單複數與冠詞往往令人難以捉摸，I like dogs. 與 I like dog. 有何區別？ Shark doesn’t get cancer. 是正確用法嗎？during rush hour 還是 during rush hours？是conduct a market research？還是 conduct market research？
我們受中文影響難免寫出與英文習慣不符的搭配。It's still two weeks away. 還是 There're still two weeks away？是 There are still two weeks left. 還是 It's still two weeks left？〈蘇老師英語天地〉夏季第三講 7/27 (Sat.) 14:00-16:00在台北書林書店 (新生南路3段88號2樓之5) 開講。報名專線：02-23658617
7/20〈蘇老師英語天地〉第二講，下課有人問我底下 nominal 例句的 purchase order 是不是打錯，前面有for，應該是 purchasing order 吧？
Another meaning for the adjective nominal is "in name only" or only having a title. The CEO is the nominal head of the company, but you know his assistant is one who is really in charge of the day-to-day business of the company. He is the go-to person for signing invoices, purchase orders, and resolving personnel issues.
最後一行的 purchase order 雖然在 for 之後，但這裡 purchase order (訂單) 與purchase price (購買價) 一樣是複合名詞，不是動詞 purchase 加名詞 order，不必加 ing。
許多英文詞彙如：load, overlap, download, estimate, forecast, read, review, interview, lead, check-out, infight …等，本身同時兼動詞與名詞，因此作名詞用時不必再加 ing，然而台灣學界，特別是英文老師，往往喜歡用加 ing的動名詞形式來表達。譬如：教學分量重 (heavy teaching load)，會說成 “heavy teaching loading”。
我們Google一下，就可以驗證：
* 找不到 "we have a heavy teaching loading" 的結果。(Google May10, 17)
"we have a heavy teaching load" 約有 483,000 項結果
*"heavy teaching loading" 6 項結果 (Google as of May 10, 17) 全出自台灣：
第42期英語教學電子報 - 教育部中區英語教學資源中心
www.etlrc.yuntech.edu.tw/index.php/e-paper-area/.../86-no-42-t-paper
It is a tough addition to our heavy teaching loading and routine desk work. Luckily, ETRC has planned and offered a series of workshops that really meets many ...
資源導覽:國小教師的多元文化教學信念與其運作課程之個案研究
digiarch.sinica.edu.tw › 資源導覽 › 藏品
The gap resulted from some factors, such as curriculum goals, heavy teaching loading, and teacher's perspective in curriculum. ...
臺灣期刊論文索引 - 國家圖書館期刊文獻資訊網中文期刊篇目系統：
readopac2.ncl.edu.tw/nclJournal/search/summny_list.jsp?sysId=0004658229&dtdId...
The gap resulted from some factors, such as curriculum goals, heavy teaching loading, and teacher's perspective in curriculum. However, the teacher kept ...
可見這是台灣特有的習慣。
其他喜歡用加 ing的動名詞形式來表達的例子還有不少，看以下統計便可知其實不必加 ing，才是正道。
*找不到 "thank you for your interviewing me" 的結果。
"thank you for your interview" 約有 567,000 項結果 (Google May 11, 2017)
*"found the overlapping of"約有 7 項結果
"found the overlap of" 約有 210,000 項結果
*找不到 "estimating of shipping cost" 的結果
"estimate of shipping cost" 約有 3,910,000 項結果
*"the forecasting for next year" 2 項結果
"the forecast for next year" 約有 86,100 項結果
"available for free download on our website " 約有 960,000 項結果 (July 24, 2019)
"available for free downloading on our website" 約有 865 項結果
"available for free downloading on our website" site:uk 1 項結果
台灣不少老師會以為底下的 "this book was a great summer read" 是錯的！
All in all, this book was a great summer read, and on my list of Top 15 books. (Mount Prospect Public Library What’s New Categories)
"this book is a great summer read" 約有 327,000 項結果
*找不到 "this book is a great summer reading" 的結果。
(Jerome Su, July 24, 2019)