a pair of siblings

USAGE SUMMARY

"a pair of siblings" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
Here is an example sentence: "The children's mother had left them in the care of a pair of siblings who lived nearby."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

We used genotype data for maternal plants and progeny arrays to estimate multilocus correlated paternity, or the proportion of full sib progeny among a pair of siblings within pods (rppm), using the sibling pair method in the MLTR v 3.4 program (Ritland and Jain, 1981; Ritland, 2002).

Annals of Botany

A pair of siblings with Morquio A seen in clinical practice illustrates this: one sibling was very short but ambulatory and with minimal medical problems; whereas, the other sibling was taller but could not walk independently and had a history of surgeries related to Morquio A (personal communication, P. Harmatz).

Human Mutation

The well-reviewed "Oculus," directed and co-written by Mike Flanagan of "Absentia," follows a pair of siblings whose parents died mysteriously a decade earlier.

Los Angeles Times

The comedy is of a somber hue in this play, about a pair of siblings facing imminent financial ruin.

The New York Times

Several years ago, Ms. Kleier was hired by a pair of siblings to sell the family home, a nine-room Park Avenue prewar apartment, after their parents passed away within a short time.

The New York Times

Based on the 1929 novel by Jean Cocteau about a pair of siblings who retreat from the world into a deviant fantasy of their own imaginings, the piece was first created in 1996 with choreography by Susan Marshall.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

There were a pair of sibling subjects in two of the homes (yielding indoor-outdoor home exposure data for 14 subjects overall for the 12 homes).

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

As an example of a study in which mtDNA COI sequence comparisons did reveal cryptic species, Crespi et al. [ 42] found that the Australian gall forming thrips represented a pair of sibling species, previously indistinguishable.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Leveraging existing empirical recombination estimates and combining these with LD-based estimates of recombination in D. pseudoobscura and D. miranda, we present the most comprehensive comparative portrait of recombination in a pair of sibling species to date.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Each replicate of the inbred-founded treatment was established with a pair of full siblings that were descended from two generations of full-sibling inbreeding.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The story, concerning a pair of tiger siblings (an older sister named Tikki and a younger brother named Mista), was short and simple.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about siblings, ensure the context clearly indicates the relationship. For example, specify "a pair of siblings" instead of just "a pair" to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "a pair" without specifying what the pair consists of, especially if the context doesn't immediately imply siblings. For instance, write "a pair of siblings" instead of just "a pair" to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pair of siblings" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject or object in a sentence. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is grammatically correct and commonly used. For example, "A pair of siblings inherited their family's estate."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

58%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a pair of siblings" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun phrase that describes two individuals sharing the same parents. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is versatile and appears across various contexts, from scientific research to news reports. The phrase's neutral register makes it suitable for formal and informal communication. Common alternatives include "two siblings" and "sibling duo". When using the phrase, ensure clarity and context to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

two siblings

This alternative simplifies the original phrase by using the numeral "two" instead of "a pair", maintaining the same meaning.

a couple of siblings

Using the term "couple" instead of "pair" is a minor variation that retains the original meaning.

sibling duo

This phrase replaces "a pair" with "duo", emphasizing the partnership or close relationship between the siblings.

two related siblings

Adding "related" emphasizes their family connection but is somewhat redundant.

brother and sister

This alternative specifies the gender of the siblings, whereas the original phrase is gender-neutral.

sister and brother

This alternative reverses the order of "brother and sister", still specifying the gender of the siblings.

a set of siblings

This alternative uses "set" to denote a group of siblings.

a twosome of siblings

Replacing "pair" with "twosome" directly refers to the group of two siblings.

a brace of siblings

Using "brace" is a more archaic or formal way to describe a pair, which may not be as common.

a fraternal pair

This implies a strong bond akin to siblings, though not necessarily siblings in the literal sense.

FAQs

How can I use "a pair of siblings" in a sentence?

You can use "a pair of siblings" to describe two individuals who share the same parents. For instance, "A pair of siblings inherited their family's business."

What are some alternatives to saying "a pair of siblings"?

Alternatives include "two siblings", "sibling duo", or specifying their genders as "brother and sister".

Is it better to say "a pair of siblings" or "two siblings"?

Both phrases are correct and largely interchangeable. "A pair of siblings" emphasizes the connection as a unit, while "two siblings" simply states the quantity.

What's the difference between "a pair of siblings" and "a set of siblings"?

While both refer to siblings, "a pair of siblings" specifically means two siblings. "A set of siblings" can imply more than two, though it's less common.