Three word expressions are common in English. Practicing them and using them when you speak will help you sound more natural. Here are several common expressions, along with an explanation and example sentence.
1. black and white=something which is extremely clear (黑白分明的,絕對的)
Example: He told her in black and white that she couldn’t leave the house while he was out.
2. dos and don’ts=the rules (行為準(zhǔn)則,須知,注意事項(xiàng))
Example: There are various dos and don’ts about driving in the UK.
3. haves and have nots=people who are rich and those who are not (富人和窮人)
Example: In London you can easily find the haves and have nots of the population.
4. ins and outs=the details (細(xì)節(jié),始末,詳情)
Example: I don’t know the ins and outs of the situation, so I can’t really advise you.
5. kiss and tell=let out secrets (泄漏秘密)
Example:The British tabloids are famous for publishing kiss-and-tell stories.
6. odds and ends=small pieces of various items (零碎東西,零星雜物)
Example: She made a stew(混雜物) with the odds and ends she found in the fridge.
7. Ps and Qs=manners (such as please and thank you) (言行舉止)
Example: Mind your Ps and Qs when you visit your grandmother!
8. pros and cons=advantages and disadvantages (贊成和反對)
Example: There are a few pros and cons that we should consider before buying a new house.
9. rights and wrongs=all the good points and bad points of a situation (事情的真相、全部)
Example: Regardless of the rights and wrongs of company policy, you need to give a month’s notice.
10. tried and tested=something which has been well tested (經(jīng)過反復(fù)考驗(yàn)的)
Example: Using salt is a tried and tested way of getting red wine out of a carpet.