Build speech naturalness with binomials

Do you know what binomials are? They are fixed phrases made of two words joined by a conjunction (usually ‘and’) or a preposition. They are also called binomial pairs. They are often used by first-language users, especially in speaking.

A feature of binomials is that they often use the same sounds, repeat the same words, or even use opposite words. Here are some examples: safe and sound, hustle and bustle, more and more, and all or nothing.

But binomials can be difficult for language learners because they are often idiomatic. So it can be difficult to guess their meaning from their word parts. Also, their word order is always fixed and it sounds unnatural if it is changed.

✅ Right: Fish and chips, rock and roll.

❌ Wrong: Chips and fish, roll and rock.

So which binomials do you need to know? Well, it’s good to begin with the most common ones. To get you started, here are seven with their meanings and examples:

Pros and cons [=advantages and disadvantages] e.g. What are the pros and cons of living in the city?

2. Wear and tear [=natural damage from use] e.g. Although there was a bit of wear and tear, the apartment didn’t have any major problems.

3. Ups and downs [=good and bad times] e.g. Life as a university student had its ups and downs but Sam generally enjoyed it.

4. Sick and tired [=very annoyed or frustrated] e.g. I’m sick and tired of you complaining all the time.

5. Spick and span [=very clean and tidy] e.g. The cleaner had the hotel room looking spick and span before the next guest arrived.

6. Step by step [=do something in stages, in the correct order] e.g. Please follow the step-by-step guide to assemble the furniture.

7. More or less [=about; approximately; somewhat] e.g. Most reviewers said they were more or less happy with the restaurant service.

Extra tip!
Binomials are also often used to help structure professional presentations. Here are some examples: First and foremost [=to highlight the most important point], by and large [=to give a general overview], and all in all [=to summarize or conclude].