10 Common Binomial Expressions In English

10 Common Binomial Expressions In English.

Binomials are expressions with two words joined by a conjunction:

🔹rock and roll
🔹more or less
🔹step by step

The order of the words in the expression is fixed; for example, we can’t say “roll and rock”❌ or “less or more.”❌ In this article you’ll learn 10 common binomial expressions in English with definitions and example sentences.

✅1 – Pros And Cons

The advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of something.

👉What are the pros and cons of moving from the countryside to the city?

✅2 – Sick And Tired

When you are extremely annoyed or frustrated with a person or situation; when you are at the point where you will not tolerate the situation anymore and you might get angry or lose your patience.

👉I’m sick and tired of working long hours for such little pay – I’m going to quit my job.

✅3 – Short And Sweet

When something is very quick and gets directly to the point; it is no longer than it needs to be. In other words, it doesn’t waste time.

👉Her presentation was short and sweet– she gave a great overview of the topic in just 15 minutes.

✅4 – Odds And Ends

Various small, unimportant, inexpensive items.

👉I need to clean out my desk – the drawers are full of odds and ends.

In addition to physical objects, this expression can also be used for miscellaneous tasks or pieces of information:

👉Jagan’s still at work, taking care of a few odds and ends before leaving for the day.

✅5 – Back And Forth

Moving first in one direction then in the other.

👉This bus runs back and forth from the airport to the train station.

The distance of this movement doesn’t need to be large. For example, you can say:

👉The boys threw the baseball back and forth.

✅6 – By And Large

In general, usually.

👉There are a couple things I don’t like about my neighborhood, but by and large it’s a nice place to live.

✅7 – Wear And Tear

The damage to something that happens gradually over time from regularly using it.

👉I’m selling my cell phone. Although it has a bit of wear and tear, it works perfectly.

✅8 – Safe And Sound

Not in danger and not injured in any way.

👉We were worried when our dog went missing for a week. Luckily we found him safe and sound in the park.

✅9 – Sooner Or Later

Something will definitely happen, although we don’t know exactly when.

👉We’re all going to die sooner or later.

✅10 – Ups And Downs

Alternating periods of things going well and things going badly.

👉There have been a lot of ups and downs during our 30 years of marriage.