"he missed by a mile"
"he holds the record in the mile"
误 Five miles are the greatest distance I can walk.
正 Five miles is the greatest distance I can walk.
析miles用作主语时,常被视为一个整体,谓语动词常用单数形式。
你一眼就可以看出他是个侦探。误 You can tell he's a detective a mile away .
正 You can tell he's a detective a mile off.
听见我的话了吗?——对不起,没有,刚才我走神了。误 Did you hear me?—No, sorry,I was miles off.
正 Did you hear me?—No, sorry,I was miles away.
析 a mile off的意思是“在一英里以外,远距离之外一目了然地; 打老远就很容易…地”; miles away的意思是“在远的地方,心不在焉”。