a pair of school

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a pair of school" is not correct and usable in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect expression, as "pair" typically refers to two of something that is usually a matching set, while "school" does not fit this context. Example: "I bought a pair of shoes for school."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

I was afraid as a kid facing down a pair of school bullies.

Huffington Post

1. - A pair of school officials in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, were forced to resign after the local school board discovered text messages they two exchanged that were of a racist and sexist nature.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But here we've not only got a pair of schools just down the road from one another (or so we assume we have no idea how big the state of Kentucky is), we have in Rick Pitino a coach who built up one program (Kentucky) into "the Roman Empire of college basketball" (his own ever-humble words) only to have to face the monster he created.

Vice

Envious teammates of a pair of high school wrestlers concoct a rumor that the boys are gay.

The New York Times - Arts

The job of organizing the group has fallen to a pair of law school graduates from the University of Cape Town.

The New York Times

Once upon a time, children's boots only meant one thing: a pair of Dunlop school issue wellies.

Independent

A pair of high school American football players have been suspended after they were caught on camera assaulting the referee.

Independent

"Zombie College" revolves around a pair of high school lovers, Scott and Zelda (the Fitzgerald allusion stops there), who are leaving for their freshman year of college.

The New York Times - Arts

Today, the candidates rolled through Ohio aboard a pair of yellow school buses to highlight their plans for improving education in this critical swing state.

The New York Times

But for one night, the decisions of a pair of high school seniors brightened the immediate futures of Kentucky and U.C.L.A.

The New York Times - Sports

They are a pair of public school teachers who have little in common with the stock characters often depicted in tales of this land.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you intend to describe items related to schools always add a noun that fits the context. For example, use "a pair of school buses" rather than "a pair of school".

Common error

Avoid using "a pair of school" without specifying what the pair refers to. Always clarify the noun to provide a clear understanding of what you're describing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pair of school" is typically intended to function as a determiner phrase, aiming to specify a quantity (two) of something related to a school. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it's grammatically incomplete and requires a noun to follow, specifying what constitutes the "pair".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a pair of school" is grammatically incorrect as per Ludwig AI analysis, requiring a clarifying noun to specify what the "pair" consists of (e.g., buses, buildings, students). While example sentences exist, its usage is infrequent and spans across news media, wiki and scientific contexts. To ensure clarity, it's crucial to add the missing noun, thereby making the phrase grammatically sound and easily understandable. For example, use phrases like "a pair of school buses" or "a pair of school students" instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a couple of schools

Uses "couple" as a synonym for "pair", indicating two schools.

school pair

Reverses the order of the words, creating a noun compound.

two schools

Uses a specific number instead of the general term "pair".

a set of school buildings

Replaces "pair" with "set" and clarifies "school" with "school buildings".

twin schools

Suggests schools that are very similar or related.

a duo of school staff

Uses "duo" instead of "pair" and focuses on school staff instead of the institution itself.

affiliated schools

Implies schools that are associated or connected.

sister schools

Indicates a formal relationship or partnership between schools.

a school partnership

Focuses on the relationship between schools rather than their number.

cooperating schools

Emphasizes the collaborative aspect between multiple schools.

FAQs

What does "a pair" usually refer to?

The term "a pair" typically refers to two items that are meant to be used together or are similar, such as "a pair of shoes" or "a pair of gloves".

What can I say instead of "a pair of school" to refer to a school event with two participants?

You can use alternatives like "a couple of students from school" or "two students from school" to be more specific.

How can I correctly use "pair" when talking about school items?

Specify the item after "pair of", for example, "a pair of school buses", "a pair of school shoes", or "a pair of school buildings".

Is it grammatically correct to say "a pair of school"?

No, it is grammatically incorrect. You need to specify what the pair consists of, such as "a pair of schools" or "a pair of students at school".