the pair in question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the pair in question" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a specific pair of items or individuals that have been previously mentioned or are under discussion. Example: "After reviewing the evidence, it became clear that the pair in question were not involved in the incident."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

This season the equivalent four clubs have between them given two players league debuts – but the pair in question, Loftus-Cheek Arsenalenal's 17-year-old midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles, received no more than one minute's playing time apiece on the single occasion each was summoned from the bench.

The Guardian - Sport

If there are answers to these romantic puzzles within the pages of Edmund White's wittily meandering tale of the relationship between two friends over three decades, then the last people to grasp them are Jack Holmes and Will Wright, the pair in question.

The Guardian - Books

For simplicity of calculation we consider randomized values for the pair in question).

Journal of Cheminformatics

However, Aristotle states his results not by saying that certain premise-conclusion combinations are invalid but by saying that certain premise pairs do not "syllogize": that is, that, given the pair in question, examples can be constructed in which premises of that form are true and a conclusion of any of the four possible forms is false.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

No attempt to account for differing genomes sizes was made in this analysis because the phylogenetic control makes it clear that any differences in genome size necessarily arose after the species pair in question shared a common ancestor.

BMC Genomics

This probability is calculated by counting the number of sequence reads that match the allelic phase of the HLA allele pair in question compared to the total number of reads, and a binomial probability is determined using an estimated sequencing error rate (P err) of 1%.

BMC Genomics

(See also Arpaly 2006 and Arpaly & Schroeder 2014 for a similar view, according to which blame requires having a conative orientation "against the wrong or bad" (Arpaly & Schroeder 2014: 161).) Moreover, Sher argues that the belief-desire pair in question is itself the basis of those affective and behavioral dispositions that are commonly associated with blame.

SEP

And the little aircraft sent aloft to publicise "The Outlaw" over Pasadena simply made two large, hazy circles in the sky, with a point at the centre of each one.The pair in question were neither voluptuous nor pneumatic by the standards of silicone inflation that came later.

The Economist

Due to the fact that the image pairs in question have different modalities and may therefore not be easily aligned by minimizing an intensity-based dissimilarity measure, we have chosen a landmark-based registration method for the image alignment.

BMC Cancer

To identify super pools that contain the positive BAC with the corresponding marker, the MT-PCR-HRM reactions (10 μL) for a single primer pair in question is performed in 0.1 mL tubes containing 2 μL of the diluted pre-amplification product, 5 μL of SensiMix Plus SYBR (Quantace) and 5 μM of each forward and reverse primer.

BMC Genomics

Third, the CTD is likely subject to selection bias because the inference scores reflect both data availability and inference of association between each chemical disease pair in question.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the pair in question" when you need to clearly refer back to two specific entities (people or things) that have already been introduced in your text. This avoids ambiguity and maintains focus.

Common error

Avoid using "the pair in question" if you haven't clearly identified the pair earlier in your text. This phrase assumes prior knowledge on the reader's part; otherwise, it will create confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the pair in question" functions as a determiner phrase that specifies which pair is being referred to. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s a usable phrase for English writing. It serves to clarify or recall previously mentioned entities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

25%

Science

50%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the pair in question" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, typically used to refer to two previously mentioned items or individuals. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is deemed usable in written English. While its frequency is uncommon, it serves the purpose of ensuring clarity and avoiding repetition in various contexts, including news, science, and academia. Alternatives like "the relevant duo" or "the specific couple" can be used depending on the desired emphasis. Remember to clearly identify the pair before using this phrase to prevent confusion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the specific couple

Emphasizes the specificity of the couple being referred to.

the pertinent pair

Replaces "in question" with "pertinent", stressing the relevance of the pair.

the relevant duo

Replaces "pair" with "duo" and "in question" with "relevant", emphasizing the pertinence of the pair.

the designated duo

Uses "designated" to indicate that the pair has been specifically chosen or identified.

the aforementioned couple

Substitutes "pair" with "couple" and uses "aforementioned" to indicate prior mention.

the subject twosome

Replaces "pair" with "twosome" and uses "subject" to highlight their role in the discussion.

the two individuals concerned

Specifies "individuals" instead of "pair" and uses "concerned" to imply relevance.

the items under consideration

Focuses on "items" rather than individuals, suitable when referring to objects.

the mentioned set

Uses "set" as a broader term instead of "pair", implying a collection.

those two involved

Highlights the involvement of the pair, suitable when discussing actions or events.

FAQs

How can I use "the pair in question" in a sentence?

Use "the pair in question" to refer back to two specific items or individuals previously mentioned. For example, "The two suspects were apprehended; after questioning, "the pair in question" were released."

What are some alternatives to "the pair in question"?

Alternatives include "the relevant duo", "the aforementioned couple", or "the specific couple". The best choice depends on the specific context and what aspect you want to emphasize.

When is it appropriate to use "the pair in question"?

It's appropriate when you want to avoid repeating the specific names or descriptions of two previously identified entities. It adds a level of conciseness and assumes the reader knows which pair you're referencing.

Is "the pair in question" formal or informal?

"The pair in question" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal writing. However, more formal alternatives might be preferred in strictly academic or professional contexts.