Three R's

Reading, writing, and arithmetic (i.e. mathematics). They're considered the three fundamentals everyone should learn by the time they finish elementary education... well hopefully.

Yes, only one of the Three R's actually starts with the letter 'r'. The phrase originally started as a joke, but today it's more of an idiom.

It's a terrible school; the children are not even taught the three R's.

by Willow weep for me January 12, 2009