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This is a worksheet to practice different collocations putting similar words into context. It will be useful for teachers teaching CAE preparation classes as it will help students develop the skills needed for part 1 of the use of English paper. Download the worksheet below:

Collocations Similar Words

Use of English – Collocations

1. She stood on the ____ of the diving board and dove into the pool head first.
2. They all stood in ____ waiting for their dinner.
3. He was on the _____ of calling the Police when the man ran away.
4. It’s a picturesque village on the Swiss/French _____.

Border  verge    line        edge

• The film was so _______ terrifying that I had to hide behind the sofa.
• He is _______ qualified and should get the job easily.
• The new basketball player was ________ tall, he was 20cm taller than the rest of the players.
• It is ________ hot at midday in the desert.

Intensely            utterly                  highly                   exceptionally

1. The charity spent the evening ___________ food to the homeless.
2. We thought the show was going to be a disaster but it ___________ fine in the end.
3. They have been _____________ tests on her all weekend but they still don’t know what’s wrong.
4. After 20 years of rumours about his sexuality he finally ___________ in an interview with GQ magazine.

Turned                 out         came out            carried out         gave out

1. I live _________ a beautiful gothic church.
2. _________ to popular belief pigs are actually very clean animals.
3. _________ my brother, I’m a very sociable person.
4. This breed of dog is ________ from its long lost cousin the wolf in many ways.

Distinct                contrary              unlike                   opposite

1. They ___________ a fantastic array of food for us when we arrived.
2. After waiting on the phone for 3 hours they finally _______ me________ to the department I needed to speak to.
3. We spent 6 months _____________ our house after we bought it.
4. The referee __________ the rules very clearly before the game began.

Put through       set out                 fixed up               laid on

1. Have you heard? They’re making a new ________ of the Lion King, I bet it’s going to be rubbish!
2. This __________ of the roof was badly damaged in the fire.
3. You’ll have to speak to John in the finance ___________ if you want to get your money back.
4. They divided the different insects they found into 5 different ____________ based on size.

Section                version                department                      categories

1. After the earthquake 100 people are still _____________ for.
2. This material is ____________ of 30% cotton and 70% polyester.
3. He ___________ the club in 1999 and has been a member ever since.
4. They _____________ detailed records of all their findings and presented them to the director.

Composed                         compiled                            joined                  unaccounted

1. You can __________ at my house after the concert if you want.
2. Of the 50 trees we planted in 1975 only 10 __________.
3. To reach the top of the mountain they had to ____________ bitter cold and biting winds.
4. When he asked her out on a date the first time she turned him down but he ___________ and finally she said yes.

Remain                endure                persisted            stay

Key:

1. edge
2. line
3. verge
4. border

1. utterly
2. highly
3. exceptionally
4. intensely

1. giving out
2. turned out
3. carrying out
4. came out

1. opposite
2. contrary
3. unlike
4. distinct

1. laid on
2. put through
3. fixing up
4. set out

1. version
2. section
3. department
4. categories

1. unaccounted
2. composed
3. joined
4. compiled

1. stay
2. remain
3. endure
4. persist