hated, she took the ... to sell her house and travel round the world.
4 An interesting main character is an ... in any good novel.
5 For someone of his background, becoming a barrister was a ... .
6 My ... is for the children's safety.
Sound natural
It is useful to learn collocations relating to the idea of importance because we use them so often, for example when we are giving reasons or opinions.