This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK, giving you unlimited articles and videos, ad-free podcasts and the BBC News Channel streaming live 24-7.
Subscribe to trusted independent journalism from the BBC.
Find out more at bbc.com slash join.
Do you know someone who is starting to learn English?
We have a new easy video series just for them.
The London Letter Challenge.
Three teams race around London to find eight letters which will take them to the winning crowns.
Six minutes vocabulary from bbclearningenglish.com.
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Vocabulary with me, Finn.
And me, Alice.
And today's show is all about binomials.
Or as some call them, binomials.
Yes, those short and sweet phrases English speakers love to use in everyday English.
We'll look at what binomials are, what they mean and how to use them.
There'll be a cheap and cheerful quiz…
And we'll leave you with a quick and dirty tip for learning vocabulary.
So, to start off, let's listen to Charlie and his mum talking about football practice.
Here's a question to think about while you listen.
What's a good treatment for aches and pains?
What's good for aches and pains?
Let's find out.
Hello, love.
How was practice today?
Horrible.
I hate football.
Oh, dear.
Why is that?
I'm sick and tired of being in goal.
Look at these bruises.
I'm black and blue.
Oh, let's have a look.
Oh, yes, love.
Why don't you jump in the bath?
Warm water's very good for aches and pains.
So, that's Charlie and his mum.
We asked you, what's good for aches and pains?
And Charlie's mum says the answer is a warm bath.
That's right.
And the phrase aches and pains is our first binomial.
Now, binomials are short English phrases made up of two words that go together.
And the two words are often joined with and, like aches and pains.
Aches and pains.
Which means general pains in the body that usually aren't serious.
OK.
Now, it's important to remember that binomials are always fixed.
You can't change anything about them.
You can't say pains and aches.
And you can't say aches and hurts.
And you can't say hurts and pains.
So, Alice, do you suffer from aches and pains?
Sometimes, Finn, when you're around.
OK.
Anyway, poor Charlie said he was black and blue.
He's talking about the bruises on his body he got from playing football.
Black and blue?
Must have been a tough game.
Yes, no wonder Charlie said he's sick and tired of football.
Sick and tired.
It means really fed up and bored with something.
And remember, we can't say tired and sick.
We can't say sick and bored either.
What are you sick and tired of at the moment, Finn?
Well, I'm sick and tired of commuting, travelling to work.
It took me about an hour this morning.
An hour!
That's a really long time.
It is.
And another binomial, bit by bit.
This time the word in the middle is by instead of and.
And we're talking about binomials.
And if you were listening carefully at the beginning of the show, you might have noticed that we used a couple of binomials right at the start.
Short and sweet was one of them.
It means simple, quick and useful.
Short and sweet or quick and dirty.
That's another binomial with a similar meaning.
Quick and dirty means simple, short and basic.
And another similar one is cheap and cheerful.
So three binomials there you can use to describe something as quick, simple and basic.
Now, let's hear today's expressions again.
It describes body pains that aren't serious.
Sick and tired.
Fed up, bored and angry.
Bit by bit.
To describe slow change.
And to say something is simple, short and basic, we had three binomials.
Short and sweet, quick and dirty, cheap and cheerful.
Thank you, Alice.
And now it's quiz time.
So, number one, choose the correct answer.
I'm learning French.
It's difficult, but I'm getting better.
A, bit by bit.
B, bit by little.
Or C, bit and bit.
And the answer is A, bit by bit.
Now number two.
Sarah fell over and hit her eye yesterday.
Today it's... A. Blue and black.
B. Black and blue.
C. Black and white.
And the answer is B, black and blue.
Ouch.
And finally, number three.
At only one minute long.
The presentation was A sweet and short, B cheerful and cheap or C quick and dirty.
And the answer is C, quick and dirty.
And that brings us almost to the end of the programme.
But before we go, here's a cheap and cheerful tip for remembering vocabulary.
Play games.
Making and playing a simple card game where you match up the beginning and ends of binomials will really help you to remember them.
That's right.
And there's more about this at bbclearningenglish.com.
Join us again for more 6 Minute Vocabulary.
Bye.
Bye.
Plus, you can download a free worksheet on our website for every episode.
Search Learning English from the News on your podcast app or visit bbclearningenglish.com.
And the BBC News Channel, streaming live 24-7.
From less than a dollar a week for your first year.
Read, watch and listen to trusted independent journalism and storytelling.
We'll be right back.
