Seminar on “Beyond Single Words: Exploring How We Measure English Collocational Knowledge”

Collocational knowledge-knowing which words naturally go together-is a key component of second language vocabulary depth and an essential aspect of communicative competence. Yet, how we assess this knowledge remains complex and varied. This talk presents o systematic overview of how English collocational knowledge has been assessed in second language research over the past four decades. Based on a review of 153 empirical studies, it will introduce 16 distinct assessment tools targeting either receptive or productive collocation knowledge, highlight common challenges in test design, and explore implications for researchers, language teachers, and test developers. The talk will conclude with practical suggestions for refining future assessment practices and advancing research in this area.