What is a collocation?

• A. A fixed phrase that cannot be changed
• B. A set of synonyms
• C. The habitual pairing of words
• D. A grammatical rule

Answer: (C)

Collocation is about the natural pairing of words that native speakers tend to use together. It’s not about words that are fixed phrases you can’t change, nor about a set of synonyms, nor a grammatical rule. It’s the regular, habitual combinations you hear and read, across different contexts.

Think of examples like make a decision, heavy rain, strong tea, commit a crime, or fast car. These word pairings sound right together because speakers commonly use them in those combinations. The idea isn’t that the words must always appear together in a fixed form, but that certain word pairings are the usual, expected choices in everyday language.

That’s why the correct description is the habitual pairing of words.