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.