Complete the Phrase — Collocation Quiz
A phrase with a missing word — pick the one that sounds natural in English. Covers the three biggest collocation challenges: which verb fits (make/do/take/have), which preposition follows the verb (rely on, consist of), and classic fixed phrases (burn the midnight oil, foregone conclusion).
How to Play Complete the Phrase
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Choose a Difficulty
Grade 9 uses only four answer choices — make, do, take, have — every round. This consistency teaches the pattern fast. Grade 10 asks which preposition follows the verb. SAT Prep challenges you with fixed literary phrases and precise adjective+noun collocations.
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Read the Phrase
A phrase appears with a blank, such as '___ a photo' or 'rely ___ instincts.' Think about which word sounds natural in standard English before looking at the choices.
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Tap Your Answer
Tap one of the four word tiles. The blank is immediately filled with your choice — turning green if correct and red if not. The full, completed phrase is shown so you can read it naturally.
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Read the Explanation
Every answer is followed by a brief explanation of the collocation pattern. These notes are the most valuable part of the game — they teach you the underlying rule, not just the answer.
Key Features
Three Distinct Difficulty Tiers
Grade 9 drills the make/do/take/have confusion — the #1 collocation error for English learners and a common writing mistake even for native speakers. Grade 10 covers verb + preposition pairs (rely on, consist of, apologize for). SAT Prep tests literary fixed phrases and precise adjective+noun pairings.
The Phrase Snaps into Place
After you tap, the blank is filled with your chosen word — correct answers glow green in the completed phrase, wrong answers glow red. You instantly see the full phrase with your answer in context.
Every Answer Explained
A brief explanation after each question tells you why the correct word is right and why the wrong options fail. For make/do/take/have, the patterns become clear after a few rounds.
Hint Eliminates a Wrong Choice
If you're stuck, the 💡 Hint button removes one wrong option — narrowing a 4-choice question to 3. You get 3 hints per game.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a collocation?
A collocation is a pair or group of words that are habitually used together in natural speech. Native speakers learn them automatically; learners often choose a logically correct but unnatural alternative. 'Make a mistake' sounds right; 'do a mistake' is the most common ESL error in English writing.
Why are make/do/take/have so confusing?
In many other languages, a single verb covers what English spreads across these four. Spanish 'hacer,' French 'faire,' and German 'machen' all translate loosely as 'make' or 'do,' which leads learners to use 'make' or 'do' for everything. English has strict patterns: schoolwork is done, photographs are taken, agreements are made, meals are had.
Is this useful for native English speakers too?
Yes — especially the Grade 10 prepositions and SAT fixed phrases. Even fluent speakers sometimes 'congratulate someone for' instead of 'on,' or struggle to recall that it's 'bated breath' not 'baited breath' or 'with breath.' The SAT questions specifically target the kinds of precision that standardized tests reward.
How does the hint work?
Tapping 💡 Hint eliminates one wrong answer at random, leaving you with three choices instead of four. You have 3 hints per game. The eliminated option is grayed out and cannot be selected.
Does the blank always go in the same position?
No — the blank can appear at the start of the phrase ('___ a photo'), in the middle ('rely ___ instincts'), or at the end ('whet your ___'). Read the entire phrase before guessing so you understand the full context.