What is collection? Pronunciation and usage in English

collection means . Learn how to pronounce and use collection through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of collection

collectionnoun

/kəˈlɛkʃn/
Definition & pronunciation of collection

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "collection" in English. It can be tricky! Here's a breakdown:

The General Pronunciation (Most Common):

  • koh-LEC-shuhn

Let's break that down further:

  • koh: Sounds like "co" as in "coat," but with a slightly more rounded "o" sound – almost like you're starting to say "row."
  • LEC: This is the key part! It's pronounced like "leck" as in "lecky" (like a naughty child). The "e" is a short, open "e" sound.
  • shuhn: Sounds like "shun" as in "sun" but with a slightly more drawn-out "n" sound.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown with phonetic symbols (International Phonetic Alphabet - IPA):

/ˈkɒl.ɛk.ʃən/

Tips for Getting It Right:

  • Don’t stress the second syllable (LEC): It's a fairly even stress.
  • The "e" in LEC is short: Don’t say "leck-ee."
  • Practice saying it slowly: Focus on each syllable individually before putting it all together.

Resources to hear it:

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  • Repeat the pronunciation slowly?
  • Give you some example sentences to practice with?

Usage and examples with the word collection in English

Let's break down how to use the word "collection" in English. It's a versatile word with several different meanings and ways to employ it.

1. Basic Meaning: A Group of Similar Things

At its core, "collection" refers to a group of items that are similar and often gathered together.

  • Examples:
    • "I have a collection of stamps." (A group of stamps)
    • "She's building a collection of vintage cars." (A growing number of vintage cars)
    • "The museum houses a vast collection of Renaissance paintings." (A large group of paintings from that period)

2. Specific Types of Collections

Here's where it gets more nuanced. "Collection" can be used to describe many specific categories:

  • Art Collection: A group of artworks (paintings, sculptures, etc.) collected by an individual or institution.
  • Coin Collection: A group of coins.
  • Stamp Collection: (As mentioned above)
  • Book Collection: A group of books.
  • Toy Collection: A group of toys.
  • Record Collection: A group of vinyl records.
  • Jewelry Collection: A group of jewelry pieces.
  • Data Collection: Gathering information (often for research or analysis). "The researchers conducted a data collection survey."
  • Fruit Collection: A group of different varieties of fruit.

3. Figurative Uses

"Collection" can also be used in more figurative or abstract ways:

  • A Collection of Skills: "He has a collection of skills – he's a carpenter, a mechanic, and a musician." (He possesses multiple talents)
  • A Collection of Thoughts/Ideas: “She has a collection of ideas for her novel.” (A group of ideas she’s developed.)
  • A Collection of Memories: “He has a wonderful collection of memories from his travels.” (A group of memorable experiences)

4. Phrases with "Collection"

  • Build a collection: To start accumulating items to form a collection. "I'm trying to build a collection of antique clocks."
  • Add to your collection: To increase the size of your collection. "I added a rare first edition to my collection."
  • Rare collection: A collection containing valuable or uncommon items.
  • Complete collection: A collection that includes all items of a particular series or type.

5. Grammar Notes:

  • Countable vs. Uncountable: “Collection” is generally considered a countable noun. You can say “one collection,” “two collections,” etc.
  • Plural: The plural is “collections.” “She has many collections.”

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What are you trying to write or say? (e.g., "I'm describing my hobby," "I'm writing a paragraph about a museum," "I want to know how to use it in a sentence about data.")

Synonyms for the word collection

Practice with vocabulary collection

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. The museum has an impressive ________ of ancient artifacts from various civilizations.
  2. She decided to donate her entire stamp ________ to the local library.
  3. The company is working on a new ________ of products to launch next year.
  4. He spent hours organizing his ________ of books, arranging them by genre and author.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. Which of the following best describes a group of items gathered for a specific purpose?
    a) compilation
    b) collection
    c) aggregation
    d) selection

  2. The library’s ________ of rare manuscripts is considered one of the best in the world.
    a) archive
    b) collection
    c) assortment
    d) compilation

  3. What term refers to a systematic gathering of data for research purposes?
    a) accumulation
    b) compilation
    c) collection
    d) aggregation

  4. She has a(n) ________ of vintage cars that she has restored over the years.
    a) array
    b) cluster
    c) collection
    d) heap

  5. The ________ of evidence took several months, but it was crucial for the investigation.
    a) gathering
    b) compilation
    c) collection
    d) accumulation

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. Original: The gallery showcased a variety of artworks from different artists.
    Rewrite: The gallery showcased a collection of artworks from different artists.

  2. Original: He has gathered a large number of recipes over the years.
    Rewrite: He has a large collection of recipes from over the years.

  3. Original: The team assembled a comprehensive set of data for the project.
    Rewrite: The team compiled a comprehensive dataset for the project.

Answer:

Exercise 1:

  1. collection
  2. collection
  3. line
  4. library

Exercise 2:

  1. a) compilation, b) collection, c) aggregation
  2. b) collection
  3. c) collection
  4. c) collection
  5. a) gathering, b) compilation, c) collection

Exercise 3:

  1. The gallery showcased a collection of artworks from different artists.
  2. He has a large collection of recipes from over the years.
  3. The team compiled a comprehensive dataset for the project.

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