- Have you ever wondered why we say someone “gathers” intelligence but “shows” intelligence?
- Are you confused about the difference between “artificial” and “emotional” intelligence in a professional context?
- Do you want to sound more like a native speaker when discussing data, strategy, or mental capacity?
Mastering collocations with the word intelligence is essential for achieving fluency. In English, words don’t live in isolation; they live in “neighborhoods.” Knowing which words naturally hang out with “intelligence” helps you move past basic vocabulary and express complex ideas with the precision of a native speaker, while significantly reducing the mental effort required to build sentences.
Essential Collocations using INTELLIGENCE as a Noun
In English, “intelligence” functions primarily as a noun. It has two main meanings: the ability to learn and understand (mental capacity) and the collection of secret information (often in a military or political context). Below are the most common ways we use this noun in 2024.
Types of Mental and Technical Capacity
These collocations describe different categories of “cleverness” or systemic logic.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human thought. Example: The company is investing heavily in artificial intelligence to automate customer service.
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ): The capacity to be aware of and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. Example: A good manager needs high emotional intelligence to lead a diverse team.
- Human Intelligence: Natural mental ability as opposed to machine-based logic. Example: Despite the rise of computers, human intelligence is still required for creative problem-solving.
- Collective Intelligence: Shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration of many individuals. Example: The success of Wikipedia is a result of collective intelligence.
Describing Levels of Intelligence
Use these adjectives to specify the degree of someone’s mental ability.
- Remarkable / Keen Intelligence: Used to describe someone who is exceptionally bright. Example: The young scientist showed remarkable intelligence from an early age.
- Average Intelligence: Used to describe a standard or common level of mental ability. Example: The test is designed for students of average intelligence.
- Limited Intelligence: A polite or formal way to describe a lack of cleverness. Example: The creature in the story was portrayed as having limited intelligence.
Intelligence as Information and Data
In business, government, and the military, “intelligence” refers to gathered data or secrets.
- Gather Intelligence: To collect information about an enemy or a competitor. Example: The firm hired a consultant to gather intelligence on their rivals’ new products.
- Military Intelligence: Information about foreign countries and their military capabilities. Example: Military intelligence suggested that the border was secure.
- Actionable Intelligence: Information that can be acted upon immediately. Example: We need actionable intelligence before we can launch the marketing campaign.
- Business Intelligence: Strategies and technologies used by enterprises for data analysis. Example: Our business intelligence tools show a decline in user engagement this month.
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence | Adjective + Noun | Computer-based logic (AI). |
| Gather Intelligence | Verb + Noun | To collect secret or strategic info. |
| High Intelligence | Adjective + Noun | Being very smart or clever. |
| Intelligence Agency | Noun + Noun | A government organization (like the CIA). |
| Lack Intelligence | Verb + Noun | Not being smart enough for a task. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
Learners often apply logic from their native language that doesn’t quite fit English “word partnerships.” Avoid these common errors to sound more natural.
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Make intelligence (to be smart) | Show intelligence / Demonstrate intelligence |
| I have much intelligence | I am highly intelligent / I have a lot of intelligence |
| Take intelligence (collecting info) | Gather intelligence / Collect intelligence |
| Secret intelligence (as an IQ trait) | Hidden intelligence / Unrecognized intelligence |
“The board meeting was a success because we arrived with actionable intelligence regarding our competitor’s strategy. It was clear that the project manager possessed remarkable intelligence, as she was able to integrate artificial intelligence into our workflow without disrupting the team. By relying on our collective intelligence, we solved the problem in record time.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Intelligence Collocations
Is “intelligence” a countable or uncountable noun?
In most contexts, “intelligence” is uncountable. You cannot say “an intelligence” or “intelligences” when referring to how smart someone is. However, in the context of “Multiple Intelligences” (a psychological theory), it can be used in the plural. Generally, for learners, treat it as uncountable: “He has a lot of intelligence,” not “He has many intelligences.”
What is the difference between “Intelligence” and “Intellect”?
“Intelligence” is the broad ability to process information and solve problems (including emotional and social skills). “Intellect” is more specific to academic, logical, and reasoning abilities. You “gather intelligence” (info), but you “possess an intellect” (brainpower).
Can I use “intelligence” as a verb?
No, “intelligence” does not function as a verb in modern English. If you want to describe the act of being smart, use verbs like “reason,” “think,” or “analyze.” If you mean the act of gathering info, use “to scout” or “to research.”
Which preposition usually follows “intelligence”?
We typically use “on” or “about” when referring to information (e.g., “Intelligence on the enemy”). When referring to the quality of a person, we use “of” (e.g., “The intelligence of the student”).
What does “Intelligence Quotient” mean?
This is the full term for “IQ.” It is a technical collocation used to describe the score derived from standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence.
Thanks for this! It helped clear up some confusion. I often hear 'intelligence agency' but not 'intelligence department.' Is there a reason for that, or is 'department' just less common?
That's a very perceptive observation, Michael! 'Intelligence agency' is indeed the standard and most common collocation (e.g., CIA, MI6). While you might hear 'intelligence department' within a larger organization (like a specific department in a military branch), 'agency' typically refers to an independent or semi-independent governmental body focused on intelligence gathering. So, 'agency' implies a broader, more autonomous function.
I'm always trying to expand my vocabulary for professional writing. This distinction between types of intelligence, like emotional and artificial, is very useful for crafting more precise emails and reports.
That's an excellent application, Olga! Precision in professional communication is key, and understanding these nuanced terms allows you to express complex ideas with clarity and authority. Keep up the great work in refining your vocabulary!
Can 'intelligence' also mean 'news' or 'information' in a more general sense? Like, 'I got some intelligence about the new policy'?
That's an interesting thought, Hiroshi! While 'intelligence' is a type of information, it specifically implies 'secret, strategic, or analyzed information,' not just general news. For general news, 'I got some information about the new policy' or 'I heard some news about the new policy' would be more appropriate and natural. Using 'intelligence' in that context would sound a bit overly formal or suggest something covert.
This is great. I always wondered about the difference between 'artificial' and 'general' intelligence. Is 'general intelligence' a common term?
You're touching on an important area, Fatima! While 'artificial intelligence' is common, 'general intelligence' is a specific concept within the AI field, often referred to as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). It describes hypothetical AI that can understand, learn, and apply intelligence to a wide range of problems, similar to human intelligence, as opposed to narrow AI that performs specific tasks. So, yes, it's a common term in discussions about advanced AI!
The article mentioned 'mental capacity.' Are there common collocations for that phrase itself, beyond just 'intelligence'?
That's thinking deeply, Naoise! Yes, 'mental capacity' also has its own collocations. For example, you might 'assess mental capacity' (often in a legal or medical context), or describe someone as having 'limited mental capacity' or 'full mental capacity.' It generally refers to a person's ability to understand and make decisions.
I sometimes hear 'intel' in movies. Is that just short for 'intelligence' (the secret information kind)? Is it informal?
You're spot on, Diego! 'Intel' is indeed an informal shortening of 'intelligence,' specifically referring to secret or tactical information (e.g., 'We need more intel before we proceed'). It's commonly used in military, espionage, and even business contexts, but primarily in spoken English or informal written communication.
This article clarifies so much! I used to use 'get intelligence' instead of 'gather intelligence.' Now I understand the nuance. Is 'intelligence' countable or uncountable in most cases?
Fantastic observation, Sofia! You're right, 'get intelligence' isn't as idiomatic as 'gather intelligence.' 'Intelligence' is almost always used as an uncountable noun in both its meanings (mental capacity and secret information). You wouldn't typically say 'two intelligences' or 'many intelligences' in these contexts. However, we do talk about 'multiple intelligences' in psychological theory (like Gardner's theory), but that's a specialized use.
Are there any common idioms with 'intelligence' that aren't necessarily collocations but might be good to know?
Great question, Ben! While 'intelligence' itself isn't in many highly idiomatic phrases, you'll often hear phrases related to types of intelligence. For example, 'street smarts' or 'book smarts' contrast practical intelligence with academic intelligence. We might cover these in a future article!
I loved the part about 'reducing the mental effort required to build sentences.' That's so true! When you know the right collocations, you don't have to think as hard about every single word.
Exactly, Priya! That's one of the greatest benefits of mastering collocations. It's like having pre-built Lego blocks for your sentences, allowing you to focus more on conveying your message effectively and less on individual word choices. Glad you found that insight valuable!
The example 'investing heavily in artificial intelligence' is clear. What other verbs commonly go with 'intelligence' when referring to the 'secret information' meaning? Like, can you 'collect' intelligence too?
Absolutely, Jian! 'Collect intelligence' is another very common and natural collocation for secret information. Other verbs include 'acquire intelligence,' 'process intelligence,' 'analyze intelligence,' 'share intelligence,' and 'act on intelligence.' They all refer to the various stages of handling strategic information.