The next word in our vocabulary boost series is CATCH. CATCH is a high frequency verb that can be used as a synonym of take, get, receive, recover, attract or capture. There are numerous collocations and phrasal verbs that are formed using CATCH.
As recommended in our START method (HERE), you should always learn vocabulary as a short phrase and relate new words to synonyms and use them. Click (HERE) and (HERE) for advice on how to learn more vocabulary and HERE for an example of a great strategy to learn new words.
Collocations:
To learn new collocations and word patterns you should create phrases using them and also do exercises (HERE)
Catch a cold – get a chill/cold
Catch a disease – get ill
Catch your breath – recover your breath
Catch a ball – receive a ball in the air
Catch a bus/train/taxi – get/take the bus/train/taxi
Catch a thief – arrest a thief
Catch fire – catch alight
Catch a glimpse – be able to see something
Catch a whiff – capture the smell of something
Catch someone´s attention – capture the attention of someone
Catch someone in the act – find someone while they are doing something
Catch someone off guard – find someone who is not prepared for something
Catch someone by surprise – to surprise someone or do something they are not expecting to them
Phrasal verbs:
The learning of phrasal verbs is best done using this method (HERE)
Catch on – understand something
She didn´t catch on to the joke because she is a little dim
Catch on – become popular
The use of apps to learn languages has really caught on recently
Catch out – find or put someone in a strange position
I was caught out during the qui because my musical knowledge is so poor
Catch out – trick or fool someone
I was caught out by the prank/practical joke
Catch up – reach the same level as
I was running as fast as I could so as to catch up with the rest of the group
Catch up on – do something that you ought to have done earlier
I had to catch up on my studies after being off university for a short time
Catch up with – talk to someone who you haven´t spoken to for a long time
I love catching up with old friends and hearing about their experiences
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To learn how to use CATCH you need to practice and put these words and collocations into your own words to be able to remember them.
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Congratulations on the hard work that must be necessary in order to provide such a amazing amount of resources.
Deborah (Cambridge examiner)
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