noun pairs and verb pairs
It's impossible to get any peace and quiet in this house with you two arguing all the time.
She puts body and soul into her work with the girl guides. She is an inspired leader.
You'll risk life and limb if you decide to go white-water rafting after such heavy rainfall.
I know this hotel isn't very good, but all the better accommodation is taken, so we'll just have to grin
and bear it.
I've asked him politely already. Surely he doesn't want me to bow and scrape.
He was ranting and raving about the price of everything in Britain. Why doesn't he go and live abroad,
if he's unhappy?
peace and quiet
= a period of quiet and calm, often with: have/get/enjoy some
body and soul
= physical and mental energy, as in: put body and soul into
life and limb
= risk death or serious injury, as in: risk life and limb
grin and bear it
= put up with something unpleasant because it cannot be changed
bow and scrape
= show too much respect to someone
rant and rave
= protest or complain in a loud and excited manner
adverbial pairs and adjectival pairs
Here are some examples: here and there, now and again, first and foremost, short and sweet,
safe and sound, sick and tired
I could see a number of houses scattered here and there over the hillside.
How often do you see her now? ~ Every now and again. Not as regularly as I used to.
Why don't you get a job that pays more? ~ First and foremost because I really enjoy the job I'm
doing.
I'll try and keep this short and sweet. I know you don't want to stay here longer than you need to.
Oh, I'm so glad to have you back home safe and sound. I was beginning to get worried about you.
I'm sick and tired of hearing your excuses. It's about time you did an honest day's work.
here and there: to or in several places
now and again: occasionally
first and foremost: most importantly
short and sweet: not too complicated, as in a speech, often with keep/make it
safe and sound: not harmed at all
sick and tired: extremely annoyed with someone, often with of hearing/listening
identical / prepositional pairs
Here are some examples: on and on, again and again, round and round, up and down, little by
little, all in all
You needn't go on and on about needing a holiday. I know we haven't had a break for over a year now.
I've told you again and again to stop swearing in front of the children, but you take no notice.
We're not making any progress by arguing like this. We're just going round and round in circles. My
head's beginning to go round and round.
How are you getting on now? ~ Oh, up and down, as usual. I have good days and bad days.
Little by little his heath improved and he was able to walk further and further each day.
All in all, it was a successful holiday in spite of some scary moments.
on and on: without pausing or stopping, usually with go
again and again: repeatedly
round and round: moving in circles or spinning, usually with go
little by little: gradually or slowly
all in all: taking everything into consideration
leaps and bounds
Leaps and bounds, Yvette, is really a prepositional idiom as it is always prefaced by the prepositions by
or in. If you do something by leaps and bounds, then you are making rapid or spectacular progress:
I feel that my English is coming on in leaps and bounds now that I can understand idioms.