Collocational Errors in N + V Combination Collocational Errors in V + N Combination

a. Collocational Errors in N + V Combination There were 10 sentences which showed that the students made incorrect lexical errors in N + V combination. Some of the students produced errors in lexical collocation especially in combining Noun and Verb. The examples are : … but suddenly the plane felt down. plane + crash The plane has brought 50 passengers plane + carry That people said that a bomb was located in the White House bomb+ be + planted In the first sentence, the students did not know that they should use the word crashed instead of felt down. The word plane cannot collocate with the word felt down . The appropriate combination will be the plane crashed. Some students also did not know that the word plane cannot collocate with the word brought. The plane is a kind of transportation tools. Therefore it cannot bring something. Usually it is an animate thing which can bring something. The plane can only carry something. Therefore the correction is the plane has carried. In the third example, the word bomb cannot collocate with the word located. The student should put the word planted instead of located. The word bomb usually collocates with the word planted. Therefore, the appropriate combination will be the bomb was planted. b. Collocational Errors in V + N Combination There were 41 sentences in which incorrect combinations of verb and noun were found. Some of the sentences are: They also want to cut their relationship break+ relationship The Tsunami also destructed all of the buildings and .. destroy + buildings She feels trauma to go by plane until now suffer + trauma … so that he cannot look for some money. earn+ money At that time, Uci used the opportunity take + opportunity The students did not know that the word cut cannot collocate with the word relationship . The students should use the word break instead of cut. The word break can collocate with the word relationship. Therefore, the appropriate combination is break their relationship. The students did not know that they should use the word destroyed instead of destructed. The appropriate combinations in the second sentence will be destroyed all of the buildings. The students sho uld not put the word feel before the word trauma. The word feel cannot collocate with the word trauma. The students should use the word suffer instead of feel. Therefore, the appropriate combinations is suffer trauma. In the last example, the student should not use the word look for. The word look for cannot collocate with the word money. The student should use the word earn instead of look for. The correction of the last sentence is earn some money. c. Collocational Errors in Adj + N Combination