Searching for a "Word Partnership"

Basic instructions:

A. Identify word partnership questions in your writing

B. Search the Online Concordancer for word partnerships

C. Analyze search results

Detailed Instructions:

A. Identify word partnership questions in your writing

1. Look for error marks like "PREP" or "VF" or "CL" in your instructor's comments.

2. Look for nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs that are followed by ...

- prepositions (example: "responsible for"),

- verb forms, (example: "agree to reduce"),

- or other complements. (example: "agree that + (clause)")

3. The word or expression on the left is most often the one that contains the core of your meaning and should be left alone. This will be called your "key word." The preposition, verb form or clause type on the right is usually the one that can be changed to make your expression more like a native speaker's, without changing your meaning.

B. Search the Online Concordancer for word partnerships

1. open the link:

http://www.lextutor.ca/concordancers/concord_e.html

2. type a word into the second box (the only empty box on the top line)

(Here is a snapshot of the concordancer page. It is only an image.)

3. Type "enter" or click on the yellow button ("get concordance").

C. Analyze search results

1. Scroll down the list of results. Usually you will look to the right.

2. Note which prepositions, verb forms, or clause types can "partner" with your word.

3. You will have to pay attention to the meaning of the example sentences. Click on a line to see more context. The examples whose meanings are most like your own sentence are the relevant ones.

(Here is a snapshot of the concordance results for "responsible." It is only an image.)