- Have you ever wondered if you should “do,” “make,” or “perform” maintenance?
- Do you know the difference between “routine maintenance” and “preventive maintenance”?
- Are you looking for the right professional terms to describe taking care of property, software, or even relationships?
Mastering maintenance collocations is a vital step for any English learner aiming for professional fluency. In English, we don’t just “fix things”; we use specific word pairings to describe the ongoing care of equipment, buildings, and systems. Learning these patterns will help you sound more natural, reduce your “language anxiety” in workplace settings, and ensure your communication is precise and effective.
Essential Collocations using MAINTENANCE as a Noun
In English, “maintenance” functions almost exclusively as a noun. While the action word is “maintain,” the noun “maintenance” is incredibly versatile, pairing with specific verbs and adjectives to describe different levels of care and responsibility.
Verbs Frequently Used with Maintenance
These verbs describe the act of engaging in upkeep. Using the wrong verb (like “make”) is a common marker of a non-native speaker.
- Perform maintenance: The most standard professional way to say you are doing the work.
Example: “The technicians perform maintenance on the aircraft every 500 flight hours.” - Carry out maintenance: Very common in British English and formal reports.
Example: “We will carry out essential maintenance on the server this Sunday.” - Require maintenance: Used when something needs attention to keep working.
Example: “Older HVAC systems require more frequent maintenance than newer models.” - Neglect maintenance: To fail to take care of something.
Example: “If you neglect maintenance on your car, you risk a total engine failure.” - Defer maintenance: To postone or delay necessary repairs (often due to budget).
Example: “The city had to defer maintenance on the bridge due to a lack of funding.”
Adjectives Used to Describe Maintenance
Adjectives help specify the timing, cost, or complexity of the upkeep required.
- Routine maintenance: Regular, everyday care that keeps things running smoothly.
Example: “Changing the oil is part of the car’s routine maintenance.” - Preventive maintenance: Actions taken specifically to prevent future breakdowns.
Example: “We believe in preventive maintenance to avoid costly repairs later.” - High-maintenance: A common idiom used for things (or people) that require a lot of time, money, or emotional energy.
Example: “That luxury sports car is very high-maintenance.” - Deferred maintenance: A technical term for repairs that have been put off.
Example: “The building has millions of dollars in deferred maintenance.” - Scheduled maintenance: Upkeep that is planned for a specific date and time.
Example: “The website will be down for scheduled maintenance tonight at midnight.”
Maintenance as a Noun Adjunct (Noun + Noun)
In many cases, “maintenance” acts like an adjective to modify another noun, creating a compound concept.
- Maintenance costs: The amount of money spent on upkeep.
Example: “Lowering maintenance costs is our primary goal this quarter.” - Maintenance crew: The group of people responsible for fixing and cleaning.
Example: “The maintenance crew arrived quickly to fix the water leak.” - Maintenance schedule: A calendar or list of when upkeep tasks should happen.
Example: “Please check the maintenance schedule to see when the next inspection is.” - Maintenance fee: A regular payment made for the upkeep of a property (common in apartments/condos).
Example: “The monthly maintenance fee covers the pool and the gym.”
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Perform maintenance | Verb + Noun | To do the work of keeping something in good condition. |
| Routine maintenance | Adjective + Noun | Regular, standard upkeep. |
| Maintenance costs | Noun + Noun | Money spent on repairs and upkeep. |
| Preventive maintenance | Adjective + Noun | Work done to stop problems before they happen. |
| Undergo maintenance | Verb + Noun | When a system or machine is being worked on. |
| High-maintenance | Adjective | Demanding a lot of attention or effort. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Make maintenance | Perform / Carry out maintenance |
| The maintenance man | Maintenance worker / Technician |
| Repairments maintenance | Routine maintenance |
| Heavy maintenance (for people) | High-maintenance (describing a personality) |
“Our IT department will perform scheduled maintenance on the internal servers this weekend. To keep maintenance costs low, we are moving toward a preventive maintenance model. We apologize for the inconvenience, but these updates are necessary to ensure the system doesn’t require emergency maintenance during peak business hours.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Maintenance Collocations
Is “maintenance” a verb or a noun?
“Maintenance” is strictly a noun. If you need a verb, you should use “maintain.” For example: “I maintain my car (verb)” vs. “I perform maintenance on my car (noun).”
What is the difference between “routine” and “preventive” maintenance?
Routine maintenance refers to frequent, regular tasks (like cleaning). Preventive maintenance is a strategic approach designed specifically to prevent equipment failure before it occurs.
What preposition should I use with maintenance?
We typically use “of” or “on.” You perform maintenance on a machine, or you discuss the maintenance of a building. If it’s a fee, it is a fee for maintenance.
Can “high-maintenance” be used for people?
Yes, but be careful. Calling someone “high-maintenance” is an informal way of saying they are demanding or difficult to please. It can be seen as slightly negative or insulting depending on the context.
What does “deferred maintenance” mean in real estate?
It refers to the practice of delaying needed repairs to save money in the short term, which often leads to more expensive problems later.
Are there any significant differences in 'maintenance' collocations between US and UK English? Sometimes I notice slight variations in professional jargon.
That's a very insightful question, Chloe! For 'maintenance' collocations specifically, there are generally very few significant differences between US and UK English in professional contexts. 'Perform maintenance' and 'carry out maintenance' are widely understood and used in both. Any subtle differences would likely be more about regional preferences for certain technical terms in specific industries rather than a fundamental difference in the collocations for 'maintenance' itself. Good to be aware of, but you're usually safe with the ones discussed!
Short, precise, and extremely useful! 'Perform maintenance' is now firmly in my active vocabulary.
This was very clear! Do you have any other articles on collocations for specific professional fields like finance or medicine? I find this approach incredibly effective.
We're delighted you find this approach effective, Soo-jin! Yes, we frequently publish articles on collocations and specialized vocabulary for various fields. We recommend checking our 'Professional English' or 'Vocabulary Boost' categories on Translateen.com. We've covered topics ranging from business meeting phrases to medical terminology. Keep an eye out for new posts!
I often find myself translating literally from French (faire de la maintenance) and then realizing it sounds off. This article is a great reminder to think in collocations, not just individual words.
You mentioned 'routine' and 'preventive.' Are there other common types of maintenance collocations like 'corrective maintenance' or 'scheduled maintenance' that are also important?
Absolutely, Zara! You've listed two very important ones. Beyond 'routine' and 'preventive,' 'corrective maintenance' (fixing something after it has broken) and 'scheduled maintenance' (planned maintenance at regular intervals) are indeed crucial collocations. Others include 'emergency maintenance,' 'unplanned maintenance,' 'major maintenance,' and 'minor maintenance.' Each one specifies a particular type or scale of care, adding precision to your communication!
Is 'upkeep' a synonym for 'maintenance' in all contexts? And can you 'perform upkeep' or do we use different verbs for 'upkeep'?
Another excellent question, Miguel! 'Upkeep' is indeed a very close synonym for 'maintenance,' particularly for property, equipment, or even skills. You generally don't 'perform upkeep.' Instead, you typically 'do the upkeep' or 'handle the upkeep,' or sometimes 'see to the upkeep.' The verb usage is different, even though the meaning is similar. This highlights why learning collocations is so important – even synonyms don't always share the same verb partners!
The article states 'maintenance functions almost exclusively as a noun.' Is there any rare or archaic instance where it might act as an adjective or verb, perhaps in very specialized jargon, or is it strictly noun form in modern English?
That's a keen linguistic observation, Dr. Petrova! While 'maintenance' is overwhelmingly a noun in modern standard English, you won't typically find it functioning as a verb or adjective. The verb form is 'maintain,' and adjectival forms would often be descriptive phrases like 'maintenance-related issues' or 'a maintenance crew.' There aren't any common archaic or highly specialized uses where 'maintenance' itself acts as a different part of speech. It's a testament to the fixed nature of many English word forms!
Thank you, Translateen! This is exactly the kind of practical vocabulary I need. So often, lessons focus on basic words, but these professional terms are vital.
As someone who works in IT, 'perform software maintenance' is a phrase I need to use correctly every day. This article is spot on. I've heard 'run maintenance' too; is that correct for software?
That's a very practical question for your field, Lars! 'Run maintenance' is indeed commonly used in IT, specifically when referring to automated or script-based maintenance tasks. For instance, 'We need to run the weekly database maintenance script.' So, yes, it's correct for software, but it implies a different type of action (often automated or a program execution) compared to the manual, active 'perform' or 'carry out maintenance' by a person. Great insight!
Could you give a few more examples of 'carry out maintenance'? I'm trying to get a feel for its typical usage compared to 'perform maintenance'.
Certainly, Chen! 'Carry out maintenance' is very similar to 'perform maintenance' and often interchangeable, though 'carry out' can sometimes emphasize the execution or completion of a planned task. Examples: 'The team will carry out maintenance on the system over the weekend.' 'It's essential to carry out regular maintenance on your car to ensure its longevity.' 'Before reopening, the amusement park must carry out thorough maintenance on all rides.' Both 'perform' and 'carry out' are excellent choices for professional contexts!