1. School is open 與 the school is open ：

school is open 是指學校開學 ，這里的 open 是形容詞， school 前面不加冠詞 the ，意味整個中小學的 school system 。但 the school is open ，多指學校的建筑物開放著，但沒學生上課。

同理： He goes to school. 是指他去上學念書受教育，而 He goes to the school. 又指他去學校的建筑物（看朋友、參觀等）。

但 The store is open. 是指店在營業中（ = Business is going on. ），而 The store is closed. 又是指店暫時不營業。倘若店是永久性的關門大吉，就應該說： The store was closed down.

不過 closed 當形容詞時，又有守舊（ conservative ）或受某種限制（ restricted ）的意思。 比如：

This is a closed community. （這是一個守舊的社區。）（因為宗教信仰等緣由，美國有些社區不歡迎外來的人。）

2. Thick skin 與 thin skin ：

thick skin 是指一個人不害臊，冷靜，好脾氣 ，但 thin skin 是指非常敏銳 ，易發怒，易激動的人。 比如：

He has thin skin.

= He is thin-skinned .

Many American politicians are very thick-skinned.

thick skin 不是咱們中國人所謂厚臉皮不要臉的意思。對老外來講，總是還是一種恭維呢！而 thin skin 恰好又相反。

3. To turn the tables 與 under the table ：

turn the tables 意思是扭轉局面，作出反擊或反告（ to turn around or to reverse the accusation^{1 toward accuser ），但 under the table 是指做賄賂等違法的事情（ do something illegal ）。 比如：}

In court she turned the tables of prosecution^{2 toward him. （在法院她反而控告他。）}

Some politicians accepted brides under the table. （一些政客違法地同意賄賂。）

4. To be attracted to 與 to be attracted by ：

這都是指被吸引住，不過介系詞用 to 時，后面一般不說理由，但介詞用 by 時，后面多半說明吸引是什么原因。 比如：

She was attracted to him. （她被他吸引住。）（但沒說明緣由 ）

= She found herself attracted to him.

= He attracted her. ; 說白些，就是

= She liked him.;

同理 He was attracted to her.

= He found himself attracted to her.

= She attracted him.; 也就是：

= He liked her.

但假如說：
She was attracted by his good-look.

He was attracted by her beauty .

就是由于用 by 時，后面多半都說明吸引的原因。

5. Talk back to 與 turn back on ：

to talk back to someone 意思是對某人回嘴（ to defy ），多半指孩子。而 to turn ones back on someone 系指不喜歡某人（ dislike someone ）。比如：

the boy talks back to his mother all the time. （這男生對他媽媽總是回嘴。）

至于 to be on （ ones ） back about （ something ）又有對某事嘮叨 的意思。 比如：

His mother is always on his back about diet. （他母親常為了飲食對他嘮叨。）