INDEX:
1. two
2. two people
3. two things of the same type that are used together
4. each one of two people or things
5. someone whose brother or sister was born at the same time
6. intended for two people
7. twice the normal size
8. when something happens two times
9. consisting of two things of the same type
10. when a number or amount is twice as big as another
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1. two
▷ two /tuː/ [quantifier]
2 :
▪ We’ve got two dogs and three cats.
▪ There used to be five churches in the town. Now there are only two.
▪ It takes two hours to get there.
two of
▪ Two of the boys in the hockey team were sick.
▷ a couple /ə ˈkʌp ə l/ [quantifier] informal
two :
▪ I haven’t got any stamps - could you lend me a couple?
a couple of
▪ I’ve got a couple of tickets for the game on Saturday.
▪ She lived in Japan for a couple of years.
2. two people
▷ couple /ˈkʌp ə l/ [countable noun]
two people who are together, especially because they are married or have a sexual relationship :
▪ the couple who live next door to me
▪ A young couple were walking hand in hand along the beach.
a married couple
a couple who are married
▪ The house was bought by a young married couple.
▷ pair /peəʳ/ [countable noun]
two people who are doing something together, or who are similar or connected in some way :
pair of
▪ They felt like a pair of burglars, enjoying themselves in someone else’s house while the owner was away.
in pairs
working in groups of two
▪ Do the next exercise in pairs.
a strange/funny/friendly etc pair
▪ Bill and his brother were a rather odd-looking pair.
▷ duo /ˈdjuːəʊǁˈduː-/ [countable noun]
two people who work or perform together :
▪ a brilliant young comedy duo
▪ the successful management duo of Doug Livermore and Ray Clemence
3. two things of the same type that are used together
▷ pair /peəʳ/ [countable noun]
two things of the same type that are used together :
a pair of shoes/socks/gloves/earrings etc
▪ I need a new pair of shoes.
▷ twin /twɪn/ [adjective only before noun]
use this to talk about two things that are the same as each other and exist together or are used together :
▪ the new twin bridges over the river Clyde
▪ a PC with twin disk drives
twin beds
▪ I asked for a room with twin beds.
4. each one of two people or things
▷ both /bəʊθ/ [predeterminer/quantifier]
use this to talk about two people or things together :
▪ We both really enjoyed the evening.
▪ I can’t decide which dress to buy, I like them both.
▪ Both drivers were injured, but not seriously.
both of
▪ Both of us felt ill the next day.
▪ Both of the windows had been broken.
both the/these/my etc
▪ Both her attackers were wearing masks and gloves.
▪ Both her parents are doctors.
▷ each /iːtʃ/ [determiner/pronoun]
use this to talk about two or more people or things when you think of them as separate :
▪ My wife and I each have our own bank account.
each of
▪ In the cup final, each player gets a medal, even the substitutes.
▷ either /ˈaɪðəʳǁˈiː-/ [determiner/pronoun]
use this to talk about one of two people, places, or things, especially when it does not matter which one :
▪ ‘Would you like tea or coffee?’ ‘Either - I don’t mind.’
▪ You can enjoy the view from either window.
either of
▪ If you see either of these men, contact the police immediately.
▪ She says she has never seen either of them before.
either somebody/something or somebody/something
▪ I usually drink either coke or beer.
▷ neither /ˈnaɪðəʳǁˈniː-/ [determiner/pronoun]
not one of two people, places, or things, and not the other :
▪ ‘Do you want milk or lemon in your tea?’ ‘Neither thanks.’
▪ The game wasn’t very exciting. Neither team played well.
neither of
▪ Luckily, neither of the passengers was hurt in the crash.
neither somebody/something nor somebody/something
▪ Neither Mary nor the doctor was willing to use the word ‘cancer’.
▷ each other/one another /iːtʃ ˈʌðəʳ, ˌwʌn əˈnʌðəʳ/ [pronoun]
use this to say that each of two people does the same thing to the other, or has the same feeling about the other :
▪ The twins looked at one another and giggled.
▪ We don’t see each other so often now.
each other’s/one another’s
▪ They used to borrow each other’s clothes.
5. someone whose brother or sister was born at the same time
▷ twin /twɪn/ [countable noun]
one of two children who were born on the same day to the same mother :
▪ I never realized that you and Sammy were twins.
▪ Joey’s my twin.
twin brother/sister
▪ Sally and her twin sister still spend a lot of time together now that they are adults.
identical twins
twins who look exactly the same
▪ There have been a lot of interesting studies done on identical twins separated at birth.
fraternal twins
twins who do not look the same
▪ Noelle and Craig are fraternal twins.
6. intended for two people
▷ for two /fəʳ ˈtuː/ [adverb]
use this about something that is intended for only two people :
▪ We’d like a table for two please.
▪ a romantic weekend in Paris for two
▷ double /ˈdʌb ə l/ [adjective only before noun]
double room/bed/mattress
a room, bed etc that is intended for two people :
▪ The room contained a double bed, a wardrobe, and a small chest of drawers.
▪ Double rooms cost $80, single rooms are $50.
▷ two-man /ˈtuː mæn/ [adjective only before noun]
two-man tent/canoe
a tent etc that is designed for two people :
▪ We all squeezed into Ralph’s small two-man tent.
▪ They paddled down the river in a two-man canoe.
7. twice the normal size
▷ double /ˈdʌb ə l/ [adjective only before noun]
twice the amount, number etc :
▪ The band has just released a new double album.
▪ Last year she suffered the double blow of losing her father and discovering that she had cancer.
double whiskey/brandy etc
▪ A double brandy, please.
a double portion of something
▪ I ordered fish and a double portion of chips.
double [countable noun]
▪ Three whiskeys, please - two singles and one double.
8. when something happens two times
▷ twice /twaɪs/ [adverb]
▪ The weather was great - it only rained twice in three weeks.
▪ She’s been married twice before.
twice a day/month/year etc
when something happens regularly two times every day, month etc
▪ I play golf twice a week.
▪ Staff meetings are held twice a month.
twice over
British
▪ You should read the exam question twice over before answering it.
▪ The company’s accounts were checked twice over, the second time by an independent auditor.
▷ a couple of times /ə ˈkʌp ə l əv taɪmz/ [adverb] informal
two or three times :
▪ I’ve been out with Harry a couple of times, but I wouldn’t call him my boyfriend.
9. consisting of two things of the same type
▷ double /ˈdʌb ə l/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ I pushed the double doors open and walked into the office.
▪ The report and photographs fitted nicely onto a double page.
▪ You cannot park on double yellow lines.
▷ dual /ˈdjuː ə lǁˈduːəl/ [adjective only before noun]
having two types of one particular thing :
▪ It’s much safer if you learn to drive in a car which has dual controls.
▪ He found it difficult to cope with the dual pressures of work and home life.
dual role/function/purpose/aim
▪ Don Jose continued in his dual role of father and teacher to his son.
▪ The magistrate’s court has a dual function: to try minor cases and consider whether in more serious cases there is enough evidence for a trial to take place.
dual nationality/citizenship
when someone has the legal right to live in two different countries
▪ He has dual nationality because his father was born in Pakistan and his mother is British.
▷ twofold /ˈtuːfəʊld/ [adjective] formal
if the reasons, aims, or effects etc, of something are twofold, there are two reasons, aims, or effects :
▪ My reasons for leaving are twofold.
▪ This new legislation will have a twofold effect on businesses.
10. when a number or amount is twice as big as another
▷ twice /twaɪs/ [predeterminer/adverb]
twice as big/fast/much/many etc
bigger, faster etc by 100% :
▪ This sweater would have cost twice as much if I’d bought it in England.
twice the size/my salary/his age etc
▪ He married a woman who was twice his age.
▪ It’s about twice the length of a football field.
▪ Full cream milk contains about twice the fat of skimmed milk.
▷ double /ˈdʌb ə l/ []
twice as much as an amount, number etc :
double the amount/number/weight/size/cost etc
▪ Over 30% of marriages end in divorce, which is double the number 20 years ago.
▪ The house is now worth double the amount we paid for it.
▷ twofold /ˈtuːfəʊld/ [adjective only before noun]
two times as much or as many of something :
a twofold increase
▪ The last ten years have seen a twofold increase in the numbers of deaths on the road.