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E8 M - Collocations and natural English

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E8 M - Collocations and natural English

Mini-Beschreibung: Erweitere bekannten Wortschatz um typische Wortverbindungen und erkenne unnatürliche direkte Übersetzungen aus dem Deutschen. Du arbeitest auf Klasse-8-M-Niveau mit natürlichen Beispielen, moderatem Hörtempo, mehreren Sprecherinnen und Sprechern, längeren Dialogen und zunehmend selbstständigen Aufgaben.

Media start – Look, notice, predict. Look at the speech bubbles. Which words often seem to “belong together” in English? Think of three examples you already know, for example take a photo or do homework. Do not translate word by word yet.

Viewing challenge: Watch a short part first. Write down three word partnerships you notice. Then compare them with a partner. Watch again only if you need it.

I can ...

I can notice common collocations in speech and texts.
I can choose natural word combinations instead of translating directly from German.
I can use useful collocations in discussions, reports, stories and short professional messages.
I can explain why a phrase sounds natural or unusual by using context, examples and a dictionary.
I can check my own language and improve both fluency and accuracy.

How to work in this course

English first → context → try → ask → hint → German help if needed.

Try the task before looking for help. If you get stuck, use this help ladder:

Step	What to do
Context	Read or listen to the whole sentence again.
Try	Choose the word combination that sounds most likely.
Ask	Compare with a partner and explain your choice in English.
Hint	Look for a pattern such as verb + noun or adjective + noun.
Deutsch	Nutze eine kurze deutsche Hilfe erst dann, wenn der Kontext und die englischen Hinweise nicht reichen.

What are collocations?

A collocation is a combination of words that speakers regularly use together. The individual words may be familiar, but the natural combination is not always predictable.

Examples:

make a decision – not usually do a decision
do homework – not usually make homework
take a photo – not usually make a photo
pay attention – not usually give attention in this everyday meaning
heavy rain – more natural than strong rain
make progress – a useful chunk for school, hobbies and work

Learning chunks helps you speak and write more naturally because you do not have to build every sentence word by word.

Media task: Use the idea of a word map. Put one key word in the centre, for example decision. Around it, collect words that naturally go with it: make a decision, a difficult decision, a final decision.

Vorwissen

Quick start: Which sounds natural?

Choose A or B before checking.

We make / do a mistake.
Please pay / give attention.
I need to take / make a photo.
We had heavy / strong rain.
She made / did good progress.

Direct feedback: make a mistake – pay attention – take a photo – heavy rain – make progress.

If one answer surprised you, mark it. That surprise is useful: it shows where a German word-for-word translation may interfere.

Find the pattern

Most collocations in this course fit one of these patterns:

Pattern	Example	Your job
verb + noun	make a decision	Learn the verb and noun together.
adjective + noun	heavy rain	Notice which adjective sounds natural.
adverb + adjective	deeply disappointed	Notice intensity and register.
verb + preposition	depend on	Keep the preposition in the chunk.

Listening and Viewing

Viewing 1: Collocations in context

Watch the first useful section without stopping.

First viewing – gist: What is the main idea about learning vocabulary?

Second viewing – notice: Write down four collocations.

Third step – transfer: Use two of them in new sentences about your own school day.

Feedback focus: A good answer is not only grammatically possible. It should also sound like a combination that English speakers commonly use.

Viewing 2: World of work

This British Council video contains a conversation with more than one speaker and collocations connected with work.

While watching, listen for word partnerships. Do not try to understand every word.

Note one collocation you already knew.
Note one new collocation.
Explain the situation in which you might use it.
Say whether it sounds formal, neutral or informal.

Challenge: Summarise one point from the conversation in two English sentences without translating it into German first.

Viewing 3: Build vocabulary in chunks

Watch a selected section about vocabulary learning. Compare three strategies: learning single words, learning words in example sentences, and learning collocations.

Think: Which strategy gives you the most information for speaking and writing? Give one reason.

Reading

A school media project

Fictional text – adapted real-world style

Maya, Leo and Erin are preparing a short report for their school website. They have already done some research and made good progress. Leo says, “I took several photos yesterday.” Maya asks, “Have you checked the captions?” Erin tells him, “Please pay attention to the names.”

Later, Leo reports that he had taken the photos after the team had chosen the topic. Maya says that they need to make a decision about the final picture. She asks whether Leo has checked all the captions. Erin tells the group to pay attention to accuracy.

Before publication, the final text is checked by another student. Two unclear sentences are changed. The team then meets the deadline.

All people and profiles in this course are fictional. Do not use private social-media data for the tasks.

Reading tasks

Find six collocations in the text.
Which sentence shows that the photo action happened before another past action?
Find two passive forms.
Find one reported question and one reported command.
Explain why make a decision is more useful to learn as a chunk than learning only the word decision.

Check: Possible collocations include do research, make progress, take photos, pay attention, make a decision, meet a deadline.

Kontextwortschatz

Core chunks

Learn these as complete units, not as isolated translations.

Collocation	Typical context	Example
make a decision	plans, choices	We need to make a decision today.
do research	projects, school, work	We did some research before the presentation.
take a photo	everyday life, media	Can I take a photo of the poster?
pay attention	class, safety, instructions	Pay attention to the final sentence.
make progress	learning, training, projects	You are making good progress.
give advice	helping someone	She gave me useful advice.
meet a deadline	school, work	Our group met the deadline.
take responsibility	teamwork	He took responsibility for the mistake.
make an effort	learning, teamwork	We made an effort to speak English.
have a conversation	social situations	I had a short conversation with the visitor.

Dictionary habit: When you look up a familiar word, do not stop at the first German meaning. Check the English examples and word combinations. A good dictionary entry can show which verbs, adjectives or prepositions normally appear with the word.

Mini collocation notebook

For every useful new chunk, write:

the complete collocation,
one short example from context,
one new sentence of your own,
one warning if German may tempt you into a direct translation.

Example: take a photo → I took a photo of the notice. → Warning: German ein Foto machen does not mean that English normally uses make here.

Pronunciation

Stress the important word

Natural speech is about rhythm and clarity, not about copying one particular accent.

Say these chunks aloud:

make a deCIsion
pay atTENtion
make PROgress
meet a DEADline
take responSIbility

Now put each chunk into a full sentence. Keep the important meaning words clear. Small grammar words may become less prominent in connected speech.

Self-check: Can a partner understand the chunk immediately? That matters more than sounding like a particular regional accent.

Speaking

Longer dialogue: planning a class project

Work in groups of three. You have ten minutes to plan a small English project.

Use at least five collocations from the course. Discuss:

what topic to choose,
who will do research,
who will take responsibility for each part,
how you will meet the deadline,
what decision you still need to make.

Useful discussion language:

I think we should ... because ... That makes sense, but ... Could you give an example? I agree up to a point. We need to make a decision about ...

Fluency + accuracy rule: During the first minute, keep talking. During the second round, repeat the idea and improve one collocation.

Informal discussion

Question: What helps you make progress in English?

Give an opinion, two reasons and one example. Respond to another speaker before adding a new point.

Writing

Task 1: Short report

Write 90–120 words about a fictional class project. Include:

at least five collocations,
one passive sentence,
one sentence in reported speech,
a clear beginning, middle and ending.

Do not add grammar just to show that you know it. Use it only when it fits the meaning.

Task 2: Professional message

Write a short fictional email to a work-experience contact.

Situation: Your group needs to arrange a visit and meet a deadline.

Use natural phrases such as make arrangements, ask for information, confirm a date, meet a deadline.

Possible opening:

Dear Ms Carter, Thank you for your message. I am writing to confirm ...

Keep the tone polite and clear.

Mediation

A German classmate says:

Wir müssen bis Freitag eine Entscheidung treffen, Informationen sammeln und die Präsentation fertigstellen. Bitte achtet besonders auf die Quellen.

Do not translate word for word. Give the key message naturally in English for an exchange student.

Possible solution: We need to make a decision, gather information and finish the presentation by Friday. Please pay special attention to the sources.

Notice that eine Entscheidung treffen becomes make a decision.

Functional grammar in context

Passive: productive at M level

Use the passive when the action or result is more important than the person doing it.

Active: Another student checks the final text. Passive: The final text is checked by another student.

Try:

The team changed two sentences. → Two sentences were changed by the team.

Now write one passive sentence about your own fictional project.

Reported speech: backshift, questions and commands

Direct: Leo said, “I took the photos.” Reported: Leo said that he had taken the photos.

Direct question: Maya asked, “Did you check the captions?” Reported question: Maya asked whether Leo had checked the captions.

Direct command: Erin said, “Pay attention to the names.” Reported command: Erin told Leo to pay attention to the names.

At M level, practise these forms productively when the context needs them. Do not add a backshift mechanically if the situation clearly still applies and the meaning would become misleading.

Not part of this course: past perfect progressive is not practised productively here.

Error analysis

German influence: spot the problem

Unnatural or unlikely	Natural English	What happened?
make a photo	take a photo	German suggests the wrong verb.
make homework	do homework	The noun chooses a different common verb.
do a mistake	make a mistake	The collocation must be learned as a chunk.
strong rain	heavy rain	English prefers another adjective.
make a party	have a party	Direct translation sounds unusual.

Repair routine:

Circle the unusual phrase.
Ask: Is the grammar wrong, or is the word combination unnatural?
Replace only the problematic chunk.
Read the full sentence again.
Reuse the corrected chunk in a new context.

Gestufte Hilfen

Help cards

Level 1 – English clue: Look at the noun. Which verb have you seen with it before?

Level 2 – Pattern clue: For decision, progress, effort, mistake, test whether make fits.

Level 3 – Example clue: We made an effort and made good progress.

Level 4 – German help: Bei Kollokationen reicht die direkte Übersetzung einzelner Wörter oft nicht. Lerne die typische englische Wortverbindung als Einheit.

Direct feedback and transfer

Improve these sentences

Yesterday I made a photo of our project.
We did a decision after lunch.
The group made research online.
Please give attention to the final slide.

Feedback:

Yesterday I took a photo of our project.
We made a decision after lunch.
The group did research online.
Please pay attention to the final slide.

Transfer: Change the situation. Use the same four collocations in a story about a sports club, a school trip or a work-experience day.

AI and digital tools

Use digital tools only after making your own first attempt.

Check whether suggested collocations also appear in trustworthy dictionaries or natural example contexts.
Check factual claims and grammar feedback instead of accepting them automatically.
Do not let AI replace your own writing; use feedback to revise your text yourself.
Do not upload private recordings, personal social-media data or other people's material without permission.
Recordings for pronunciation practice are voluntary and should stay private unless everyone involved has clearly agreed to share them.
No external AI access is needed for this course.

Can-do check

Mark one box for yourself after the course.

Can-do statement	Not yet	Almost	Yes
I can recognise common collocations in a text or video.	□	□	□
I can avoid several direct German-to-English translations.	□	□	□
I can use collocations in a discussion without stopping after every word.	□	□	□
I can revise a text for both grammar and natural word combinations.	□	□	□
I can use passive and reported speech when they fit the context.	□	□	□

Folgekurs

Continue with E8 M - Phrasal verbs and multi-word expressions. Keep your collocation notebook: many phrasal verbs and multi-word expressions are also best learned as chunks.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which phrase is the natural collocation? (make a decision) (!do a decision) (!take a decisioning) (!build a decision)

Which phrase is natural when you use a camera? (take a photo) (!make a photo) (!do a photo) (!give a photo)

Which phrase is the usual collocation for school work at home? (do homework) (!make homework) (!take homework) (!build homework)

Which phrase means to focus carefully? (pay attention) (!give attention) (!make attention) (!take attention)

Which phrase is natural for a lot of rain? (heavy rain) (!strong rain) (!hard rainness) (!powerful rain)

Which reported sentence correctly shows backshift? (Mia said that she had made a mistake) (!Mia said that she has make a mistake) (!Mia said that she did a mistake) (!Mia said that she had do a mistake)

Which is a correct reported question? (Sam asked whether I had finished the report) (!Sam asked whether had I finished the report) (!Sam asked did I finish the report) (!Sam asked whether I finish had the report)

Which is a correct reported command? (The coach told us to pay attention) (!The coach told that we pay attention) (!The coach asked us paying attention) (!The coach said us pay attention)

Which sentence uses the passive correctly? (A decision was made after lunch) (!A decision made after lunch) (!A decision was make after lunch) (!A decision did made after lunch)

Which vocabulary strategy best supports natural English? (Learn useful words together with common partners and context) (!Translate every word separately) (!Memorise only German equivalents) (!Ignore example sentences)

Memory

make a decision	choose after considering
take a photo	use a camera
pay attention	focus carefully
heavy rain	a lot of rain
catch a bus	get on public transport successfully
do research	investigate a topic
give advice	suggest what someone should do
make progress	improve over time

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
make a mistake	You choose the wrong answer and then correct it.
meet a deadline	You finish the task on time.
take responsibility	You accept that a task or result is yours to deal with.
make an effort	You try seriously to improve something.
have a conversation	Two people exchange ideas by speaking.

...

Kreuzworträtsel

decision	Complete the collocation: make a ...
attention	Complete the collocation: pay ...
research	Complete the collocation: do ...
progress	Complete the collocation: make ...
traffic	Complete the collocation: heavy ...
mistake	Complete the collocation: make a ...

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Collocation hunt: Find ten collocations in your English textbook and highlight the two words that belong together.
Mini word map: Create a word map for make, take or do with at least five natural partners.
Error detective: Invent four sentences with German-influenced mistakes and write the corrected versions underneath.
Pronunciation pair check: Read six collocations aloud to a partner and ask which word sounds most important.

Standard

Dialogue challenge: Write and perform a 90-second dialogue that uses at least eight collocations naturally.
Video collocation log: Rewatch one embedded video, collect six collocations and write one new example sentence for each.
Project report: Write a 120-word report about a fictional school project using collocations, one passive sentence and reported speech.
Mediation task: Turn a short German notice into natural English without translating word for word.

Schwer

Register comparison: Compare collocations from an informal dialogue and a professional email. Explain which fit both and which do not.
Corpus-style investigation: Use a trustworthy learner dictionary or teacher-provided text collection to compare two possible collocations and explain which one has stronger evidence.
Feedback workshop: Exchange texts, mark only unnatural word combinations first, then revise grammar in a second round.
Mini presentation: Give a three-minute presentation on how collocations improve both fluency and accuracy. Use examples, reasons and one short audience task.

Lernkontrolle

Collocation transfer: Explain why direct translation can produce unnatural English and show this with three different examples.
Context decision: Given two grammatically possible phrases, justify which collocation fits a specific context better.
Grammar in use: Rewrite a short project update so that one passive form and one reported question improve the information flow.
Error analysis: Sort five mistakes into grammar problems and collocation problems, then explain different repair strategies.
Register and purpose: Adapt the same message for an informal classmate and a professional contact while keeping the key collocations natural.
Independent checking: Describe a reliable process for checking whether an unfamiliar word partnership is natural without relying on direct German translation.

Lernnachweis

Für einen erfolgreichen Lernnachweis ist wichtig, dass Du:

häufige Kollokationen in Hör- und Lesetexten erkennst,
typische direkte Übertragungen aus dem Deutschen identifizierst und verbesserst,
Kollokationen in eigenen Gesprächen und Texten passend verwendest,
verständlich sprichst und zugleich auf wichtige Wortverbindungen achtest,
Passiv und reported speech auf M-Niveau funktional einsetzen kannst,
Hilfsmittel kritisch nutzt und Vorschläge überprüfst,
eigene Texte selbst überarbeitest und Feedback sichtbar umsetzt,
private Daten und freiwillige Aufnahmen verantwortungsvoll behandelst.

OERs zum Thema

Medienhinweis: Die verwendeten Wikimedia-Commons-Dateien sind über ihre Dateiseiten mit freien Lizenzangaben verknüpft. Die eingebetteten Videos stammen von etablierten Englisch-Lernkanälen und werden nur eingebettet, nicht kopiert.

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E8 M - Collocations and natural English

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