Master 53 Essential Collocations with "Catch": Your Complete Guide to Natural English Expression

Content publishing rules

Understanding collocations with "catch" is fundamental for achieving fluency in English communication. These word partnerships appear frequently in daily conversations, professional settings, and academic contexts, making them essential building blocks for natural expression. This comprehensive guide presents carefully selected collocations with real-world examples that demonstrate proper usage patterns, helping you communicate with precision and confidence like native speakers.

Master 53 Essential Collocations with 'Catch': Your Complete Guide to Natural English Expression — Master 53 Essential Collocations with "Catch": Your Complete Guide to Natural English Expression

I. What is Catch?
II. Compilation of common Catch collocations
III. Exercises on collocations with Catch
1. 1. Exercise: Choose the correct answer
2. 2. Answer

I. What is Catch?

In English, Catch is pronounced /kætʃ/ and functions as both a verb and a noun.

Catch acts as a verb, meaning: intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped); capture (a person or animal that tries or would try to escape). For example: I managed to catch the glass before it hit the ground.
Catch acts as a noun, with meaning: For example: an act of catching something, typically a ball. For example: I missed the catch and threw the ball back to John rather crossly.

II. Compilation of common Catch collocations

To help you learn collocations effectively and easily, PREP has compiled the most common collocations with Catch along with their meanings and specific examples. Take a look!

Compilation of common collocations with Catch

1. Catch + Disease/Illness/Physical Conditions

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
1	Catch a cold /kætʃ ə kəʊld/	Despite wearing warm clothes, Sarah managed to catch a cold during the winter storm.
2	Catch the flu /kætʃ ðə flu/	Many students catch the flu during exam season due to stress and lack of sleep.
3	Catch pneumonia /kætʃ nuˈməʊniə/	The elderly man caught pneumonia after being exposed to cold, damp conditions.
4	Catch a fever /kætʃ ə ˈfivər/	The child caught a fever after playing in the rain without proper protection.
5	Catch a virus /kætʃ ə ˈvaɪrəs/	Office workers often catch viruses when they share common spaces during flu season.
6	Catch a chill /kætʃ ə tʃɪl/	Remember to wear a scarf outside or you might catch a chill in this weather.
7	Catch an infection /kætʃ ən ɪnˈfekʃən/	Swimmers can catch infections if they use contaminated pools without proper maintenance.
8	Catch a disease /kætʃ ə dɪˈziz/	Travelers should get vaccinated to avoid catching diseases in tropical regions.

2. Catch + Transportation/Movement

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
9	Catch a bus /kætʃ ə bʌs/	Maria needs to catch the 7:30 bus to arrive at work punctually.
10	Catch a train /kætʃ ə treɪn/	Passengers rushed through the station to catch the last train home.
11	Catch a flight /kætʃ ə flaɪt/	Business travelers often struggle to catch connecting flights during delays.
12	Catch a taxi /kætʃ ə ˈtæksi/	After the concert ended, it became difficult to catch a taxi downtown.
13	Catch a ride /kætʃ ə raɪd/	Students frequently catch rides with friends to save money on transportation.
14	Catch a lift /kætʃ ə lɪft/	The hitchhiker hoped to catch a lift to the nearest town before sunset.

3. Catch + Entertainment/Media

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
15	Catch a movie /kætʃ ə ˈmuvi/	The couple decided to catch a movie after dinner at their favorite restaurant.
16	Catch a show /kætʃ ə ʃəʊ/	Theater enthusiasts often catch shows during opening week for the best experience.
17	Catch the news /kætʃ ðə nuz/	Many people catch the morning news while having breakfast before work.
18	Catch a program /kætʃ ə ˈprəʊɡræm/	Viewers can catch their favorite programs online if they miss the live broadcast.
19	Catch a performance /kætʃ ə pərˈfɔrməns/	Music lovers traveled across the country to catch the legendary singer's final performance.

4. Catch + Physical Objects/Actions

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
20	Catch a ball /kætʃ ə bɔl/	The outfielder made a spectacular dive to catch the ball during the championship game.
21	Catch hold /kætʃ həʊld/	The climber managed to catch hold of the rope just before losing balance.
22	Catch someone's hand /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz hænd/	The mother quickly caught her toddler's hand before he touched the hot stove.
23	Catch a fish /kætʃ ə fɪʃ/	Experienced anglers know the best times to catch fish in mountain streams.
24	Catch prey /kætʃ preɪ/	Lions coordinate their hunting strategies to catch prey effectively on the savanna.

5. Catch + Abstract Concepts/Perceptions

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
25	Catch sight /kætʃ saɪt/	Hikers were thrilled to catch sight of the rare eagle soaring above the canyon.
26	Catch someone's attention /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz əˈtenʃən/	The brilliant advertisement caught consumers' attention with its creative storytelling approach.
27	Catch someone's breath /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz breθ/	Marathon runners often stop at water stations to catch their breath during races.
28	Catch someone's meaning /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈminɪŋ/	International students sometimes struggle to catch their professor's meaning during lectures.
29	Catch a glimpse /kætʃ ə ɡlɪmps/	Tourists lined the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the visiting celebrity.
30	Catch wind /kætʃ wɪnd/	Reporters often catch wind of breaking stories through their network of sources.
31	Catch someone's eye /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz aɪ/	The stunning artwork caught the gallery visitor's eye from across the exhibition hall.

6. Catch + Fire/Heat/Natural Elements

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
32	Catch fire /kætʃ faɪər/	The dry vegetation caught fire rapidly during the summer drought conditions.
33	Catch light /kætʃ laɪt/	The kindling caught light immediately when the camper struck the match.
34	Catch the sun /kætʃ ðə sʌn/	The solar panels are positioned to catch the sun's rays throughout the day.
35	Catch the wind /kætʃ ðə wɪnd/	Sailors adjust their sails to catch the wind and propel their boats forward.

7. Catch + Time/Opportunities

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
36	Catch up /kætʃ ʌp/	Students who miss classes must work hard to catch up with their classmates.
37	Catch a break /kætʃ ə breɪk/	The struggling musician finally caught a break when a producer heard his demo.
38	Catch the moment /kætʃ ðə ˈməʊmənt/	Photographers train extensively to catch the perfect moment during important events.
39	Catch an opportunity /kætʃ ən ˌɒpərˈtunəti/	Entrepreneurs must be ready to catch opportunities when they present themselves unexpectedly.

8. Catch + People/Criminal Activities

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
40	Catch a thief /kætʃ ə θif/	Store security cameras helped police catch the thief who had been shoplifting.
41	Catch a crook /kætʃ ə krʊk/	Detective work requires patience and skill to catch experienced crooks effectively.
42	Catch someone red-handed /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌn red ˈhændɪd/	The manager caught the employee red-handed while stealing office supplies.
43	Be caught in the act /bi kɔt ɪn ði ækt/	The students were caught in the act of cheating during the final examination.
44	Catch someone off guard /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌn ɒf ɡɑrd/	The surprise question caught the candidate off guard during the job interview.

9. Catch + Professional/Fishing Terms

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
45	Annual catch /ˈænjuəl kætʃ/	Marine biologists monitor the annual catch to assess fish population health.
46	Commercial catch /kəˈmɜrʃəl kætʃ/	Fishing regulations limit commercial catch to prevent overfishing in protected waters.
47	Total catch /ˈtəʊtl kætʃ/	The fishing vessel reported their total catch to maritime authorities upon returning.
48	Catch quota /kætʃ ˈkwəʊtə/	Fishing companies must adhere to strict catch quotas established by environmental agencies.
49	Incidental catch /ˌɪnsɪˈdentl kætʃ/	Marine conservation groups work to reduce incidental catch of endangered species.
50	Catch basin /kætʃ ˈbeɪsən/	City engineers installed new catch basins to improve stormwater drainage systems.

10. Catch + Habits/Behaviors

No.	Collocations with Catch	Example
51	Catch a habit /kætʃ ə ˈhæbɪt/	Children easily catch habits from observing their parents' daily routines and behaviors.
52	Catch someone's drift /kætʃ ˈsʌmwʌnz drɪft/	After the explanation, the students began to catch their teacher's drift about the concept.
53	Catch on /kætʃ ɒn/	New technology trends often catch on quickly among younger generations worldwide.

These tables provide English learners with over 50 essential collocations using "catch," covering various contexts from everyday situations to professional terminology. Each example demonstrates natural usage patterns that help students understand how native speakers employ these expressions in real communication scenarios.

For more collocations with Catch, you can visit the link below!

EXPLORE MORE COLLOCATIONS WITH CATCH ON CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY!

III. Exercises on collocations with Catch

To further understand collocations with Catch, let's complete the exercise below with PREP!

1. Exercise: Choose the correct answer

It is too early to estimate the value of any _______.
1. Annual catch
2. Catch basin
3. Catch quota
The sewer ended in the stable yard back of the horse barn, in a ten-foot _______ near the manure pit.
1. Catch basin
2. Catch hold
3. Catch sight
Due to concerns about overfishing, _______ was repeatedly reduced in the 1980s and 1990s.
1. Catch quota
2. Catch basin
3. Catch hold
Anna _______ the handle and lifted.
1. Annual catch
2. Catched hold
3. Catched basin
Then Jack _______ of her small black velvet hat in the crowd.
1. Catch a cold
2. Catch fire
3. Catch sight
My home _______ and everything is destroyed.
1. Catches hold
2. Catches sight
3. Catches fire
If they sneeze, we _______.
1. Catch one’s attention
2. Catch a breath
3. Catch a cold
A ship out at sea _______.
1. Catches hold
2. Catches sight
3. Catches my attention
I had to sit down and _______.
1. Catch a breath
2. Catch basin
3. Catch quota
The average _______ size is commonly between 35 and 45 cm in length.
1. Annual catch
2. Commercial catch
3. Catch hold

2. Answer

1 - A	2 - A	3 - A	4 - B	5 - C
6 - C	7 - C	8 - C	9 - A	10 - B

Mastering collocations with "catch" represents a significant step toward achieving natural English fluency. Regular practice with these word combinations will enhance your speaking confidence, improve your writing precision, and help you understand native speakers more effectively. Incorporating these collocations into your daily practice will create a solid foundation for advanced language proficiency in both academic and professional settings.

Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.