Collocations for IELTS Word Circumstances
Collocations are an important aspect of enhancing your English level and increasing your IELTS score. Collocations help you write and talk more like a native speaker, and they're one of the things examiners check for when grading your tests. Learning new words as part of collocation is far more successful than learning single words on their own in terms of expanding our IELTS vocabulary.
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Collocations for IELTS Word Circumstances
A collocation is a phrase made up of two or more words that are frequently used together. To native English speakers who use them frequently, these combinations simply seem "correct." On the other hand, other combinations of “circumstances” may be unnatural and just sound “wrong”.Using the "Circumstances" collocations list enhances your English, particularly your speaking skills, and expands your vocabulary.
- Verb collocations
Use the correct form of these verbs:
adapt to change depend on
die in investigate know
- The police are ____________ the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a substantial amount of money from the company accounts.
Answer: Investigating
Explanation: Investigating means carrying out an inquiry. In the above sentence, the police are inquiring about the disappearance of money from the company accounts. As the money disappeared, a thorough check or inquiry, or an investigation needs to be done.
- If you saw somebody drowning, would you try to save them? => It would____________ the circumstances. If the sea was really rough, then no, but if it was in a lake, then I probably would.
Answer: Depend on
Explanation: In the above sentence, there are 2 conditions for one scenario. The scenario is would you save someone from drowning. The author keeps 2 conditions or circumstances if he /she will save the person from drowning. Hence, the saving will depend on or will be based on the conditions. Hence, depend on is the correct answer.
Read more IELTS Collocation Related Articles
- If we____________ more of the circumstances around the child’s death, the police would have a much better idea of where to start.
Answer: knew
Explanation: In the above sentence, the circumstances or the conditions under which the child died were unknown. If this was known, police would have a better idea of where to start. Hence, knew would be the correct answer.
- In the world of medicine, everything develops so quickly that you need to be able to____________ new and continually changing circumstances.
Answer: adapt to
Explanation: Adapt means to modify oneself with the situation. In other words, it also means adjusting to the situation. In the above sentence, in the world of medicine, everything develops so quickly that you are not able to adapt or adjust to new and continually changing circumstances.
- I am sorry to say that at present you are not entitled to any benefit. Please contact this department if your circumstances____________ .
Answer: change
Explanation: Here, the speaker of the sentence says that the person is not entitled to any benefits. This is the situation of the present and hence, he says that the person might contact the department if the situation or the circumstances changes.
- The little girl ____________ very tragic circumstances when she ran out into the road.
Answer: died in
Explanation: In the above sentence, a tragic incident is mentioned. Tragic usually means something bad or sad has happened. here, the little girl ran into the road which caused her death. Death is tragic and hence, fulfills the meaning of the sentence.
- Common adjective collocations
Complete the sentences with these adjectives:
exceptional exact happier
present suspicious unforeseen
- All essays must be handed in by the 12th of April. This deadline will only be extended in ____________ circumstances.
Answer: exceptional
Explanation: Here, the deadline for handing over the essay is 12th April. The deadline might extend in special or exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances mean unforeseen circumstances. Hence, this is the correct answer.
- Police said that there were no ____________ circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. They think she died of natural causes.
Answer: suspicious
Explanation: In this sentence, the police think that the woman died of natural cause. They said that there was no doubt or suspicion regarding that. hence, suspicious is the correct answer.
- She’s unlikely to accept the job – given her ____________ circumstances. She has a young family and an ageing parent to look after.
Answer: present
Explanation: Here the woman has a young family and an ageing parent to look after. Under these circumstances, she might not accept the job. As these are her current circumstances, present is the correct answer.
- The concert had to be cancelled due to____________ circumstances. The main singer became ill and had to be taken to hospital.
Answer: unforeseen
Explanation: Unforeseen means something which no one can predict will happen. In the above sentence, the main singer became ill and was taken to the hospital. This is an unforeseen circumstance. Hence, unforeseen is the correct answer.
- The press are anxious to know how the pop star died. The police have yet to reveal the ____________ circumstances of his death.
Answer: exact
Explanation: Here the press is eager to know how the pop star died. This means the cause of death was not known. The police did not reveal the exact or precise situation of the death. hence, exact is the correct answer.
- I wish we’d met again in____________ circumstances. Why do we only meet at funerals!
Answer: happier
Explanation: In the above sentence, they meet only at the funeral which is a sad circumstance. Hence, the speaker wishes that they meet in happier circumstances. Funeral and happiness do not go together, making happier the correct answer.
- Common expressions
Use the following words to complete the following sentences:
any certain no
- I think abortion is justifiable in____________ circumstances. For example, if the mother might die, then I think it is right to go ahead.
Answer: certain
Explanation: In the above sentence, the author gives a situation where abortion is justified. Hence, he starts by saying that abortion is justifiable in certain or specific circumstances.
- Under ____________ circumstances must you leave the children on their own.
Answer: no
Explanation: Children should be always accompanied by anyone. They cannot do things on their own which might cause harm. Hence, under no circumstances fits the sentence appropriately.
- It’s never right to take a life, so we oppose capital punishment in____________ circumstances.
Answer: any
Explanation: As per the above sentence, it is never right to take a life. Hence, under any circumstances, capital punishment should be opposed.
We often use ‘in / under / considering the circumstances’ to say that we understand and accept why or how somebody did something. Match the halves in the following:
- it just rained and rained all day long.
- cancelling the wedding was the only thing to do in the circumstances.
- It’s no wonder people were suspicious.
- the union’s refusal to cooperate with the new management was perfectly understandable.
- I thought they would have been very upset
- Under the circumstances, my parents coped very well when I told them I was leaving my wife.
Answer: e. I thought they would have been very upset
Explanation: He was leaving his wife which is a difficult situation for parents but they coped very well.
- Considering the circumstances of the company at the time of the fire,
Answer: c. It’s no wonder people were suspicious.
Explanation: Looking at the situation of the company, people were suspicious at the time of the fire.
- After the bride didn’t turn up,
Answer: b. Cancelling the wedding was the only thing to do in the circumstances.
Explanation: When the bride did not turn up, a situation or circumstances occurred where wedding cancellation was the only thing to do.
- In the circumstances, nobody could complain that the picnic was cancelled.
Answer: a. It just rained and rained all day long.
Explanation: When it rained all day, picnics could not be done. The circumstances were such that the picnic was cancelled.
- Considering the circumstances of the takeover,
Answer: d. the union’s refusal to cooperate with the new management was perfectly understandable.
Explanation: The union refused to cooperate after the takeover. Taking the situation into consideration, it was done.
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