- Do you know whether to say you are “watching” or “monitoring” a project?
- Have you ever wondered which adjectives pair best with your computer screen?
- Are you unsure which prepositions to use after the verb “monitor”?
Mastering collocations—words that naturally live together—is the fastest way to move from sounding like a student to sounding like a professional. The word monitor is a high-frequency term in business, technology, and medicine. By learning these common pairings, you will reduce your mental translation time and speak English with greater precision and confidence.
Common Collocations with MONITOR as a Verb
As a verb, “monitor” means to observe and check the progress or quality of something over a period of time. It is more formal and systematic than the word “watch.”
Adverbs of Frequency and Intensity
These words describe how we monitor something.
- Closely monitor: To watch very carefully. (e.g., “The doctors are closely monitoring his heart rate.”)
- Constantly monitor: To watch without stopping. (e.g., “Our security team constantly monitors the network for threats.”)
- Regularly monitor: To check at set intervals. (e.g., “You should regularly monitor your bank statements.”)
- Carefully monitor: To watch with attention to detail. (e.g., “The teacher carefully monitored the students during the exam.”)
Common Objects (What we monitor)
These are the nouns that most frequently follow the verb “monitor.”
- Monitor progress: To see how a task is developing. (e.g., “We use software to monitor the progress of the construction.”)
- Monitor performance: To evaluate how well someone or something is working. (e.g., “Managers must monitor the performance of their staff.”)
- Monitor the situation: To stay informed about a developing event. (e.g., “The government is monitoring the situation in the flood zone.”)
- Monitor usage: To track how much of something is being used. (e.g., “The app allows parents to monitor data usage.”)
Essential Collocations using MONITOR as a Noun
As a noun, “monitor” usually refers to a piece of equipment (like a screen) or a person with a specific supervisory role.
Technology and Equipment
In the context of computers and hardware, these are the most natural pairings.
- External monitor: A screen that is not part of a laptop. (e.g., “I connect my laptop to an external monitor for a better view.”)
- High-resolution monitor: A screen with very clear image quality. (e.g., “Graphic designers require a high-resolution monitor.”)
- Dual-monitor setup: Using two screens at once. (e.g., “A dual-monitor setup can increase your productivity.”)
- Widescreen monitor: A monitor that is wider than it is tall. (e.g., “He bought a 34-inch widescreen monitor for gaming.”)
Healthcare and Safety
In medical or safety contexts, a monitor is a device that tracks vital signs.
- Heart rate monitor: A device that measures how fast your heart beats. (e.g., “I wear a heart rate monitor when I go for a run.”)
- Baby monitor: A device used to hear or see a baby from another room. (e.g., “We could hear the baby crying through the baby monitor.”)
- Blood pressure monitor: A tool to measure the force of blood in your arteries. (e.g., “The pharmacy sells portable blood pressure monitors.”)
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Closely monitor | Verb Phrase | To watch something very strictly/attentively. |
| Monitor progress | Verb + Noun | To check how a project is advancing. |
| External monitor | Adjective + Noun | A separate computer screen. |
| Monitor the situation | Verb Phrase | To keep an eye on a developing event. |
| Heart rate monitor | Noun Phrase | A device that tracks heartbeats. |
| Constantly monitor | Adverb + Verb | To track something 24/7 without breaks. |
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Look the progress | Monitor the progress |
| A computer television | A computer monitor |
| Monitor for the performance | Monitor the performance |
| Watch the situation closely (Informal) | Monitor the situation closely (Professional) |
“To ensure the launch goes smoothly, we need to closely monitor the server traffic throughout the day. Please use your external monitor to keep the dashboard visible at all times. If you notice any bugs, monitor the situation for ten minutes before reporting it. We must monitor progress hourly to hit our deadline.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Monitor Collocations
Is “monitor” more formal than “watch”?
Yes. While “watch” is general and casual, “monitor” implies a systematic, professional, or technical observation over time. You watch a movie, but you monitor a patient’s recovery.
What preposition follows the verb “monitor”?
Usually, “monitor” is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object with no preposition (e.g., “monitor the results”). However, you can monitor for something specific, such as “monitoring the system for errors.”
Can I say “monitorize”?
No. “Monitorize” is a common error made by speakers of Romance languages (like Spanish or Portuguese). In English, the verb is simply monitor.
What is the difference between a monitor and a screen?
A “monitor” usually refers to the entire piece of hardware (the device), while “screen” refers to the glass surface where the image appears. In casual English, they are often used interchangeably.
Can a person be a “monitor”?
Yes. In schools, a “hall monitor” is a student who supervises the hallways. in some industries, a “compliance monitor” is a person who ensures rules are followed.
The distinction between 'watch' and 'monitor' is very helpful for my TOEFL preparation. 'Monitor' definitely feels like a higher-level academic word.
You're right, Marie! Using 'monitor' instead of 'watch' or 'look at' in your TOEFL writing or speaking sections will definitely help you earn a higher score for lexical resource.
Are there any phrasal verbs that mean the same thing as monitor? Like 'look over'?
I often write 'monitor progress' in my project management updates. Should I add an adverb to make it sound better?
It's already good, Priya, but adding 'carefully' or 'proactively monitor progress' can add a nice touch of extra competence to your updates!
Is it natural to say 'monitor the situation'? I see this in news headlines very often.
Could you provide some examples of using 'monitor' as a noun in a sentence that isn't about a computer?
Certainly, Anya! You might hear: 'The patient is hooked up to a heart monitor' or 'He acted as a hall monitor at the school.' In these cases, it refers to a device or a person performing the observation.
Thank you for the clear examples. I never knew 'regularly monitor' was better than 'monitor sometimes'.
Is 'continuously monitor' the same as 'constantly monitor'? 'Constantly' sometimes sounds a bit negative to me, like a complaint.
Excellent observation, Ananya! You're right—'constantly' can sometimes imply something is annoying. 'Continuously' or 'persistently' are more neutral, technical alternatives in a professional report.
What about 'monitor' vs 'track'? If I am looking at my package delivery, am I monitoring it or tracking it?
I like the tip about reducing mental translation time. Learning collocations really helps me stop translating word-for-word from Swedish.
That is exactly our goal, Ingrid! When you learn 'closely' and 'monitor' as a single unit, your brain retrieves it faster during a conversation.
Can we say 'heavily monitored'? I heard it in a news report regarding a border zone.