Expression: Fork and knife

[Tom]

Hi,

Today in the thread of " Jeans and T- shirt", Mr. Micawber used a word ensemble , and suddenly the epiphany came to me.

I hope I am correct about the following "ensembles" too.

1- Knife and fork
2- Inch by inch
3- Husband and wife. etc

Could you please tell me if all the sentences in each set are correct?

1- He cannot handle knife and fork.
2- He cannot handle a knife and fork.
3- He cannot handle a knife and a fork.

1- He died an inch by inch.
2- He died inch by inch.

1- Nothing should be hidden between husband and wife.
2- Nothing should be hidden between a husband and a wife.
3 Nothing should be hidden between a husband and wife.

Looking forward to an interesting discussion.

Tom

[Tom]

Please cast the first stone

Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Glad to hear about you epiphany.

Now, tell me, how do you picture someone dying inch by inch? I can imagine day by day or little bly little, etc .... but dying measured in inches?

Amy

[Tom]

Amy

I thought die inch by inch could mean very slowly and painfully. Please give your opinions about other sentences too. I would like to make the most of my "epiphany" to understand this article use here, please.

Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

1- He cannot handle knife and fork. OK
2- He cannot handle a knife and fork. OK
3- He cannot handle a knife and a fork. OK, but the second a is unnecessary unless you want to say that he can't handle both at the same time

1- He died an inch by inch. NO
2- He died inch by inch. ? Dying inch by inch sounds odd to me

1- Nothing should be hidden between husband and wife. OK
2- Nothing should be hidden between a husband and a wife. OK, but the second a is unnecessary
3 Nothing should be hidden between a husband and wife. OK

Amy