Master the professional word combinations used in performance reviews and career development conversations in English. These collocations appear in self-assessments, manager feedback, and development plans.
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Her manager noted that she consistently ___ expectations and delivered high-quality work throughout the year.
We 'exceed expectations' — this is a fixed collocation in HR and performance review language. 'Exceed' is the standard verb: exceed expectations, exceed targets, exceed benchmarks. 'Surpass expectations' is also correct but more literary. 'Pass expectations' and 'go beyond expectations' are not standard HR collocations.
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The review highlighted that he needs to ___ his communication skills, particularly when presenting to senior stakeholders.
We 'develop skills' in performance and learning language. 'Develop' is the preferred professional verb for building competencies over time: develop skills, develop leadership, develop communication. 'Improve' focuses on fixing a gap; 'develop' is more positive and forward-looking — often preferred in formal reviews.
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As part of her development plan, she was asked to ___ a stretch goal that would push her outside her comfort zone.
We 'set a goal' — the standard professional collocation. 'Set a goal' is used in performance management, OKRs, and coaching: set goals, set targets, set objectives. 'Make a goal' is informal and more common in sports; 'choose a goal' implies selection without the proactive commitment that 'set' conveys.
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The feedback session was constructive, and both parties agreed to ___ progress in a follow-up meeting next month.
We 'review progress' in professional meetings. 'Review' is the natural collocation for formally examining advancement: review progress, review performance, review goals. 'Assess progress' is also used in formal evaluation contexts. 'Check progress' is more casual and suits informal check-ins.
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The manager encouraged him to ___ ownership of his career development rather than waiting for opportunities to arise.
We 'take ownership' — a key professional English collocation. 'Take ownership of your development' means to proactively drive it yourself. This idiom is extremely common in performance reviews, coaching, and leadership development contexts. 'Get ownership' and 'have ownership' are less idiomatic.