BINOMIAL PAIRS &

ELLIPSIS
Subtitle
BINOMIAL PAIRS
WHAT?
 A binomial pair is an expression containing two words which are joined by
a conjunction (usually and or or). The word order of a binomial pair is usually fixed.

WHY?
 One of the best ways to develop your English fluency is to learn well-known
expressions.

Please watch this to enhance your understanding further:

EXPRESSIONS THAT ENGLISH SPEAKERS USE ALL THE TIME | Binomial Pairs
TYPES
Opposites (antonyms)
Opposite pairs of words (e.g. hot and cold).

Synonyms
Pairs of words with the same or a similar meaning (e.g. peace and quiet).

Rhyming
Words that rhyme or sound similar (e.g. meet and greet).

Repetition
Pairs of words that use the same word twice (e.g. again and again).

Alliteration
Pairs of words that start with the same letter(s) (e.g. tried and tested).
EXAMPLES

all in all
to summarise when you look at every aspect of a situation
All in all, he really enjoyed working abroad for a few years.
EXAMPLES

bit by bit
to describe when something happens in stages
Bit by bit, I was able to improve my German language skills.
EXAMPLES

by and large
used to make a general statement about something
By and large, things are going well since we moved abroad.
EXAMPLES

chalk and cheese

used to refer to two people or things as being completely different from each other
I’m not surprised that he split up with his last girlfriend. They were like chalk and cheese.
EXAMPLES

fair and square

to describe something that is achieved honestly and without unfair methods
Our team won the match fair and square.
EXAMPLES

live and learn

to learn something new (possibly surprising) especially through your own experience
I should have arrived at the airport earlier because I missed my flight. Oh well, you live and
learn!
EXAMPLES

more or less
approximately, almost, to some degree
The travel agent told us that a package holiday in Asia will cost, more or less, €2000 per person
EXAMPLES

odds and ends

a variety of small things that are not valuable or important
Every few months, I just throw away all the odds and ends in our family home.
EXAMPLES

ifs and buts

used to emphasise when you don’t want someone to argue about a situation
No ifs and buts. You have to finish your homework before you can watch television.
EXAMPLES

ins and outs

refers to the detailed information about a situation
Our manager loves to go through all the ins and outs of our company background with new
employees.
EXAMPLES

mix and match

to choose different things and put them together (e.g. clothes, furniture, food)
My friend likes to mix and match different styles of furniture and her house looks great.
EXAMPLES

all or nothing
to describe when something must be done completely to be successful or not at all
You have to be fully committed if you want to be a professional sports player. It’s all or nothing.
ELLIPSIS

Please watch this video to

understand more:
How to Use Ellipsis Marks | Gram
mar Lessons