Grammar fix
strike a balance
find a balance
to find a sensible middle position between two opposing things
collocationC1occasional
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
It's hard to strike a balance between work and family.
Good cities strike a balance between green spaces and room for new housing.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: It's hard to make a balance between study and rest.
Say: It's hard to strike a balance between study and rest.
We STRIKE (or find) a balance, not 'make a balance'. Often with 'between'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Strike a balance' is the natural collocation; 'achieve equilibrium between commitments' is essay-formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
strike a balance between
- between work and life
- between cost and quality
- the right balance