要提升英語的能力，同學們不能忽視一樣東西，就是collocation。簡單來說，collocation是英語詞彙的搭配。如果能正確地使用詞彙的話，你的英文聽上來會更加像那些母語為英語的人（native speakers）；反之，倘若詞彙錯配的話，除了會令你的英語聽上來怪怪的，語法亦可能犯錯。
Wind和rain不用big形容
讓我舉一例子。當你想形容今天的風很大，可以用fierce、high、stiff、strong、terrible，甚至是adverse 等形容詞（adjectives）去形容那天氣：A strong/ stiff /fierce wind is blowing now. 不應用big去描述wind： A big wind is blowing now.
又例如，要描述下大雨，你可以用driving、heavy、torrential、steady等adjectives去形容：The heavy rain has disrupted my plan. 但你不會說成：The big rain has disrupted my plan.
另以problem一字為例，我嘗試講述兩種最常見的collocation：
例一：
A problem+arises/ occurs/ persists/ continues/ grows
e.g. Problems arising from poor management can now be felt.
解釋：
"Problem" is used as a subject noun here and it often goes with verbs like "arises/ occurs/ persists/ continues/ grows", etc.
例二：
Pose/ present/ is fraught with/ encounter/ identify/ look into /solve/ cure/ alleviate+ a/the problem(s)
e.g. Mary looks into the problem, trying to find a solution.
解釋：
"Problem" is used as an object noun in the case.
要注意的是，很多同學會將「改善問題」寫成為improve a problem 。在英文中，我們不會將improve與problem放在一起用，而「改善問題」本來就不是好的中文，正確的中文是「改善情況」或「解決/紓緩問題」，英文可以說alleviate a problem或solve a problem。■Dr. A. Chan，哲學博士，哲學碩士，英語講師。熟悉公開考試之出題模式與評分準則，任教英語。
Exercise
Please select the best answer for the following question.
1. Which of the following verbs is not used with the noun "suggestion" ?
a. come up with
b. welcome
c. reject
d. give up
Answer
D
隔星期三見報