Why are English Binomials great?
- They help you sound more natural in English.
- You can express yourself easier with only three words.
- TheY help you stop from repeting the same phrases over and over again.
BINOMIALS THAT MEAN BAD THINGS
So there are a lot more positive binomials in English than negative ones.
Safe and sound
What does it mean?
This mean ‘safe and out from danger’
How can it be used?
We can use this phrase for people, for things, or used after a short period of danger
- Ex: The child was found safe and sound after the bear attack.
- The inspectors have checked, and the building is safe and sound. We can move in tomorrow!
- After walking through the red-light district for hours, we finally got back to our hotel safe and sound.
Peace and Quite
What does it mean?
To get away from the noise and chaos and stress
To just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet
“Peace and quiet” means “freedom from chaos, stress and noise.”
How can it be used?
Most of the verbs that are used with “peace and quiet” are verbs that either mean “want” or “look for” this means that peace and quiet is something we often want, but don’t always get
Ex: All I want this weekend is just peace and quite!
Done and Dusted
What does it mean?
it simply means “finished — completely finished
How can it be used?
This is almost always used with “be”.
Ex: And that’s it! The red team win the penalty shootout! They’ve won the championship! It’s all done and dusted! Now the football is finally over, and we can get on with our lives!
Short and sweet
What does it mean?
This means “short but also rather nice.”
Or sometimes “short but relevant to the situation.”
How can it be used?
It can be used as an adjective
Ex: The teacher gave a short explanation it was short and sweet.
Neat and tidy
What does it mean?
This means; clean and organized
How can it be used?
This one’s often used as an adjective, or with ‘be’ And often with “keep”:
Ex: Can you deliver my doughnuts in a nice, neat-and-tidy package, please?
Humphrey’s desk is always neat and tidy. Don’t touch anything — he’ll kill you.
Yeah — he likes to keep the garden neat and tidy. He’s good at it, but I think he might need to get out a bit more.
BINOMIALS THAT MEAN BAD THINGS
Some binomials are used to describe bad situations.
Down and out
What does it mean?
It can be used to describe a bad situation
How can it be used?
It basically works like an adjective
Ex:I’ve never seen so many down-and-out people in one place. I thought this was supposed to be a wealthy country.
Wear and Tear
What does it mean?
It’s the damage or change that is caused to something when it is being used normally.
How can it be used?
We often use this to show how nice something is, Or how not-nice something is
Ex. For sale: Giant, elephant-shaped, leather sofa. No signs of wear and tear.
I love this book. I’ve read it about 7 times. Yes — it’s certainly showing a lot of wear and tear.
High and Dry
What does it mean?
This is when you’re in a situation where you feel helpless. You’re stuck in a situation you don’t want to be in, and it’s usually because you’re missing something that can get you out of that situation.
How can it be used?
We often use this with the verb “leave”
Ex:It was too late when I noticed that there was no toilet paper, leaving me high and dry.
BINOMIALS OR DISCRIBE THINGS
Some binomials are used to describe bad situations.
Black and White
What does it mean?
It means the colors: black and white
How can it be used?
It can be used with colors , clarity,clearly defined, or differentiated without confusion.
Ex:Back in the ’80s, we had a black-and-white TV.
Love isn’t always black and white, you know. You have to accept that there are many gray areas in relationships. Don’t debate me about it. The rules are black and white, and you broke them.
Rock and Roll
What does it mean?
It means ready to do something
How can it be used?
It can be used with the verb ‘be’ as an adjective.
Ex: I’m ready to start the project, let’s rock and roll!
BIONOMIALS FOR THE GOOD AND BAD SIDE OF SOMETHING
There’s something very useful that binomials in English can do. They can talk about the good side and the bad side of something at the same time. So sometimes, they act as a sort of scale when you want to show balance.
Pros and Cons
What does it mean?
This means “the good and bad sides of something.”
How can it be used?
Well, before we make a decision we should probably:
Weigh up the pros and cons
Discuss the pros and cons
Explore the pros and cons
Examine the pros and cons
Ex: Before a make a decision I need to check the Pros and cons of the situation.
Make or Break
What does it mean?
It means that the outcome of something could be good or bad
How can it be used?
It’s often used as a verb, and it’s commonly used to talk about love, money and careers.
Something can:
- Make or break a deal
- Make or break a career
- Make or break the economy
- Make or break your marriage
- Make or break you
Ex: With her performance she can make it or break it.
Ups and Downs
What does it mean?
This one means “both good and bad experiences.”
How can it be used?
We can basically use this in any situation that involves good and bad experiences together.
It can be something big, like life, Or something small, like your last trip, And we often use it to describe relationships
Ex: Life is full of ups and downs!
How was your holiday in Alaska? Well, we had our ups and downs
How’s it going with Andy? Well, we have our ups and downs. But we’re still going strong!
Live and Learn
What does it mean?
It means that we learn from our mistakes
How can it be used?
It’s very common to use this phrase just by itself
Ex: OK. I mentioned his ex to him, and he went crazy. I won’t be doing that again. Live and learn.
Rain and Shine
What does it mean?
This means “under any circumstances”.
How can it be used?
This one has a feeling of determination, We also often use this phrase with “come”
Ex: I’m going to my best friend’s wedding, come rain or shine.
Do’s and Don’ts
What does it mean?
Dos and don’ts are basically rules. They’re usually not formal rules and are often not particularly strict.
How can it be used?
Dos:
Wash up after yourself.
Turn the lights off when you leave the room.
Label any food you put in the fridge.
Don’ts:
Leave old food in the fridge.
Put wet spoons in the sugar.
BINOMIALS IN ENGISH FOR AMOUNTS, DURATIONS, DIRECTIOS, ETC.
These binomials describe how you do something, how something happens or how something is. They deal with the “hows”: how much, how big, how often, how soon, how carefully, etc.
By and Large
What does it mean?
“By and large” basically means “after considering everything…”
We have a similar phrase for this: “on the whole.”
How can it be used?
This means “mostly.” We can use it to describe anything that’s almost 100%.
Anything that is measurable and not just black and white.
Ex: How’s the new job? Well, by and large, it’s OK. Shame about all the paperwork.
On and Off
What does it mean?
You can use this for anything that happens, then stops happening, then starts again, then stops again, and so on.
How can it be used?
we can put this after the verb or after the object.
We can also use it with “for” and “since”
Ex: They’ve been arguing on and off for most of their relationship.
Far and Wide
What does it mean?
This phrase means “over a large area,” or “a lot of places in a large area.”
How can it be used?
we can use this one to talk about physical areas, so we often use it with verbs like “search,” “reach” and “travel”
We can also talk about how things like rumours, information and discussion can spread far and wide.
Ex:He travelled far and wide looking for the answer to the universe. He gave up and opened a café .
Loud and Clear
What does it mean?
This doesn’t mean “loud,” but it means “clear.”
In fact, it means “very clear.”
How can it be used?
This phrase is usually used to talk about an instruction, a message or a signal.
It can also be used as an adjective
Ex: He’s letting us know, loud and clear, that he doesn’t want to go back in the cupboard.
He’s given us a loud and clear signal — no more ice cream in the swimming pool.
Sooner or Later
What does it mean?
It literally means “sooner or later.”
But there’s an extra layer of meaning attached to it…
How can it be used?
You can use this phrase when you want to tell someone, “For sure, something is happening, but I just don’t know when.”
Sometimes there’s a feeling of “it’s happening — and there’s nothing we can do about it!”
Ex: Well, he’s doing well — but sooner or later his luck’s going to run out.
More or Less
What does it mean?
This means “approximately” but doesn’t sound as scientific.
How can it be used?
You can use this in any of the situations that you’d use the word “about” (meaning “approximately”).
It can also be quite funny if you use it with something less about numbers and more about opinions:
Ex: There were more or less 300 people at the wedding. They must’ve spent a fortune!
He’s more or less a complete idiot. I have no idea how he won.
Give or Take
What does it mean?
This is more or less the same as “more or less.”
How can it be used?
You can use this one for the same types of situations as “more or less,” but it usually goes at the end of the sentence
it’s often used more as an afterthought
You can also make it a little more accurate by adding how much you’re giving or taking
Ex: There were about 200 people at the wedding, give or take.
My YouTube channel’s exploded! I’ve got 10,000 subscribers, give or take.
I had about 8 cups of tea last night — give or take 2.
Little By Little
What does it mean?
It means “gradually” — the opposite of “suddenly.”
How can it be used?
Because it’s a long(ish) phrase, it really works best at the end of a clause. Or at the beginning
Ex: We watched his music writing get better and better, little by little.
Little by little, he lost his enthusiasm for Sandra Bullock films. Especially the romantic comedies.
Step by Step
What des it mean?
This is a combination of “gradually,” “carefully” and “regularly.”
How can it be used?
Although it’s most common to use this phrase with instructions, we can also use it for any sort of process
Ex: He plans to take over the world, step by step. He’s starting with Norway.
You should’ve read the step-by-step instructions more carefully.
Now and Then
What does it mean?
“Sometimes.”
How can it be used?
We can use this before or after SVO (usually after).
Ex: He’s not a big drinker, but he enjoys a cocktail now and then.
All in All
What does it mean?
This one means “looking at everything about a situation all together.”
How can it be used?
It can be used before contrasting something
Ex: How was your trip? All in all, It was all right. But there were a few problems with the sharks.
Yep — learning a language can be a challenge, but all in all, it’s a rewarding experience.