strike a balance — find a balance
collocationC1IELTS 6.5+neutraloccasional
to find a sensible middle position between two opposing things
Say it like a native
Textbook One must achieve equilibrium between professional and personal commitments.
Native You have to strike a balance between work and life.
'Strike a balance' is the natural collocation; 'achieve equilibrium between commitments' is essay-formal.
Pattern: strike a balance (between A and B)
In use
- It's hard to strike a balance between work and family.work
- Good cities strike a balance between green spaces and room for new housing.IELTS Part 3
Common mistake
✗ It's hard to make a balance between study and rest.
✓ It's hard to strike a balance between study and rest.
We STRIKE (or find) a balance, not 'make a balance'. Often with 'between'.
Common collocations
strike a balance between— between work and life, between cost and quality, the right balance
Don't confuse it
Finding a sensible middle point, not weighing objects.