Meaning & use
two-person team
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Meanings
nouncountable
A group of exactly two people who work together on the same job, task, or game.
Grammar: Countable: say 'a two-person team' or 'two two-person teams'.
Patterns
- a two-person team of someone
- work as a two-person team
- in a two-person team
We split the class into two-person teams for the interview exercise.
She and her brother run the bakery as a two-person team.
A two-person team carried the heavy box up the stairs.
nouncountablesport
A pair of players who compete together in a sport such as tennis, badminton, or rowing.
Grammar: Often used with 'doubles' or 'pair'; the two members are called partners.
Patterns
- a two-person team in something
- play in a two-person team
- beat a two-person team
In beach volleyball a two-person team stays on the court the whole match.
They entered the rowing race as a two-person team.
Our two-person team lost the doubles final in three sets.
nouncountablebusiness
A small working unit of two people set up by a company or police force for a special job.
Grammar: Used in business and official contexts; the two people are usually named or numbered.
Patterns
- form a two-person team
- send a two-person team to do something
- a two-person team handles something
The bank formed a two-person team to handle complaints from small businesses.
Officers sent a two-person team to check the empty building.
Each two-person team is responsible for one region.
Word forms
| plural | two-person teams |
|---|
Common combinations
- work as a two-person team
- For this project we will work as a two-person team.
- a two-person team of experts
- A two-person team of experts visited the factory.
- form a two-person team
- The manager asked us to form a two-person team.
- split into two-person teams
- The coach split the players into two-person teams.
- a two-person team effort
- Cleaning the whole hall was a two-person team effort.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pair
- Use 'pair' for any two things or people together; a two-person team suggests they are working or playing together on one job.
- duo
- 'Duo' is more informal and often used for performers; a two-person team sounds more neutral and work-focused.
- partnership
- A partnership can last for years and may not be limited to two people, while a two-person team is exactly two and often temporary.
Word family
Commonly confused: two-person team or two-man team? two-person team or pair?
two-person team vs two-man team
'Two-man team' is the older form and is now often avoided because it sounds as if only men are involved; 'two-person team' is the neutral choice.
two-person team vs pair
A pair is simply two items or people; a two-person team adds the idea of shared work or a shared goal.
Practice
The organizers put us in ___ to check tickets at the gate.
Choose one answer.
'A two-person team' is the correct singular countable form after 'in'. 'A two people team' is wrong because the number in a compound modifier stays singular ('two-person'), and 'teaming' is not a noun here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “two-person team”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.