雪莉已經在自動販賣機前站了好一陣子，看到查理走進茶水間，她一臉無奈的說：Unfortunately, the coffee machine is out of work. 查理聞言楞了一下，然後爆笑出聲，反問雪莉：Did he get his walking papers?
你看出來「笑點」在哪裡嗎？一字之差，往往可能貽笑大方。以下就是一些例子。
關鍵用法：
1、自動販賣機壞了。
（X）The coffee machine is out of work.
（O）The coffee machine is out of order.
講解：out of work意指失業，out of order才是故障。所以上述例子中，查理才會開玩笑反問：販賣機收到它的「解雇通知單」（walking papers）了嗎？
例：The refrigerator is out of order. We need to ask someone to fix it. 冰箱壞了，我們得找人來修理。
2、開會中，請別再睡了。
（X）Please stop to sleep during the meeting.
（O）Please stop sleeping during the meeting.
講解：要求別人停止繼續某種行為，stop後面接的是「動詞+ing」形式；接「to sleep」反而是在要求對方停止正在做的事，改去睡覺。
例：My colleague asked me that I must stop sleeping at work. 我同事要求我停止在上班時睡覺。
3、他總是堅持自己的立場。
（X）He always puts his feet down.
（O）He always puts his foot down.
講解：要put one's foot down是固定片語，指「立場堅定、嚴厲執行」，務必用單數foot（腳）；可以用複數feet嗎？那就不是片語了，而是描述情境：他總是把雙腳放下來。
例：Jack is not a good supervisor. He never makes up his mind or puts his foot down. 傑克不是稱職的主管，從不拿定主意並堅持立場。
4、你找錯人了。
（X）You’re barking at the wrong tree.
（O）You’re barking up the wrong tree.
講解：bark up the wrong tree這句片語指「找錯方向、錯怪某人」，bark at則用在表示狗吠叫的對象，介系詞搞錯了，小心讓人以為你在汙辱他！
例：This is not my duty. You’re barking up the wrong tree. 這不是我的職責，你找錯人了。
好英文不怕壞景氣，改變英文就改變你的運氣。世界公民文化中心
★ 帶著你的「幹勁」起跑人生，「未完待續」的故事天天開演…
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