Collocation Our Senses Use of English Collocation Units

Collocation: Our Senses Use of English Collocation: Units 43 – 45

Introduction • We will cover… – The common collocations of… • Colours • Lights • Texture • Taste and Smell – Some metaphorical collocations in writing related to our senses – http: //dannydylan. wordpress. com/

Colour • The colours clash – Colours not going well with each other – E. g. bright yellow VS. bright green • The colour runs / fades – Colour going off • Subdued colours – Dark / boring colours – Opposite: bright / strong • Add a touch of colours – Put in some different colours

Light • Growing dark – Getting dark • Pitch dark – Completely dark • A flickering candle / a twinkling star – Shining unsteadily • Beam of light – Ray of light – Pinpoint of light

Light • A faint glow of dawn – A weak beam of light before sunrise • Tinged with + (colour) – Lightly-shaded • The glare of the sun – Strong shiny light

Texture • Hair – Dry VS. Greasy • Skin – Dry VS. Oily – Smooth VS. Rough • Water / Sea – Smooth VS. Choppy / Rough

Texture • Road / Flight – Smooth VS. Bumpy • Pillow / Bed / Ground – Soft VS. Firm / Hard • Meat – Tender VS. Tough • Pencil / Knife – Sharp VS. Blunt

Taste and Smell • Positive: – Fragrant perfume – Distinctive aroma (pleasant smell of food and drink) – Wafting (moving gently through the air) smell – Fresh scent – Subtle (not obvious = a whiff of) flavour – An acquired taste (something you dislike at first yet becoming something you like after trying)

Taste and Smell • Negative: – Acrid smoke (causing a burning feeling in your throat) – Noxious fume (=poisonous gas) – Foul-smelling – Body odour (bad smell caused by sweat) – Overpowering stink – Revolting stench

Metaphorical Collocations • A grey area = an unclear area – E. g. The law about downloading from the Internet seems to be a grey area. • Add colour to = make something interesting – E. g. The trip to China added colour to our life. • Green issues = environmental issues

Metaphorical Collocations • Blacken (one’s) name = destroy someone’s reputation • Shed / Throw some light on = explain – E. g. The student is trying hard to shed / throw some light on his project to his class. • Cast a shadow over = make something less happy – E. g. My sister’s illness cast a shadow over our Christmas celebration.

Metaphorical Collocations • (be) under the shadow of = receive less attention – E. g. Jim has been under the shadow of his talented brother. • Has a sharp tongue = always saying unkind things • Coarse jokes = vulgar (rude) jokes / jokes in bad taste

Metaphorical Collocations • Leave a bad / unpleasant taste in (one’s) mouth = leave an unpleasant memory – E. g. The SARS has left a bad / unpleasant taste in a lot of HK people’s mouth. • Smell danger = feel the coming of danger • Get the flavour of = get a general idea of something – E. g. I couldn’t hear every word he said, but I got the flavour of what he meant.

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