Clarifying the Correct Usage of 'Bread and Butter' in English Grammatical Contexts

The correct phrase to use in this context is: 'These days bread and butter is difficult to earn.'

When dealing with idiomatic expressions such as 'earn one's bread and butter,' the phrase is considered as a single unit representing a singular concept. Therefore, the verb should be in the singular form. However, when the expression is treated more literally, as referring to two distinct items, the verb becomes plural.

Rephrasing the Sentence

One solution to maintain the idiom in its literal use without straining grammar is to rephrase the sentence slightly:

These days it is hard to earn your bread and butter.

This rephrasing allows for a smoother grammatical structure while maintaining the intended meaning.

Hyphenation

An alternative approach to make the phrase more obvious as a single concept is to hyphenate it:

These days bread-and-butter is difficult to earn.

However, this hyphenation style is not common and may not be considered a completely natural sentence in everyday usage.

Common Phrases and Their Usage

Here are other examples of similar phrases with clear and correct usage:

Fabric and patterns are expensive (Here, 'is' would be incorrect)

Milk and beer are expensive (Again, 'is' would be incorrect)

Bread and butter is my favorite breakfast (Correct in idiomatic context)

As non-native English speakers might find certain idiomatic expressions challenging, understanding the rules surrounding the use of 'bread and butter' can be particularly confusing. This phrase specifically refers to the means of earning one's livelihood or the basic necessities for living.

From a grammatical standpoint, the key points to remember are:

The phrase 'breads and butter' is an idiom, meaning it behaves like a collective noun and should be followed by a singular verb to maintain agreement.

The subject 'bread and butter' functions as a singular unit when referring to the livelihood or basic means of living.

When treating 'bread and butter' as two separate items, the verb becomes plural.

A common rephrasing to maintain singular verb agreement while preserving the idiom is:

These days it is hard to earn your bread and butter.

This sentence correction ensures grammatical accuracy and maintains the cultural and linguistic importance of the phrase.