Using Binomials

In English, when two nouns go together in a specified order they are called binomials. If three go together they are call trinomials. Examples of this might be ‘aches and pains’, ‘last but not least’ and ‘cool, calm and collected’.

As you can see the nouns are often linked by conjunction such as ‘and’, ‘or’ and ‘but’. It is important that the order of the nouns is correct and that synonyms are not used for the nouns. This is because these words together create meaningful phrases which are spoken and written throughout English usage.

Learning binomials can be a fun way of expanding your English vocabulary. The combinations often create meaning that vary distinctly from the common usage of the nouns in the phrase. These are idioms and expressions and they are the hardest part of English for new learners to understand.

This app offers learner the chance to test their existing knowledge and expand their vocabulary in the process. When using the app you will see two sentences that are nearly the same. One has the correct order of the binomial (or trinomial) and the other does not. The user must select the right one. In doing so the user reinforces the correct structure of the phrase and also sees it being applied in a sentence that reflects common usage.

Try this app and have fun expanding your English vocabulary.