1.   He took a couple of paces forward, then stopped.

2.   I certainly had to take a couple of unofficial breaks and we were very glad when we stopped for food and drink.

3.   I positioned myself immediately below him, took a couple of practice aims and then launched my training shoe upwards.

4.   I took a couple of painkillers, which took the edge off the pain.

5.   It takes a couple of hours to sort the mail in the morning.

6.   It took a couple of minutes to attach the trailer to the back of the truck.

7.   It took a couple of near disasters to set me straight.

8.   It took a couple of years to develop, but gay activists say they believe that storm has arrived.

9.   My stomach took a couple of hard punches.