a pair of donkey

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a pair of donkey" is not correct in written English.
The correct form should be "a pair of donkeys" since "donkey" needs to be pluralized when referring to two. Example: "We saw a pair of donkeys grazing in the field."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A pair of donkey engines rotated the turret through a set of gears; a full rotation was made in 22.5 seconds during testing on 9 February 1862.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In one episode, her father hitched their belongings to a pair of donkeys and set a course for South America.

The New York Times

So every day she also pays Ángel, a neighbor in his 70s who owns a pair of donkeys named Reindeer and Rabbit.

The New York Times

There is a "gatehouse" at its foot – a stable and field where a pair of donkeys give giant-toothed grins in return for a good rub on the nose.

The Guardian

Its hard to say specifically how much grass a pair of donkeys needs, as grazing can vary so much.

WikiHow

Talk story about meeting a K.L.M. plane carrying a pair of miniature donkeys from Italy.

The New Yorker

They live in Hanover, N.H., with their children, 10 chickens, eight ducks, two geese and a pair of miniature donkeys.

The New York Times - Magazine

By John Bainbridge and John McCarten The New Yorker, November 15 , 1952P. 32 Talk story about meeting a K.L.M. plane carrying a pair of miniature donkeys from Italy.

The New Yorker

The New Yorker, November 15 , 1952P. 32 Talk story about meeting a K.L.M. plane carrying a pair of miniature donkeys from Italy.

The New Yorker

The 2014 World Cup, in Brazil, inspired predictions from a trio of gentoo penguins, in Birmingham, England; a pair of miniature donkeys, in Somerset; and a Swiss guinea pig named Madame Shiva, who made her selections, somewhat counterintuitively, by pooping on the flag of the winning team.

The New Yorker

Day Five: DG makes all sorts of Eeyore noises at a pair of passing donkeys -- he communicates better with them that with us.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "donkeys" when referring to more than one donkey. The correct phrase is "a pair of donkeys."

Common error

Avoid using "donkey" in the singular when referring to a pair. Using "a pair of donkey" is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pair of donkey" attempts to function as a noun phrase describing two donkeys. However, Ludwig AI indicates it is grammatically incorrect because it uses the singular form of "donkey" when referring to two animals. The correct form is "a pair of donkeys."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while seemingly straightforward, the phrase "a pair of donkey" contains a grammatical error. According to Ludwig AI, the correct expression is "a pair of donkeys". This correction involves using the plural form of the noun "donkey" when referring to two animals. While its intended purpose is clear - to quantify two donkeys - its use should be restricted to informal contexts. The best practice is to always use the plural form to maintain grammatical accuracy. Ludwig examples show that, while not frequent, similar contexts appear in News & Media and Wiki, but always with the corrected version "a pair of donkeys".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a pair of donkeys

This is the grammatically correct version of the original phrase, pluralizing "donkey."

two donkeys

This uses a numerical adjective instead of the phrase "a pair of."

a couple of donkeys

Replaces "a pair of" with the synonym "a couple of," maintaining the plural noun.

a brace of donkeys

A more archaic or jocular term for "a pair," suitable only in specific contexts.

a yoke of donkeys

Implies the donkeys are working together, such as pulling a cart.

team of donkeys

Refers to donkeys working together, suitable for describing a group used for tasks.

span of donkeys

An older term indicating two animals yoked together.

donkey duo

Uses the word "duo" to describe a pair of donkeys, avoiding the prepositional phrase.

matching donkeys

Indicates two similar-looking donkeys.

companion donkeys

Emphasizes the social aspect of two donkeys kept together.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "a pair of donkey"?

The correct way to refer to two donkeys is "a pair of "donkeys"". The noun must be pluralized.

Can I use other phrases instead of "a pair of donkey"?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "two "donkeys"" or "a couple of "donkeys"". But avoid "a pair of donkey".

What's the difference between "a pair of donkey" and "a pair of donkeys"?

"A pair of donkey" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "a pair of "donkeys"", where "donkeys" is plural.

Is "a pair of donkey" ever correct?

No, "a pair of donkey" is not considered grammatically correct English. Always use the plural form: "a pair of "donkeys"".