Grammatical Collocation Types of Collocation

In addition, due to the importance of learning collocation, Hill suggested the types of collocation which need to be taught to English language learners, as follows: 31 Pattern Example Adjective + Noun A huge profit Noun + Noun A pocket calculator Verb + Adjective + Noun Learn a foreign language Verb + Adverb Live dangerously Verb + Preposition + Noun Speak through an interpreter Adverb + Verb Half understand Adverb + Adjective Completely soaked Furthermore, He also classified collocation into more specific types, as follows: 32 a. Unique Collocations Unique collocations are fixed collocations in the sense that the word fixedly collocates with the word and cannot be replaced by other words. For example, foot the bill and shrug our shoulders. b. Strong Collocations Strong collocations are less fixed than unique collocations but they have a strong and very strong combination. Few words can replace the target collocates, for example, rancid butter and move to tears. c. Weak Collocation Weak collocations are easily predictable combinations of usual words in English. For example, long hair and green shirt. Since they cause no real 31 Jimmie Hill, Revising priorities: from grammatical failure to collocational success. In M. Lewis Ed., Teaching collocations: Further Developments in the Lexical Approach, Boston: Language Teaching Publications, 2000, p. 51. 32 Ibid., pp. 63—64. difficulty for learners, they need to be made aware of their predictable collocations. d. Medium-Strength Collocations Medium-strength collocations are words that frequently go together. These are neither free nor completely fixed. Students may know the individual words hold and conversation, but not the word combinations. For example, hold a conversation and make a mistake.

3. Definition of Collocation Knowledge

The acquisition of vocabulary is a significant component in using a language. The knowledge of words can be seen as a learners’ ability to store words in their memory and use them accurately and appropriately in a given context. Doczi, et al., grouped vocabulary knowledge into passive and active vocabulary knowledge. Passive vocabulary knowledge is an ability to recognize and understand lexical units. Meanwhile, an ability to use lexical units in speech and writing is called active vocabulary knowledge. 33 Learners need to have vocabulary knowledge because by having vocabulary knowledge, they are able to use it to form a language production and form a meaning in comprehension as needs in communication. Nevertheless, having vocabulary knowledge does not only know words but also know the combinatory possibilities of the words. Learners must be able to combine words to other words to form phrases, and combine words to form grammatical patterns, clauses, and sentences to use a language. The combination of words with words usually has been called as collocation. 34 Meanwhile, the ability to store sequences of words as the bases of language learning is called collocation knowledge. 35 Having knowledge of collocation is clearly crucial for foreign language learners in learning English. Hill pointed out that “It is possible that up to 70 of 33 Brigtta Doczi, and Judit Kormos, Longitudinal Developments in Vocabulary Knowledge and Lexical Organization, New York: Oxford University Press, 2016, p. 7. 34 Robert Ilson, et al., Op. cit., p. vii. 35 Yu-han Ma and Wen-yin Lin, A Study on the Relationship between English Reading Comprehension and English Vocabulary Knowledge, Journal of Education Research International, 2015, p. 3. Retrieved from http:dx.doi.org10.11552015209154 .