There are some things you can’t hear or think of without something else also coming to mind. When many of us hear “peanut butter,” we immediately think “jelly!”
Some pairs even date back hundreds of years. For example, people have been eating mashed potatoes with gravy since the 18th century.[1]
Learning to pair things together is also an important part of our earliest development. A child figuring out how to pair objects is the first step to associating letters with one another and eventually learning to read.[2]
If you’re on the hunt for a classic duo, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we have the list of 57 pairs of things that go together.
You’ll also find a few fun activities beneath the list to help you come up with more pairs.
Cookies and Milk
Salt and Pepper
Thunder and Lightning
Hugs and Kisses[3]
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Pros and Cons[4]
Me and You
Fish and Chips[5]
Nuts and Bolts[3]
Needle and Thread[3]
Bow and Arrow[5]
Sweet and Sour[6]
Bread and Butter
Hammer and Nails[5]
Green Eggs and Ham
Cat and Dog
Shoes and Socks
Cat and Mouse
Black and White[5]
Spaghetti and Meatballs[5]
Pencil and Paper
Prince and Princess
Bacon and Eggs
Macaroni and Cheese[5]
Fork and Knife[5]
Pots and Pans[4]
Ketchup and Mustard[3]
Flint and Steel
Surf and Turf[5]
King and Queen
Left and Right
Lock and Key
Peaches and Cream
Crime and Punishment[4]
War and Peace[4]
Give and Take
Cloak and Dagger[4]
Bed and Breakfast[6]
Hot and Spicy
Stars and Stripes[6]
Smoke and Mirrors[6]
Peanut Butter and Chocolate
Chicken and Rice
Apples and Oranges
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy[3]
Horse and Carriage[3]
Love and Marriage[3]
Brother and Sister
Meat and Potatoes[6]
Nickel and Dime[3]
Fun and Games
Pins and Needles[3]
Cup and Saucer
Cream and Sugar
Coat and Tie
Bricks and Mortar[4]
Mom and Dad
Helpful Activities for Finding Common Pairs
We’ve listed some of the most well-known pairs that go together, but plenty of other things come in twos as well.
Complete these activities to find your own expanded list of pairs!
- Random Pairs: Grab a sheet of paper and have someone call out random, everyday things, such as “pen,” “fork,” “book,” and “bottle.” Write down each word the person says, then the first thing that comes to mind when you think of that word. You’re bound to come across at least a couple of great ideas for pairs!
- Favorite Pairs: Make a list of your favorite things in the world. These might be your favorite possessions, gear related to your hobbies, or items you collect. Then, figure out what goes best with each one. This may prompt a few useful ideas for pairs. For example, if you collect cute mugs, you might come up with “mugs and bowls.”
- Matching/Themed Pairs: Another idea is to think of things that are the same color, items that share a common theme, or rhyming words. Among some fun, silly answers, you’ll also find great pairs, such as “surf and turf” (which rhyme) or “sapphires and rubies” (which are both gemstones).
Top 289 Things That Start With S: Household Items, Toys, Clothing, etc
Top 159 Things Starting With A: Household Items, Toys, Clothing, etc
Top 157 Things That Start With T: Toys, Clothing, etc
