ENGLISH
REFERENCE

a moment or two

fixed phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. a very short period of time. You use this when you want to say something will happen soon or won't take long.

fixed phr.. an idiomatic quantifier phrase used to indicate a brief, often unspecified duration of time; functions as a temporal adverbial.


SIMPLE

I will be with you in a moment or two.

CONTEXTUAL

Please wait here for a moment or two while I check if the manager is available.

COMPLEX

The speaker paused for a moment or two to gather his thoughts before addressing the challenging question from the audience.

Usage

often used with the preposition 'for' or 'in' to manage expectations about waiting times.

Teaching tip

highlight that 'or two' makes the phrase sound more relaxed and less precise than just saying 'a moment'; it is a common way to soften a request to wait.

Pitfall

in moment or twoin a moment or twothe indefinite article 'a' is required at the start of this fixed expression.

© 2026 English Reference