Improve Your Vocabulary: 10 Common Word Combinations in English

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Yeah, I could go anywhere I want.

Okay, but it's really big and I don't have the space.

Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on "Common Word Pairs", specifically common

noun and noun pairs.

So, before, you know, I started this, I was looking at my phone because I'm trying to

think about the pros and cons of buying a hot air balloon, and I'm not really sure whether

I want it or not, so I'm trying to weigh the pluses and the minuses, the pros and the cons.

Speaking of pros and cons, pluses and minuses, this is the first word pair in our noun and

So: "pros and cons", "pluses and minuses" basically mean the advantages and disadvantages

"What are the pros and cons?"

When you're buying something, you're thinking about the pluses and the minuses of this thing;

the pros and the cons of this thing.

When you make an important life decision, you also have to weigh the pros (the pluses)

and the cons (the minuses).

So, these are the benefits or the disadvantages of something.

Next: "odds and ends".

So, "odds and ends": "That box is full of odds and ends."

Let me show you.

Okay, so I got an eraser, I got a stapler, there's a remote of some kind, I think these

are bubbles, Superman bubbles, marker, cloth.

So, these things are not really related, but I don't have a box in my house or a drawer

in my house just for erasers, or just for markers, or just for staplers, so the odds

and ends of something usually just refer to the random pieces, the random articles, the

junk, the miscellaneous junk.

So: "That box is full of odds and ends."

So I'm just going to put: Random stuff or random junk.

Basically things you don't have a set place for in your house, so you just put it in one

Yeah, the batteries, the paperclips, the tape, the pencils, odds and ends, just random stuff.

All right: "ups and downs".

"They've had a lot of ups"...

I think you can tell what this means.

It basically means they've had a lot of good times and a lot of bad times.

So, good times and bad times.

Good times and bad times.

Now, this can refer to...

You can use it in many contexts, specifically the most common being when you talk about

Also, you can talk about a company's history, so the company has experienced many ups and

The relationship has gone through ups and downs.

So, good times and bad times.

Next: "peace and quiet".

So these commonly go together.

"We could all use a little more peace and quiet."

So, if you know the meaning of "peace", you know the meaning of "quiet", you just know

this means a period of calm.

So, I love peace and quiet.

I need peace and quiet.

I want peace and quiet.

So, basically let's just say calmness, something...

Period of calm.

A period of calm.

"Trial and error".

So, here: "We went through a long trial and error process."

So, if you are working in a company and your company gives you a project, and they want

you to find out the pros and cons of doing something, and they go through a long experimentation

process with whatever they're working on.

So, some things work, some things don't work.

Or if you're trying to create, let's say a specific type of machine or a robot, but you

don't know what happens if you do one thing or if you do another thing.

So, "trial" means to try or experiment, and "error", to make mistakes.

So this is a long process where you do experiments, and you make many mistakes before you find

the final solution, you find what works.

So: "trial and error" always refers to some kind of process where you're experimenting

with solutions.

Experimentation process.

So, just like when you're learning English, you know, sometimes you just have to try speaking

if you're speaking with a native speaker and you're not sure if you're using the correct

verb form or if you're using the correct noun form, you're kind of going through a trial

and error process, and maybe your friend says: -"No, no.

Don't say: 'It is danger.'

Say: 'It is dangerous.'"

-"Ah, now I know it is 'dangerous', not 'It is danger.'"

So, one, two, three, four, five.

I think I said we're doing ten of these. Wow.

Okay, so come with me.

All right, cool.

So next we have: "supply and demand".

So: "We have a supply and demand problem."

This is a term that is frequently used in economics, and basically your supply is how

much you have of something.

So, for example, if a company produces, let's say a video game company produces one million

copies of a video game, they have a supply of one million copies or their inventory has

Demand is: Do people want one million copies?

So, let's say a company produces one million copies of the video game, they release the

video game and only 100,000 copies get sold.

Okay, there's a supply and demand problem there.

We have too much supply and not enough demand, so we sold...

We made 900,000 extra copies and we spent money on 900...

900,000 extra copies.

The other part of that is sometimes you have a lot of demand for something, but not enough supply.

So, in 2016, going back to video games, Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System Classic.

It was this little classic video game system and everyone said: "Oh my god, I must have that."

And unfortunately Nintendo didn't make a lot of these.

So, people wanted it, but when they went to the store usually it was gone.

There's a supply and demand problem there.

When you have a lot of demand, you can charge more money for something, too.

Anyway, supply and demand, it refers to economics.

"Fun and games".

"Life is not just fun and games.", "You think life is all about fun and games."

So: "fun and games" just means to have a good time, is about pleasure.

So: "fun and games", pleasure we'll put, having a good time.

Usually you use this, you know, combination when you are talking about or you want to

comment on something negative, so you say: "Life is not just fun and games.", "All you

want to do is have fun and games" when you are criticizing someone.

So, this is the most common context where you would use this, and typically: "Life is

not just fun and games", a very common phrase that you might hear.

Next: "cause and effect".

"Why is this happening?

We need to figure out the cause and effect", so we need to figure out, you know, what the

reason for this and the result of this.

So, the reason plus result.

So this is often...

In philosophy, people talk about cause and effect, and let's say that you punched me

Now: "Why did you punch me?

What is the cause of you punching me, is it because I said something?

Is it because you felt angry at me?"

The effect, what is the effect of you punching me?

Did I lose my teeth?

Do I have a bruise?

So, the cause and effect.

"We need to know the cause and effect of this situation."

Wait, what's the cause and effect here?

Next: "flesh and blood".

"You're my own flesh and blood."

So, usually you will hear that kind of line in, like, a gangster movie or maybe in The Godfather.

Usually it refers to family, so your own...

Let's say: "My own flesh and blood."

This refers to family.

So your flesh is, like, the meaty part of your skin, and your blood is inside, the red...

Actually blue, dark bluish thing that's inside your veins.

So, if you are...

You know: "He's a flesh and blood human being."

All human beings are flesh and blood, but sometimes we emphasize, saying: "He's a real

flesh and blood human being."

It can mean family or it can simply mean human.

So, if you read science fiction and there are robots, for example, say: "No, he's not

flesh and blood.

So, finally, just for fun because I like them: "fish and chips".

I think you guys probably know what this is.

After, you know, nine of these expressions, of these combinations I thought maybe we could

just do something nice and easy, and fun.

"Fish and chips", a very popular dish.

I like to have it for lunch sometimes, and sometimes dinner if you are in the UK.

So, basically fish, chips, known as French fries or fries, depending on which part of

the world you're from.

But even if you come to Canada, for example, if you say: "I want fish and chips", people

know you mean fish and fries.

So, even in the States, if you go to the US, the United States, people know what fish and

chips are as well.

So, don't be afraid, don't think that it's only used in England or in only parts of the UK.

People on this side of the water know what fish and chips are, too.

All right, so those were ten noun and noun combinations.

You may be wondering: "Alex, how do I use this?"

Why am I learning this?"

Well, let me tell you.

So, number one, knowing this kind of stuff, obviously can improve your comprehension,

whether you're watching movies, whether you're having a conversation.

And when you can recognize, whether in print if you're reading or when you're listening

in a conversation, you need to know, you know, what people are referring to.

What are the common phrases in a language?

Number two, you can use them yourself so you sound more natural, like a native speaker

of the language.

If you're not sure and still not sure about these phrases, make sure to watch the video again.

And after you feel more comfortable and you feel pretty sure you know how to use them,

don't forget to check out the quiz on www.engvid.com.

So, also don't forget to subscribe to my Facebook, check me out on Twitter, and subscribe to

And till next time, thanks for clicking. Bye.