- Do you ever wonder if you’re using “award” correctly in every sentence?
- Are you sure which verbs, adjectives, or nouns naturally go with “award”?
- Do you want to sound more like a native speaker when discussing achievements and recognition?
Mastering collocations, those natural pairings of words, is a superpower for English learners. They unlock fluency, make your speech and writing sound authentic, and significantly reduce misunderstandings. Let’s dive into the world of “award” and discover how to use it with precision and confidence!
Essential Collocations using AWARD as a Noun
As a noun, an ‘award’ refers to a prize, honor, or sum of money given to someone for an achievement or compensation.
Verbs You Use with an Award (Receiving or Giving)
These verbs describe the action of getting or presenting an award.
- receive an award: To formally get an award.
Example: She was thrilled to receive an award for her groundbreaking research.
- win an award: To be victorious in a competition and get an award.
Example: Our team hopes to win an award at the upcoming industry gala.
- be nominated for an award: To be put forward as a candidate for an award.
Example: His latest film was nominated for an award at the international festival.
- present an award: To give an award formally during a ceremony.
Example: The CEO will present an award to the employee of the year.
- give an award: A more general term for presenting an award.
Example: They decided to give an award to the student who showed the most improvement.
- bestow an award: A more formal way to give an honor or recognition.
Example: The university will bestow an award upon its most distinguished alumni.
Adjectives Describing an Award (Types and Qualities)
These adjectives help to specify the type or significance of an award.
- prestigious award: An award that is highly respected and recognized.
Example: The Nobel Prize is arguably the most prestigious award in its field.
- coveted award: An award that is greatly desired and sought after.
Example: The Golden Globe is a truly coveted award for actors.
- major award: A very important and significant award.
Example: Winning a Tony is considered a major award in theater.
- top award: The highest-level award in a category.
Example: He aimed for the top award in the national chess championship.
- annual award: An award given once a year.
Example: The company hosts an annual award ceremony to celebrate employee achievements.
- lifetime achievement award: An award given for accomplishments over a person’s entire career.
Example: She received a lifetime achievement award for her contributions to science.
- bravery award: An award given for an act of courage.
Example: The firefighter earned a bravery award for rescuing the child.
- financial award: Money given as a prize, grant, or compensation.
Example: The scholarship provided a substantial financial award to cover tuition fees.
Noun Phrases with Award
Common combinations where ‘award’ is part of a larger phrase.
- award ceremony: An event where awards are presented.
Example: Everyone is looking forward to the award ceremony next month.
- award winner: A person, film, or organization that has won an award.
Example: The award winner thanked her family and colleagues during her speech.
- award-winning: Used to describe something that has won an award, often hyphenated when used as an adjective before a noun.
Example: They published an award-winning novel last year.
Common Collocations with AWARD as a Verb
As a verb, ‘award’ means to give something officially as a prize, payment, or honor.
Award + Noun (What is Given)
These collocations specify what is being given by means of an award.
- award a prize: To officially give a prize.
Example: The judges will award a prize to the best essay writer.
- award a medal: To officially give a medal.
Example: The committee decided to award a medal for outstanding service.
- award a scholarship: To grant a sum of money for academic study.
Example: The foundation decided to award a scholarship to a promising young artist.
- award a contract: To formally give a business agreement to a company.
Example: The city council will award a contract for the construction of the new bridge.
- award damages: To legally order someone to pay money as compensation for harm or loss.
Example: The court decided to award damages to the victims of the accident.
- award a grant: To give a sum of money, often by a government or organization, for a specific purpose.
Example: The research institution will award a grant for environmental studies.
- award compensation: To give money or something else to compensate for loss, suffering, or injury.
Example: The tribunal was asked to award compensation to the wrongfully dismissed employee.
Award + Adverb (How it is Given)
Adverbs that modify how an award is granted.
- formally award: To give something officially and in a proper ceremony.
Example: The university will formally award degrees at the graduation ceremony.
- justly award: To give something fairly and deservedly.
Example: The committee strove to justly award the funds based on merit.
- posthumously award: To give an award after the recipient’s death.
Example: The bravery medal was posthumously awarded to the fallen soldier.
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| receive an award | Verb + Noun | To get an honor/prize |
| win an award | Verb + Noun | To be victorious and get an honor/prize |
| present an award | Verb + Noun | To give an honor/prize formally |
| prestigious award | Adjective + Noun | Highly respected honor/prize |
| coveted award | Adjective + Noun | Greatly desired honor/prize |
| lifetime achievement award | Adjective + Noun | Honor for a career’s accomplishments |
| award ceremony | Noun + Noun | Event for presenting honors/prizes |
| award-winning | Adjective | Having won an honor/prize |
| award a prize | Verb + Noun | To officially give a prize |
| award a scholarship | Verb + Noun | To grant money for study |
| award a contract | Verb + Noun | To formally give a business agreement |
| award damages | Verb + Noun | To legally order compensation payment |
| posthumously award | Adverb + Verb | To give an award after death |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
Avoid these common errors to sound more natural when using “award”.
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
|
He got an important award. |
He received a major award. |
|
The company will do an award to him. |
The company will present an award to him. |
|
It was a very big award. |
It was a prestigious award / a significant award. |
|
They awarded the worker with a bonus. |
They awarded a bonus to the worker. / They awarded the worker a bonus. |
|
She is an awarder. |
She is an award winner. / She is an award recipient. |
At the annual “Innovate Tech Summit,” Sarah’s team was thrilled to hear their project had been nominated for an award. The anticipation grew during the evening’s formal award ceremony. When the host announced the winner, a ripple of excitement went through their table. “And the coveted award for ‘Best Green Technology’ goes to… EcoSolutions!” Sarah walked proudly to the stage to receive the award, a beautiful crystal trophy. Later, during her speech, she thanked her dedicated team, acknowledging that winning such a prestigious award was a testament to their hard work. This recognition would surely help them award new contracts and expand their impact. They truly felt they had earned this major award.
Frequently Asked Questions about Award Collocations
What’s the difference between “win an award” and “receive an award”?
While often used interchangeably, “win an award” implies triumphing in a competition or contest. You actively compete and succeed. “Receive an award” is a more general term simply meaning to be given an award, regardless of whether you competed for it or if it was granted based on merit or specific criteria. For example, you might “win an award” in a talent show, but you “receive an award” for a lifetime of service.
Can “award” be used with any prize or just formal ones?
“Award” (as a noun or verb) typically refers to more formal or significant recognitions, prizes, or official grants/payments. While you might “win a prize” at a carnival, you wouldn’t usually say you “won an award” for it. It usually implies a level of merit, competition, or formal recognition (e.g., an Oscar, a scholarship, a bravery medal, a government contract).
What prepositions commonly follow “award” when talking about its purpose or origin?
When “award” is a noun, you often use “for” to indicate the reason or achievement: e.g., “an award for bravery,” “an award for outstanding service.” You might also see “from” for the source: “an award from the academy.” As a verb, you might “award a prize to someone” or “award damages for an injury.”
Is “award-winning” considered a collocation, and how is it used?
Yes, “award-winning” is a very common and useful collocation, acting as an adjective. It means that something (a film, book, product, company, person, etc.) has won one or more awards. It’s almost always hyphenated when used before a noun, like “an award-winning documentary” or “an award-winning chef.”
What is a “posthumous award”?
A “posthumous award” is an honor or prize that is given after the recipient has died. The word “posthumous” comes from Latin and literally means “after burial.” These awards are often given to recognize exceptional achievements or bravery that were not acknowledged during the person’s lifetime.
As a non-native speaker, I appreciate how you break down these everyday words. It's often the simplest words that have the most confusing collocations.
The distinction between 'receive' and 'win' was perfectly explained. I've often misused them. This article is a lifesaver for my essays!
This is brilliant! My teacher always tells us to look for collocations, and this article makes it so easy to understand for 'award'. What about verbs that describe *revoking* an award? Is there a common collocation for that?
Chloe, that's a very advanced and thoughtful question! When an award is taken back, common collocations include 'revoke an award' or 'withdraw an award'. Less formally, you might hear 'take back an award'. This usually happens due to misconduct or a discovered disqualification. It's great you're thinking about the full spectrum of actions related to awards!
I always just said 'got an award'. Now I see there are so many better ways to say it! Feeling much more confident already.
That's excellent progress, Jin! While 'got an award' is understandable, replacing it with more precise collocations like 'received an award' or 'won an award' instantly elevates your English and makes you sound more natural and fluent. Keep up that confidence – it's a huge part of learning!
In my country, awards are often given in very elaborate ceremonies. This article helps me talk about them in English properly. Are there specific collocations for the ceremony itself?
That's a fascinating cultural insight, Olga! You're right, the ceremony surrounding awards is often very important. Common collocations include 'an award ceremony' (the event itself), 'host an award ceremony' (to organize/present it), 'attend an award ceremony' (to be present), or 'perform at an award ceremony'. You might also hear 'a prestigious award ceremony' or 'a glittering award ceremony' to describe its grandeur. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
The example 'She was thrilled to receive an award for her groundbreaking research' really stuck with me. It paints such a vivid picture of achievement. Excellent choice of verbs!
Sharing this with my advanced students today! It's a perfect supplementary resource for our lesson on formal vocabulary. Thank you for consistently delivering high-quality content.
I found the example sentences very clear! I'm going to try to use these collocations in my daily conversations. Maybe a short quiz at the end of articles would be fun?
That's fantastic to hear, Rohan! Trying to incorporate new collocations into your daily conversations is one of the most effective ways to master them. We appreciate your suggestion about a quiz – it's something we're definitely exploring to make our learning experience even more interactive and engaging. Thanks for the great feedback!
This is a great foundation. I'm wondering if 'award' can be used in a slightly more abstract sense, like 'the award of a contract'? Or is that a different use of the word entirely?
What about 'give an award'? Is that too informal or also correct? The article mentioned 'receive' and 'win', but not directly 'give'.
That's a very common and perfectly correct collocation, Paulo! 'Give an award' is used when someone is presenting an award to another person. It's more general than 'present an award' (which implies a formal ceremony) and simply means the act of handing it over. For example, 'The principal will give an award to the top student.' It's neither informal nor formal, just a straightforward way to describe the action.