The Write Rants » couple http://www.levimontgomery.com Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:38:16 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 Mini-Rant o’ the Day: “Couple” http://www.levimontgomery.com/index.php/2010/02/08/mini-rant-o-the-day-couple/ http://www.levimontgomery.com/index.php/2010/02/08/mini-rant-o-the-day-couple/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:11:22 +0000 Levi Montgomery http://www.levimontgomery.com/index.php/2010/02/08/mini-rant-o-the-day-couple/ In some uses, you can use couple without of:
  • They are a couple.
  • It is a retreat for couples.

In others, you cannot:

  • I will list a couple of examples here.
  • She has a couple of books in her house.

Here’s the key: replace couple with pair, and see if you need of:

  • They are a pair.
    • NOT: They are a pair of.
  • It is a retreat for pairs.
    • NOT: It is a retreat for pairs of.
  • I will list a pair of examples here.
    • NOT: I will list a pair examples here.
  • She has a pair of books in her house.
    • NOT: She has a pair books in her house. (We’ll disregard the fact that “couple” in this usage was probably not meant to be literal.)

End o’ the rant. Please carry on.

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