Collocation for IELTS Word- Disaster

Collocations play an important role in IELTS. Candidates wishing good marks in IELTS should practice collocations. In brief, collocations can be referred to as a group of words that appear to have a meaning. Collocations are categorized based on the parts of speech of the words used. The combination of words in a collocation may be noun+verb, verb+ noun, noun+adjective, etc. Collocations are parts of IELTS writing.

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The meaning of the word ‘Disaster’ varies depending on the context of its usage. The two meanings of the word that are frequently interpreted are as follows:

1. Great damage, irreparable loss including loss of life.
2. A big failure or letdown

Collocation of the word ‘Disaster’ with adjectives

Some of the adjectives frequently used with the word disaster to form collocations are:

• Meaning - major, greatest, terrible, worst

Sentences -

• The fashion event proved to be a major disaster due to the low turnout of the audience.
• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is still remembered as one of the terrible disasters in Indian history.

• Meaning - Impending, potential

Sentences -

• The government agencies have already issued a warning about the impending disaster due to the spread of the novel virus.
• The intelligence agencies are warning of a potential disaster due to a terror attack in the country.

• Meaning - natural, national, global

Sentences -

• The destruction caused by natural disasters like earthquakes is enormous and immeasurable.
• The hurricane which affected the towns on the eastern coastline of the country has been declared a national disaster.

• Meaning - humanitarian

Sentences -

• The world was on the brink of humanitarian disasters after the world wars.

• Meaning - ecological, environmental

Sentences -

• The excessive use of plastic in our day-to-day lives has resulted in this ecological disaster.
• The failure of man in controlling pollution will result in environmental disasters in the future.

• Meaning - (related to transport) - air, rail, shipping, road

Sentences -

• Yesterday’s train accident is the worst rail disaster in recent times.
• The failure of the technical crew led to the air disaster which claimed many lives.

• Meaning - Complete, absolute, utter, total

Sentences -

• The project was a complete disaster as the requirements of the client were not precise.
• The outing to the hill station was an utter disaster due to the torrential rain which continued for a week.
• The show that was organized at the stadium was an absolute disaster from the word go.

• Meaning - Financial, economic

Sentences -

• The change in company management has proved to be an economic disaster for the company.
• Ill health is considered to be one of the major reasons for a financial disaster of a family.

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Collocation of the word ‘Disaster’ with a verb

1. Verb + ‘Disaster’

Some of the combinations of the word disaster with a verb that can be classified as collocations are listed below:

• Meaning - face, experience, suffer, be affected by

Sentences -

• Efforts are on to rehabilitate people affected by the disaster.
• The villagers who suffered due to the disaster are losing faith in the government’s rehabilitation efforts.

• Meaning - bring, cause, spell, lead to

Sentences -

• Attempts are being made to find the culprit who caused the disaster.
• The wars and riots spelled humanitarian disaster in the country.

• Meaning - avoid, prevent, ward off, save from, avert

Sentences -

• A major rail disaster was averted because of the alert passengers.
• Governments all around the world are making efforts to ward off ecological disasters.

• Meaning - predict

Sentences -

• Political experts predict economic disaster due to the collapse of the current government.

• Meaning - be heading for

Sentences -

• The experts believe that the country is heading for a disaster after the communal clashes.

• Meaning - survive

Sentences -

• It is a miracle that most of the passengers on the train survived the rail disaster.

• Meaning - end in

Sentences -

• The event ended in disaster after there was a short circuit at the venue.

• Meaning - prove, turn out to be

Sentences -

• The chemistry experiment performed by her turned out to be a disaster.
• Advancement in the field of technology has proved to be a disaster for the environment.

2. ‘Disaster’ + Verb

Some of the collocations involving the word ‘Disaster’ with a verb are mentioned below:

• Meaning - happen, occur, strike

Sentences -

• Analysts are trying to figure out how the disaster occurred.
• Disaster struck at midnight when everyone was fast asleep.

• Meaning - loom, threaten

Sentences -

• The experience of the disaster loomed over the minds of the people for a long time.
• The economic disaster has threatened the livelihood of many people.

• Meaning - hit, befall

Sentences -

• The natural disasters that hit the country one after another have financially weakened the economy.
• The experts have made a case study of the disaster that befell a nation.

Collocation of the word ‘Disaster’ with a noun

‘Disaster’ + Noun

The word ‘Disaster’ can be grouped with a noun to form collocations as follows:

• Meaning - area, zone, relief, victim

Sentences -

• All the disaster victims were provided with basic amenities like food, clothing, and shelter at the rehabilitation centers.
• Disaster relief work is taking place at a fast pace.
• People other than the rescue personnel are not permitted entry into the disaster zone.

Collocation of the word ‘Disaster’ with a preposition

The collocation formed by the combination of the word ‘Disaster’ with a preposition ‘in’ is as follows:

• Meaning - in a/the

Sentences -

• One should be alert and should not panic in a disaster situation.

Collocation with Phrases

• Meaning - Disaster waiting to happen

Sentences -

• The latest bill on social reforms is being viewed as a disaster waiting to happen.

• Meaning - a recipe for disaster

Sentences -

• Letting her decide the costumes and the menu for the function is a recipe for disaster.

• Meaning - in the aftermath of a disaster

Sentences -

• She was apprehensive of visiting her village in the aftermath of the disaster.