Word Pairs

1. A: What have you got me for my birthday? B: Your birthday’s not for another week. You’ll
have to __________!
a) give and take
b) wait and see
c) come and go
d) safe and sound
2. Compromise is needed in any relationship. It’s really important to be able to __________.
a) give and take
b) wait and see
c) come and go
d) safe and sound
3. Only trained lawyers really know the __________ of the legal system. It’s very complex.
a) odds and ends
b) pros and cons
c) ups and downs
d) ins and outs
4. A: I saw Kerry eating a burger yesterday. I thought she was a vegetarian. B: She is most of
the time but she does eat meat __________.
a) back to front
b) by and large
c) now and then
d) sooner or later
5. You can’t avoid that homework for ever. __________ you’ll have to do it, otherwise you’ll
fail the course.
a) More or less
b) By and large
c) Now and then
d) Sooner or later
6. __________ my son is a very calm person, but this traffic jam is making him really
frustrated! I don’t usually see him like this!
a) More or less
b) By and large
c) Ups and downs
d) Ins and outs

ANSWERS:
1. A: What have you got me for my birthday? B: Your birthday’s not for another week. You’ll
have to __________!
a) give and take – This phrase means to compromise. Try again!
b) wait and see – Right answer! It means to be patient and find out later.
c) come and go – This phrase means to randomly appear and disappear. Try again!
d) safe and sound – This phrase means to be safe and in good health. Try again!
2. Compromise is needed in any relationship. It’s really important to be able to __________.
a) give and take – This is correct! It means to compromise.
b) wait and see – This phrase means to be patient and find out later. Try again!
c) come and go – This phrase means to randomly appear and disappear. Try again!
d) safe and sound – This phrase means to be safe and in good health. Try again!
3. Only trained lawyers really know the __________ of the legal system. It’s very complex.
a) odds and ends – This phrase means a miscellaneous assortment of things. Try again!
b) pros and cons – This phrase means advantages and disadvantages. Try again!
c) ups and downs – This phrase means good times and bad times. Try again!
d) ins and outs – Well done! It means the exact details.
4. A: I saw Kerry eating a burger yesterday. I thought she was a vegetarian. B: She is most of
the time but she does eat meat __________.
a) back to front – This phrase means the wrong way round. Try again!
b) by and large – This phrase means generally speaking. Try again!
c) now and then – Right answer! It means occasionally.
d) sooner or later – This phrase means eventually. Try again!
5. You can’t avoid that homework forever. __________ you’ll have to do it, otherwise you’ll
fail the course.
a) More or less – This phrase means approximately. Try again!
b) By and large – This phrase means generally speaking. Try again!
c) Now and then – This phrase means occasionally. Try again!
d) Sooner or later – Correct. This phrase means eventually.
6. __________ my son is a very calm person, but this traffic jam is making him really
frustrated! I don’t usually see him like this!
a) More or less – This phrase means approximately. Try again!
b) By and large – Right! This means generally speaking.
c) Ups and downs – This phrase means good times and bad times. Try again!
d) Ins and outs – This phrase means the exact details. Try again!

You can try this quiz online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?ContentType=text/html;quiz=1138_word_pairs