◆這些座建筑物設計很差。

誤：These buildings are of poor designs.

正：These buildings are of poor design.

析：名詞 design 表示具體意義的結果(如：圖案，設計圖等)，是可數名詞，表示抽象意義的“設計”，則為不可數名詞。

◆他想打這個姑娘的主意。

誤：He has design on the girl.

正：He has designs on the girl.

析：design 表示“企圖”、“圖謀”，總是用復數形式，尤其用于 have designs on [against](企圖傷害……，企圖把……據為己有)。又如：He has designs on [against] your life.(他圖謀要害你的命)。

◆我們不知道那是偶然做的還是故意做的。

誤：We don’t know if it was done by accident or on design.

正：We don’t know if it was done by accident or by design.

析：by design(故意地)是習語，要用介詞by。不要受 on purpose (故意地)的影響，而誤用介詞 on design。比較：by chance(無意地)，by accident(無意地)等都用 by。

◆這本詞典是供外國學生用的。

誤：The dictionary is designing for foreign students.

正：The dictionary is designed for foreign students.

析：design用作動詞除表示“設計”外，還可表示“計劃”、“打算”等，如：His father designed him for a lawyer.(他父親打算要他當律師)。不過此用法更多是用于被動形式，即用于be designed for sb (sth)，be designed to do sth，be designed as sth 等。如：The weekend party was designed to bring the two old men together.(這次周末聚會的用意是要使兩位老人見面)，The room was designed as thechildren’splayroom.(這間房間計劃用作兒童游戲室)。