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150collocations · grounded in Pearson's corpus

PTE Academic Collocations

Collocations are word pairs that naturally go together — conduct research, significant growth, information flow. Using them is what makes your Writing and Speaking sound native and precise, and it's exactly what the examiners reward.

This is a curated, high-utility selection grounded in Pearson's official Academic Collocation List — 2,469 collocations drawn from a 25-million-word corpus of academic English and published to support PTE preparation. We've picked the combinations you're most likely to need and written a plain-English usage note for each. Learn them as chunks: it's faster, it keeps you fluent in Speaking, and it helps you pick the right answer in Fill in the Blanks.

Verb + noun

conduct research
to carry out a planned, systematic investigation
conduct a study
to run a formal piece of research on a topic
conduct an analysis
to examine something in detail to understand it
carry out research
to perform an investigation from start to finish
carry out a task
to complete a specific job or piece of work
undertake research
to take on and commit to an investigation
collect data
to gather facts and figures for analysis
gather information
to collect facts from various sources
analyse data
to study figures closely to find meaning
interpret data
to explain what a set of figures means
have access to
to be able to use or reach something
gain access to
to obtain the ability to use or enter something
provide access to
to make something available for others to use
draw a conclusion
to form a judgement based on evidence
reach a conclusion
to arrive at a final decision or judgement
draw a distinction
to point out a clear difference between things
draw attention to
to make people notice something
raise an issue
to bring a matter up for discussion
raise a question
to introduce a point that needs answering
raise awareness
to make more people informed about something
address an issue
to deal with a problem or matter directly
play a role
to have an effect or function in something
play a part
to contribute to a result or process
make a contribution
to add something useful to an effort
make a decision
to choose what to do after consideration
make an assumption
to accept something as true without proof
make progress
to move forward toward a goal
take responsibility
to accept that you are accountable for something
take into consideration
to think about a factor before deciding
take action
to do something to deal with a situation
reach a peak
to rise to the highest point before falling
reach an agreement
to settle on terms that everyone accepts
reach a consensus
to come to a shared decision as a group
provide evidence
to supply facts that support a claim
provide support
to give help or backing to someone or something
present evidence
to put forward facts for others to consider
demonstrate competence
to show that you have the necessary skill
establish a relationship
to set up a connection between things or people
meet criteria
to satisfy the required standards
meet a requirement
to fulfil what is asked or needed
achieve a goal
to successfully reach an aim you set
set a goal
to decide on an aim to work toward
create opportunities
to bring about chances for progress or benefit
pose a threat
to be a possible source of danger
pose a challenge
to present a difficult situation to handle
face a challenge
to have to deal with a difficult situation
acquire knowledge
to gain understanding or information over time
share information
to give facts to others so they also have them
exercise authority
to use the power you hold over something
resolve a conflict
to bring a disagreement to an end

Adjective + noun

significant growth
a large, important increase
significant difference
a gap big enough to matter
significant impact
a strong, noticeable effect
considerable impact
a fairly large effect on something
considerable attention
a notable amount of interest or focus
substantial evidence
a large and convincing body of proof
substantial difference
a clearly large gap between things
crucial role
a part that is essential to the outcome
key factor
a main cause that influences a result
key element
an essential part of something
major challenge
a large and serious difficulty
major change
a large and important alteration
fundamental principle
a basic rule that everything else rests on
fundamental difference
a basic, deep-rooted distinction
essential element
a part without which something cannot work
critical analysis
a careful, evaluative examination of something
comprehensive review
a thorough survey covering all the key points
theoretical framework
a structure of ideas used to guide research
conceptual framework
a set of linked concepts that organise thinking
empirical evidence
proof based on observation or experiment
empirical research
study based on real data rather than theory
relevant information
facts that are connected to the matter at hand
available data
the facts and figures that can be used
reliable data
figures that can be trusted as accurate
valuable resource
something useful and worth having
cultural diversity
the presence of many different cultures together
cultural background
the cultural setting a person comes from
economic growth
an increase in a country's economic output
economic development
the improvement of an economy over time
social interaction
the way people communicate and relate to each other
natural resources
useful materials that occur in nature
human activity
actions carried out by people
global issue
a problem that affects the whole world
current trend
the way things are changing at the present time
potential benefit
an advantage that may possibly result
potential risk
a danger that could possibly occur
wide range
a large variety of different things
broad range
a wide and varied set of options
dramatic increase
a sudden and very large rise
steady increase
a constant, even rise over time
rapid growth
a fast increase in size or amount
strong correlation
a clear link between two variables
compelling evidence
proof that is very convincing
clear distinction
an obvious difference between things
common assumption
a belief that many people share without proof
complex issue
a complicated matter with many parts
viable alternative
another option that can realistically work
vital role
an extremely important function
growing concern
a worry that is becoming more serious
long-term effect
a result that lasts over a long period

Noun + noun

information flow
the movement of information through a system
information processing
the handling and interpreting of information
information gathering
the collecting of facts and data
data set
an organised collection of related data
data collection
the process of gathering data for study
data analysis
the examination of data to draw conclusions
research findings
the results that come out of a study
research methodology
the set of methods used to carry out research
research project
a planned piece of investigative work
climate change
long-term shifts in global weather patterns
population growth
the increase in the number of people
gender equality
equal rights and treatment regardless of sex
gender stereotype
a fixed, oversimplified idea about a sex
career development
the progress of a person's working life
career opportunity
a chance to advance in your working life
cognitive development
the growth of thinking and reasoning ability
cognitive ability
the mental skill to think and understand
decision making
the process of choosing between options
problem solving
the process of finding answers to difficulties
policy maker
a person who decides on rules or plans
government policy
an official plan set out by a government
government intervention
action taken by a government to influence events
business sector
a particular area of commercial activity
service sector
the part of the economy that provides services
market share
the portion of a market held by a company
consumer behaviour
the way shoppers act when buying things
media coverage
the attention a topic gets in the media
mass media
channels that reach very large audiences
social media
online platforms for sharing and networking
technology development
the advancement of new tools and systems
energy consumption
the amount of energy that is used
energy source
something from which energy is obtained
land use
the way an area of land is put to use
quality control
the checking of products to keep standards high
risk assessment
the evaluation of possible dangers
risk factor
something that raises the chance of harm
case study
a detailed examination of one example
sample size
the number of items studied in research
growth rate
the speed at which something increases
success rate
the proportion of cases that succeed
crime rate
the level of crime in a given place
life expectancy
the average length of life people can expect
health care
services that maintain people's health
mental health
a person's emotional and psychological wellbeing
education system
the organised structure for teaching and learning
knowledge base
the body of information a field rests on
support network
the people who provide help and backing
power structure
the way authority is organised in a group
labour market
the supply of and demand for workers
interest rate
the cost of borrowing money, shown as a percentage
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Source: curated from Pearson's Academic Collocation List (Pearson International Corpus of Academic English). Usage notes are our own.