Top 30 Common Collocations with Catch: You Need to Know

Collocations are combinations of words that frequently go together and sound natural to native speakers. Mastering collocations is essential for achieving fluency in any language. In this blog post, we will explore 30 common collocations with the verb “catch,” a versatile word used in many everyday expressions.

Whether you’re learning English as a second language or looking to enhance your vocabulary, understanding these collocations will help you communicate more effectively and sound more natural.

Top 30 Common Collocations with Catch 💁‍♂️ You Need to Know

From catching a bus to catching someone’s eye, these phrases are integral to everyday conversations. Each entry in this list will provide a clear definition, the phonetic transcription, and two examples to illustrate how to use the collocation in context. Let’s dive into the fascinating world of collocations with “catch” and enrich your language skills!

#1. Catch a Bus 🚍

Definition: To board a bus.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə bʌs/

Examples:

• I need to catch a bus to get to work on time.
• She hurried to the bus stop to catch a bus to the city center.

#2. Catch a Cold 🤧

Definition: To become ill with a cold.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə kəʊld/

Examples:

• If you go out without a jacket, you’ll catch a cold.
• He caught a cold after being out in the rain.

#3. Catch Fire 🔥

Definition: To start burning.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ faɪər/

Examples:

• The old warehouse caught fire late last night.
• Be careful with the candles, or the curtains might catch fire.

#4. Catch Someone’s Eye 👁️

Definition: To attract someone’s attention.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz aɪ/

Examples:

• The bright colors of the painting caught my eye.
• She caught his eye from across the room.

#5. Catch a Glimpse 👀

Definition: To see something briefly.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə ɡlɪmps/

Examples:

• I caught a glimpse of the actor leaving the theater.
• They caught a glimpse of the rare bird in the forest.

#6. Catch the Train 🚆

Definition: To board a train.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ðə treɪn/

Examples:

• I have to catch the train to London at 7 AM.
• She barely caught the train before it left the station.

#7. Catch Up 📈

Definition: To reach the same level or standard as someone else.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ʌp/

Examples:

• After missing a week of school, he had to catch up on his homework.
• Let’s catch up over coffee this weekend.

#8. Catch a Thief 🚨

Definition: To apprehend a thief.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə θiːf/

Examples:

• The police managed to catch the thief who stole her purse.
• They set up a trap to catch the thief.

#9. Catch Someone Red-Handed ✋

Definition: To catch someone in the act of doing something wrong.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌn rɛd ˈhændɪd/

Examples:

• The manager caught the employee red-handed stealing money from the till.
• She was caught red-handed cheating on the exam.

#10. Catch a Break 🛑

Definition: To get a lucky opportunity.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə breɪk/

Examples:

• He’s been struggling to find a job, but he finally caught a break.
• I just need to catch a break to get my career started.

#11. Catch Up on Sleep 🛌

Definition: To sleep more than usual because one has not slept enough previously.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ʌp ɒn sliːp/

Examples:

• After working late nights, I need to catch up on sleep this weekend.
• She spent the weekend catching up on sleep.

#12. Catch the Flu 🤒

Definition: To contract influenza.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ðə fluː/

Examples:

• Many people catch the flu during the winter months.
• He caught the flu from his coworker.

#13. Catch a Flight ✈️

Definition: To board an airplane.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə flaɪt/

Examples:

• We need to leave early to catch our flight to Paris.
• She caught a flight to New York for a business meeting.

#14. Catch Up with Friends 👫

Definition: To meet and talk with friends to share news.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ʌp wɪð frɛndz/

Examples:

• Let’s catch up with friends over dinner this weekend.
• I caught up with an old friend from college yesterday.

#15. Catch Someone’s Attention 👀

Definition: To attract someone’s focus.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz əˈtɛnʃən/

Examples:

• The advertisement caught my attention immediately.
• Her unique style caught everyone’s attention at the party.

#16. Catch Sight of 🔭

Definition: To see something suddenly or briefly.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ saɪt ɒv/

Examples:

• I caught sight of a shooting star last night.
• They caught sight of the celebrity as she entered the building.

#17. Catch a Ball ⚾

Definition: To receive or intercept a ball in sports.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə bɔːl/

Examples:

• He caught the ball and made a great play.
• She loves to catch the ball when playing baseball.

#18. Catch a Wave 🌊

Definition: To ride a wave, especially when surfing.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə weɪv/

Examples:

• They went to the beach to catch some waves.
• He caught a big wave and rode it all the way to shore.

#19. Catch a Movie 🎬

Definition: To watch a movie.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə ˈmuːvi/

Examples:

• Let’s catch a movie tonight.
• They caught the latest blockbuster at the theater.

#20. Catch a Fish 🎣

Definition: To capture a fish.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə fɪʃ/

Examples:

• He went to the lake to catch some fish.
• She caught a big fish on their fishing trip.

#21. Catch Up on Work 📚

Definition: To complete pending work.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ʌp ɒn wɜːk/

Examples:

• I stayed late to catch up on work.
• She used the weekend to catch up on her work.

#22. Catch a Whiff 👃

Definition: To smell something briefly.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə wɪf/

Examples:

• I caught a whiff of fresh bread from the bakery.
• He caught a whiff of her perfume as she walked by.

#23. Catch a Tune 🎵

Definition: To recognize or remember a melody.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə tjuːn/

Examples:

• She caught a tune from the radio and started humming.
• I caught the tune of the song playing in the background.

#24. Catch a Glimpse of the Future 🔮

Definition: To foresee or predict a brief moment of what might happen.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə ɡlɪmps ɒv ðə ˈfjuːtʃər/

Examples:

• The novel allowed me to catch a glimpse of the future.
• He caught a glimpse of the future through his dreams.

#25. Catch Up with Technology 🖥️

Definition: To become knowledgeable about new technology.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ʌp wɪð tɛkˈnɒlədʒi/

Examples:

• It’s hard to catch up with technology these days.
• She took a course to catch up with the latest technology trends.

#26. Catch a Break in the Weather ☀️

Definition: To experience a short period of good weather.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə breɪk ɪn ðə ˈwɛðər/

Examples:

• We finally caught a break in the weather and went hiking.
• They caught a break in the weather and had a picnic.

#27. Catch a Tone 🎤

Definition: To notice or understand the tone of someone’s voice.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə təʊn/

Examples:

• He caught a tone of frustration in her voice.
• She caught the friendly tone in his greeting.

#28. Catch a Bus Home 🏠

Definition: To board a bus to go home.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə bʌs həʊm/

Examples:

• I need to catch a bus home after the party.
• She caught a bus home late at night.

#29. Catch a Noun 📘

Definition: To understand or hear a particular noun (word) clearly.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ə naʊn/

Examples:

• I didn’t catch the name of the book she mentioned.
• He couldn’t catch the noun due to the noise.

#30. Catch Someone in the Act 📸

Definition: To observe someone while they are doing something wrong.
Phonetic Transcription: /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌn ɪn ði ækt/

Examples:

• The police caught him in the act of robbing the bank.
• She was caught in the act of copying during the test.

Conclusion

Understanding and using collocations effectively can significantly enhance your English communication skills. The verb “catch” is used in a wide variety of contexts, making it an essential part of everyday language. By familiarizing yourself with these 30 common collocations, you can improve your fluency and sound more natural when speaking or writing in English.

Collocations not only enrich your vocabulary but also help you grasp the nuances of the language. Whether you’re catching a bus, catching a cold, or catching up with friends, these expressions will come in handy in numerous situations.

Practice using these collocations in your daily conversations, and you’ll soon find yourself speaking more confidently and accurately.

Keep exploring and learning new collocations to continue your journey toward mastering the English language!

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