wouldn't hear of it堅決不答應

先誇對方英語無可挑剔，再拿自己的法語做對照，自嘲而不失分寸，英式幽默全在 more than can be said for 這半句裡。

His X is flawless, which is more than can be said for my Y.

誇對方某方面出色、同時拿自己短板打趣時用。

Her singing is lovely, which is more than can be said for mine. ／ He cooks well, unlike some of us.

口語

a very nice chap 輕快，is flawless 停頓，more than can be said for my French 放慢收。

She seems a lovely neighbor, and her garden is immaculate, which is more than can be said for mine. 她看著是個好鄰居，花園也打理得無可挑剔，我的花園就不敢這麼說了。

用 try my luck 把一次遠行說成一場押注，再用 ever since 收住十幾年光陰，一句話講完一個人的選擇與堅持。

I went to X to try my luck, and I've been there ever since.

講述自己當年離家闖蕩、從此紮根某地時用，口語、帶感慨。

I left home to see what I could make of myself, and I never looked back. ／ One bold move, and the rest is history.

中性

ten years ago 輕帶，to try my luck 放慢，ever since 平收。

I moved to the city at twenty to try my luck, and I've been here ever since. 我二十歲搬到這座城市碰運氣，從那以後就一直待在這兒。

先用一個戲稱給自己人貼標籤，再補一件每週照做的板球小事，把異鄉人的抱團與鄉愁寫得輕快又具體。

They call us X, and we all do Y once a week.

介紹某個小圈子自嘲式的外號、順帶說他們的固定活動時用。

They nicknamed us the lost tribe, and we still meet every Friday. ／ Everyone calls us the strays, and we feed each other anyway.

中性

the Hollywood Raj 放慢，we all play cricket 輕快，once a week 平收。

They call us the office choir, and we all rehearse every Thursday. 他們管我們叫辦公室合唱團，我們每週四都一起排練。

一句反問先吊起好奇，再用 You can tell us... at dinner 把邀請和期待一併遞出，既不長篇追問，也不放過故事，是英式社交裡逗人開口的漂亮說法。

You can tell us the rest of that story at dinner.

想聽對方把故事講完、又不想顯得太急切時用，飯桌或聚會上對剛起了個頭的朋友說；正式彙報場合別用。

You'll have to tell us the whole story over dinner. ／ Save the rest of it for the table.

中性

On the roof 上揚，You can tell us 連讀，at dinner 放輕收尾。

That sounds like a story. You can tell us the rest of it over lunch. 聽著像有故事。剩下的留到午飯時講給我們聽吧。