any pair

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "any pair" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to an unspecified or general set of two items or individuals. For example, "You can choose any pair of shoes from the display." Alternative expressions include "any couple" and "any two."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Linkage disequilibrium was not detected between any pair of loci.

Biochemical Systematics and Ecology

The second one applies to any pair of Boolean functions.

Information Processing Letters

And that would beat any pair making four hearts.

The New York Times

Potential links exist between any pair of terminals and between the central processor and the terminals.

Computers & Operations Research

This design and expression for BsAb fragments should be applicable to any pair of antigen specificities.

Journal of Immunological Methods

This algorithm computes paths of expected length Θ log2n/k) between any pair of nodes.

Theoretical Computer Science

This design for BsAb fragments should be applicable to any pair of antigen specificities.

Journal of Immunological Methods

3C is used to analyze long-range looping interactions between any pair of selected genomic loci.

Methods

The technology works with any pair of loudspeakers, but not with headphones.

Princeton University

This leaves a single, active path between any pair of network nodes.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In fact, he couldn't find any pair of palaces that he could combine into another.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, ensure the noun following "any pair" (the object of the preposition 'of') is plural, as in "any pair of genes" or "any pair of nodes".

Common error

Avoid using a plural verb when "any pair" is the subject. Even though a pair consists of two things, the subject "pair" is singular. Write "any pair of shoes is fine", not "any pair of shoes are fine".

Linguistic Context

In linguistic terms, "any pair" serves as a singular noun phrase where "any" acts as a determiner (quantifier) indicating an arbitrary selection. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically standard and functions to denote a non-specific set of two items. It is almost always used as the head of a prepositional phrase beginning with "of" to specify the components of the pair.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

Academia

20%

News & Media

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "any pair" is a highly effective and grammatically correct phrase used to denote an arbitrary selection of two items. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use, especially in scientific and academic writing where precision is paramount. The phrase typically appears in contexts involving logical relations, mathematical sets or biological data (e.g., "any pair of genes"). While it can be replaced by alternatives like <a href="/s/any+two" target="_blank" rel="alternative">any two, the term "pair" adds a sense of unity or inherent connection between the two items. Writers should be careful to maintain singular subject-verb agreement when using this phrase as a subject, as it remains a singular entity in formal English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

any two

Removes the noun pair and focuses purely on the numerical count

any given pair

Adds a formal emphasis on the arbitrary selection of the two items

any set of two

A more clinical or mathematical phrasing of the same concept

any combination of two

Focuses on the selection process from a larger pool of items

any couple

More informal or romantic in connotation and less common in scientific contexts

each pair

Shifts focus from an arbitrary selection to every individual pair in a set

every pair

Implying the totality of available pairs rather than a single choice

any duo

Often used for people or performers rather than inanimate objects

any matching pair

Specifies that the two items must correspond or belong together

any partnership

Narrowly focused on collaborative relationships between two entities

FAQs

How do I use "any pair" in a sentence?

The phrase "any pair" is typically followed by "of" and a plural noun. For example, "The rule applies to <a href="/s/any+pair+of+elements" target="_blank" rel="alternative">any pair of elements in the set".

What is the difference between "any pair" and "any two"?

While often interchangeable, "any pair" implies that the two items are linked or viewed as a single unit, whereas <a href="/s/any+two" target="_blank" rel="alternative">any two simply specifies the quantity.

Can I say "any pairs" instead?

Use "any pair" for a single selection and <a href="/s/any+pairs" target="_blank" rel="alternative">any pairs when referring to multiple sets of two. For instance, "Pick any pair of socks" versus "Are there any pairs of socks left in the drawer?"

Is "any pair" formal enough for research papers?

Yes, it is highly formal. Ludwig examples show it is frequently used in journals like ScienceDirect and Bioinformatics to describe <a href="/s/any+pair+of+loci" target="_blank" rel="alternative">any pair of loci or nodes.