A learner asks for "pepper and salt" or orders "chips and fish". Everyone understands, but it sounds odd. In many languages you can put two words in either order. In this episode: • What a fixed pair is • At home and in the kitchen • Feelings and time • Movement, choices and doubles • Listening lab • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: bits and bobs — small things of different kinds (casual) odds and ends — small leftover things (casual) tea and toast — a simple breakfast or snack fish and chips — a classic takeaway salt and pepper — on most kitchen tables knife and fork — what you eat with bread and butter — a basic snack mum and dad — parents Nan and Grandad — grandparents (casual) The drawer's full of bits and bobs. — lots of small mixed things I've just got a few odds and ends to sort out. — small jobs Fancy tea and toast? — a quick snack Hold your knife and fork properly, please. — at the table We're having fish and chips on Friday. — a takeaway treat peace and quiet — calm time with no noise sick and tired — very fed up, not ill (casual) safe and sound — safe and unhurt now and then — sometimes on and off — sometimes, not all the time sooner or later — at some time in the future ups and downs — good times and bad times give and take — when both people accept a little less I just want some peace and quiet. — calm time, please I'm sick and tired of tidying up after you! — very fed up They got home safe and sound. — they arrived safely We see Nan now and then. — sometimes It's rained on and off all day. — it started and stopped Real British English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — modern British accent, everyday grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, he/she/it for things, and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.