If you have looked at the Band
Descriptors I mentioned in my first post, you will have seen some comments
about the use of collocations, and the over-use of unusual idiomatic expressions.
Definitions of collocation, idiom and colloquialism tend to vary from one source to another. They tend to overlap - for example, a particular expression might be both idiomatic and colloquial.
In an IELTS test you will not be expected to categorise different expressions, but you need to be aware of how things are described or named in English, depending on location.
Definitions of collocation, idiom and colloquialism tend to vary from one source to another. They tend to overlap - for example, a particular expression might be both idiomatic and colloquial.
In an IELTS test you will not be expected to categorise different expressions, but you need to be aware of how things are described or named in English, depending on location.
Collocations
A collocation is a group of
words that:
·
are often used
together; and
·
when used together
convey a specific meaning.
Examples
- now and then
- fly-buys
- politically correct
Now and then
You might know the usual meaning of the word "now"
and the meaning of the word "then". When we put these words together
and create the expression "now and then", what we mean is
"occasionally".
The special meaning of "Now and then" is not hard to understand once it is explained, but in an IELTS speaking or writing exam, you would not necessarily need to know or use the expression. You could paraphrase this collocation easily by
saying "occasionally".
Fly-buys
I'm sure you know the meanings of the individual words
"fly" and "buy", but "fly-buy" has a very specific meaning. A fly-buy point is a bonus point you can collect when you buy things from some retailers.
While you can substitute "occasionally" for the
expression "now and then", it would be very difficult to paraphrase
the expression "fly-buy".
Fly-buy is a useful collocation, but you might not need to
know it for an IELTS exam.
Politically correct
As a general rule*, people associate the word
"politics" with elections and government policies.
When the words "politically" and
"correct" are used together, they take on a very specific meaning
related to the practice of discrimination.
Words or statements that seem to discriminate on the basis of gender [sex], race, nationality or more, would not
be considered politically correct. ["Not politically correct" = "politically incorrect".]
Politically correct is an English collocation you should
know, whether you are likely to use it in an IELTS exam or not.
Prepositions
Prepositions are one type of word we can use to connect
words or groups of words together.
Examples
·
He was
driving down the road
·
Please do
not put your elbows on the table while eating
·
Be careful
when you put the baby in the pram.
There are not always clear rules about which preposition to
use in certain contexts. The use of prepositions might vary according to local practice.
We might drive down a road, along a road, or up
a road. Using any of these prepositions could be correct.
On the other hand*, we might drive up a hill or down a hill, but it would make no
sense to say we drive along a hill.
As you listen to people speaking English or as you read
something written in English, try to pay attention to how
prepositions are used.
When you are speaking or writing in an IELTS exam, the
correct use of prepositions is as important as* the correct use of collocations.
Idioms
Idioms are expressions which mean
something other than the literal meaning of the individual words.
The major difference between* collocations and idioms is that
collocations are direct in their meaning, while idioms tend to rely on
metaphor, or painting a picture with words*.
Examples
- "now and then" is a collocation, because both "now and then" and a word like "occasionally" make a direct reference to time.
- "as useful as a hole in a pocket" is an idiomatic expression because it conveys its meaning indirectly: To understand the expression you are required to interpret the word picture* rather than simply define it.
- "too much of a good thing" is one of the thousands of idiomatic expressions contributed to the English Language by the playwright Shakespeare. This is an expression that might refer to the ill effects of drinking too much alcohol or of over-eating. In another context "too much of a good thing" might be used to describe the way a child is "spoilt" by his or her parents [i.e. being given everything he or she asks for such as clothes, toys or even freedom].
Colloquialisms
Colloquialisms are often – though not always – informal
expressions, usually belonging to a particular place, culture or English
dialect. Slang is just one type of colloquialism.
The meaning of the word can change depending on where it is
used.
Examples
"thong":
- in
the
- in
What Australians call a thong is known as a "flip
flop" in New Zealand .
What is called "takeaway food" in EE is called "takeout food" in AE.
What is called "takeaway food" in EE is called "takeout food" in AE.
Idioms, Colloquialisms, and IELTS tests
While the Band Descriptors ask you to use some collocations
correctly, they caution against over-using idioms.
If your English is somewhere below an IELTS 8 standard,
using an expression like "as useful as a hole in a pocket" during an
IELTS exam would sound un-natural. It is also an expression that might have no meaning to other International English speakers.
Collocations, Prepositions, Idioms, Colloquialisms and
Employment
I assume that after you score a 7 for your IELTS exam, you
will either be looking for employment or advancing to a further course of
study.
Many Native English speakers are unaware of just how much of
their speech includes collocations, idioms and colloquialisms. This applies to
instructors as well as other professionals. Familiarity with collocations can help you benefit more from a course of study.
If two people with equal experience and qualifications apply
for the same job, an employer will always prefer the candidate whose command of
English seems greater. Employees must be able to take and share instructions,
and work with others whose first language is not English.
The ability to quickly understand what is being said is both
a safety and a productivity issue.
In some occupations you must be able to understand a very specific meaning no matter
how many colloquialisms or idiomatic expressions are used.
[Australian] Examples of Medical "Terminology":
- I have the runs, or I have the trots are just two expressions an older Anglo-Australian might use to tell you they have diarrhoea.
- I have a pain in my ticker would mean I have a pain in my heart.
---------------------
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Jane
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