Grammar fix
pay a visit
visit
to go and see someone or a place, usually for a short time, often to be polite or friendly.
collocationB1occasional
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- I decided to pay a visit to my grandmother after work.daily life
- If I have some free time, I usually pay a visit to my friends to catch up and relax together.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: pay a visit (to someone/somewhere)
WrongI paid a visit to see my aunt.
RightI paid my aunt a visit.
'Pay someone a visit' or 'pay a visit to someone' — don't add 'to see'.
Patternpay a visit (to someone/somewhere)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Make a formal call upon' is Victorian; 'pay a visit' is the natural set phrase.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
pay a visitpay a visitpay someone a visitpay a visit towell worth a visit
Don't confuse it
‘Visit’ is more common in everyday speech, but ‘pay a visit’ sounds a bit more formal or deliberate.