Unit 16: Towns and Cities - Collocations | Tri Duc English TRI DUC ENGLISH CENTER Unit 16: Towns and Cities IELTS Vocabulary & Advanced Collocations Masterclass A. Theory: Describing towns and cities for visitors Here are key collocations used in tourism extracts, magazine articles, and city guides to describe the positive and descriptive aspects of urban areas: Collocation Meaning & Definition Example Context / Notes city skyline The outline of a city's buildings against the sky. The city skyline is a wonderful mix of old and new. cobbled streets Streets made of a regular pattern of stones. The town itself has a lot of busy, narrow cobbled streets . conservation area An area protected by law because of its historical value. The old town is a protected conservation area . quaint buildings Buildings that are attractive because of being unusual and old-fashioned. It has a lot of quaint buildings dating back to the 1500s. upmarket shops Shops catering for people with expensive tastes. Doradella Street has a lot of upmarket shops . pricey Expensive, often used in a slightly negative or informal sense. The restaurants around here are rather pricey . good value Worth the money spent on it. You'll find some restaurants which offer good value . relaxed atmosphere A peaceful, calm, and friendly feeling or mood. The cafe has a wonderful and relaxed atmosphere . lined with shops Having shops along both sides of the street. Royal Avenue runs from north to south, and is lined with shops . lively bars Bars full of energy, excitement, and crowds. Behind it, the streets are full of lively bars . fashionable clubs Clubs that are popular, trendy, and modern. Young people love hanging out at these fashionable clubs . pavement cafés Cafés with tables out on the sidewalk/pavement. The pavement cafés and shops of Luna Square are pleasant but expensive. tree-lined avenues Wide roads with trees planted along both sides. As you drive into the city, you see the beautiful tree-lined avenues . residential areas Areas where people live, distinct from business or industrial zones. The avenues of the residential areas are soon replaced by flats. high-rise flats Apartment blocks with many storeys/floors. The high-rise flats of the inner city dominate the view. inner city The central part of a city where poorer people live and where there are often social problems. The high-rise flats are located in the inner city . imposing buildings Grand, large, and impressive buildings. Then come the imposing buildings of the Parliament. B. Theory: Towns and cities and their problems Here are key collocations used to describe traffic, pollution, and the negative socio-economic aspects of urban landscapes: Collocation Meaning & Definition Example Context / Notes sprawling city A city that has spread out over a large area (slightly negative). Triope is a sprawling city with structural challenges. bumper-to-bumper traffic Traffic so heavy that cars are packed tightly together, almost touching. ...