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Word Pairs

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back and forth word pairNonreversible word pairs always appear in the same order, e.g., back and forth. It would sound awkward if we read forth and back. For many of us, certain words go together and we will automatically use the correct order. However, nonnative speakers will need to learn nonreversible word pairs.

Common Word Pairs

bride and groom word pairThe following is a list of common word pairs. Collocations are also a good idea to learn if you are a nonnative speaker. These are words commonly used together, e.g., have a headache.

Adam and Eve life or death
back and forth lock and key
bacon and eggs lost and found
bed and breakfast man and wife
birds and bees name and address
black and white nice and easy
body and soul null and void
bread and butter peaches and cream
bread and water pen and pencil
bricks and mortar pork and beans
bride and groom pots and pans
business and pleasure prim and proper
by and large profit and/or loss
cause and effect pros and cons
cloak and dagger pure and simple
coat and tie rain or shine
coffee and doughnuts ranting and raving
cream and sugar read and write
crime and punishment right and/or wrong
cup and saucer rise and fall
dead or alive salt and pepper
down and out shirt and tie
first and last shoes and socks
fish and chips short and fat
flesh and blood signed and sealed
forgive and forget slip and slide
front and center soap and water
fun and games sooner or later
give and take stars and stripes
ham and eggs suit and tie
hammer and nail supply and demand
hemmed and hawed sweet and sour
high and dry tall and thin
high and low thick and thin
hot and bothered tossed and turned
huffing and puffing touch and go
husband and wife trial and error
in and out trials and tribulations
Jack and Jill up and/or down
knife and fork wait and see
ladies and gentlemen war and peace
law and order wine and cheese

If we forgot a word pair, please let us know via our comment form below.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jules Gibson says

    June 2, 2013 at 6:41 am

    Chalk and Cheese
    Rock and Roll

    Reply
  2. Elisa says

    January 6, 2014 at 4:09 am

    Thanks for taking the time & creating this post!

    Reply
  3. Joshua Gan says

    March 24, 2014 at 6:29 am

    This is a great website – TY!

    Reply
  4. Soyoung says

    November 29, 2014 at 7:19 pm

    also
    Sing and Grow
    and
    Nut and Berries

    Reply
  5. Soyoung says

    February 13, 2015 at 10:43 pm

    Meat and Cheese!

    Reply
    • John says

      December 6, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      Mac & cheese!
      Sweet and sour
      hot and spicy
      down and dirty

      Reply
  6. Soyoung says

    March 28, 2015 at 11:10 pm

    This website is VERY GOOD
    thank you

    Reply
  7. John Bates says

    July 9, 2015 at 6:37 am

    To and Fro

    Reply
  8. Trisha says

    July 16, 2015 at 1:38 am

    Terms and Conditions

    Reply
  9. Trisha says

    July 16, 2015 at 1:39 am

    Peace and love

    Reply
  10. Plutoniarch says

    August 10, 2015 at 7:37 am

    Slip and Slide
    Song and Dance

    Reply
  11. v.navya says

    December 15, 2015 at 8:12 am

    Mother and father

    Reply
  12. Ila says

    March 18, 2016 at 8:49 am

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    Reply
  13. HATAllluK says

    November 30, 2016 at 3:18 pm

    Ice and lemon
    Bits and pieces
    Thunder and lightning
    Sick and tired
    Now and again
    Safe and sound
    Now or never
    More or less
    All or nothing
    Once or twice

    Reply
  14. Dibyendu Sen Sharma says

    December 9, 2016 at 4:38 am

    laugh and cry, long and short, ladies and gentlemen . . .

    Reply
  15. michael jones says

    February 24, 2017 at 12:35 am

    Sticks and stones
    Time and space
    Pain and suffering

    Reply
  16. Cickrenna says

    February 27, 2017 at 3:42 am

    Horse and Chariot
    Horse and Buggi
    Dog and bone
    Kettle and teacup
    Plate and bowl
    Field and Stream
    wine and dine
    mom and dad

    Reply
  17. kadeeja says

    April 24, 2017 at 8:15 am

    mother and father

    Reply
  18. Ong says

    June 16, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    spick and span
    now and then

    Reply
  19. Ang says

    July 21, 2017 at 3:00 am

    Food and Drink, chapter and verse, plain and simple, mix and match, bar and grill

    Reply
  20. helena seiler says

    July 23, 2017 at 8:16 am

    Strawberies & cream

    Reply
  21. John says

    December 6, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    Apples and oranges
    Trick or treat
    Fortune and fame
    Hook or crook
    Cash and Carry
    Fast and furious
    Salt and pepper (hair)
    Wild and woolly
    On again, off again
    Tooth and nail
    Spic and span
    Hit or miss
    Hide and seek
    (Game of) Cat and mouse
    Tarred and feathered
    (To know) Right from wrong
    (To struggle) Tooth and nail
    Hither and thither
    Hither and yon
    Horse and carriage
    (Raining) Cats and dogs
    Blood, sweat and tears (sorry, I know that’s three)
    Lock, stock and barrel (sorry, I know that’s three)
    Hook, line and sinker (sorry, I know that’s three)
    Aches and pains
    Pins and needles (a tingling sensation)
    Rest and recreation
    Heart and soul
    Arm and Hammer (the brand)
    Beer and skittles
    Fear and trembling
    High and mighty
    Out and about
    A wink and a nudge
    A wing and a prayer

    Reply
    • John says

      December 6, 2017 at 4:28 pm

      Rack and ruin
      No pain, no gain
      (All’s fair in) Love and war
      Death and taxes
      The Young and The Restless (TV series)

      Reply
    • John says

      December 6, 2017 at 4:40 pm

      Hearts and minds

      Reply
  22. Andrea says

    December 14, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    Tooth and nails

    Reply
  23. mohammed shadiq says

    February 11, 2018 at 11:19 am

    Chalk and blackboard
    Me and you
    Sister and brother
    Cat and dog
    Chair and table

    Reply
  24. Carol says

    February 17, 2018 at 7:22 am

    Nice and Easy
    Slow and Simple

    Reply
  25. Kazi Rokaya says

    March 11, 2018 at 11:04 am

    oil and water

    Reply
  26. Kazi Rokaya says

    March 11, 2018 at 11:26 am

    breaking and entering
    slow and steady

    Reply
  27. Michelle Wan says

    March 17, 2018 at 12:26 am

    Right and wrong

    Reply
  28. Troll says

    March 26, 2018 at 9:59 pm

    Victim and Murder

    Reply
  29. Bela Agarwal says

    May 6, 2018 at 9:29 am

    Needle and thread

    Reply
  30. Bela Agarwal says

    May 6, 2018 at 9:32 am

    Shoes and socks

    Reply
  31. Bela Agarwal says

    May 6, 2018 at 9:36 am

    High and mighty

    Reply
  32. Christopher Small says

    May 18, 2018 at 1:24 am

    Love & Marriage
    Horse & Carriage
    Trials & Tribulations
    Thick & Thin
    Feast &/or Famine
    Truth or Consequences
    Sink or Swim
    “Young & Old (alike)”
    Sooner or Later
    Town & Country
    Work & Play
    Win or Lose

    Reply
  33. Caleb Heikkila says

    July 30, 2018 at 1:28 am

    Day and Night
    Young and Old
    Hit and Run
    Here and There
    This and That
    To and Fro
    Time and Money
    Milk and Cookies
    Quick and Easy
    Fire and Ice
    Time and Date
    Tried and True
    Big and Tall
    Fast and Furious
    Boys and Girls
    Toys and Games
    When and Where
    Go and See
    Come and See
    Search and Destroy
    You and I
    Before and After
    Does and Don’ts
    Hem and Haw
    Ride and Die
    Cheese and Crackers
    Liver and Onions
    Fish and Chips
    Peanut Butter and Jelly
    Now and Then
    Thunder and Lightning
    Heaven or Hell
    Can and Will

    Reply
  34. rob says

    August 29, 2018 at 7:51 pm

    fish and chips

    Reply
  35. Sammy says

    September 1, 2018 at 11:20 am

    Romeo and Juliet

    Reply
  36. savita verma says

    October 5, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    hot and cold
    come and go
    short and long
    here and there
    he and she

    Reply
    • mak ck says

      May 4, 2019 at 3:35 am

      beauty and beast
      track and field
      (play) fast and loose
      joy and peace
      time and tide (wait for no man)
      first come, first served
      dine and wine
      win or lose
      summer kisses, winter tears
      diamond and rust
      between heaven and earth…
      Many thanks!
      Never too old to learn,
      Never too late to turn.

      Reply
  37. Prakash Bala says

    July 7, 2019 at 5:00 am

    Lock and key
    Hide and seek
    High and low
    Day and night
    Forgive and forget
    Backwards and forward

    Reply
  38. Krithika says says

    July 27, 2019 at 10:09 am

    Chair – table
    Tom – Jerry

    Reply
  39. OSCAR says

    August 15, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    SUN AND MOON
    MOUSE AND CHEESE
    HAPPY AND SAD

    Reply
  40. Idris Abdullahi says

    October 1, 2019 at 2:15 pm

    Eat and food
    sit and balance
    talk and laugh
    move and skip

    Reply
  41. Noreen DeCriscio says

    October 17, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    boys and girls
    ladies and gentlemen
    men and woman
    peas and carrots
    cake and ice cream
    hamburgers and hot dogs
    ketchup and mustard
    table and chairs
    black and blue
    black and white
    red and white
    stars and strips
    bread and butter

    Reply
  42. Allie says

    September 3, 2020 at 12:05 pm

    Wow great website!

    Reply

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