‘The (soft drink) does not work?’ — Supermarket employee sticks ‘out of order’ note on box of beverage

SINGAPORE: Out of order or out of stock? A makeshift supermarket sign had Singaporeans chuckling after an online user shared a photo in a complaint group on Wednesday (Jan 22). The image featured a box of a well-known carbonated beverage. Stuck on it was a handwritten sign that read “out of order”. A handful were quick to spot the mistake.

Addressing the supermarket where the sign was spotted, Facebook user Michael Jr McDonald wrote, “May I know… what does this mean?”

A handful responded to the post. While some explained the grammar mistake, others resorted to sarcasm or humour. “The (soft drink) does not work?” said one. Another corrected, “Wrong typical words… ‘out of stock’ instead.”

One called on others to read between the lines and said, “Out of ‘order’ — meaning you cannot order anymore. Be flexible. Don’t make a big fuss over something so small. Otherwise, go read up more to improve your knowledge.”

Though “out of stock” and “out of stock” may seem similar in English grammar, they have two meanings. “Out of stock” conveys that a certain item is not available in a store. On the other hand, “out of order” conveys that something is currently not working as it should be. For example, one could say that a particular brand of cereal is “out of stock” while a vending machine is “out of order”.

In recent news, another online user started a thread about people’s sentiments regarding their grammar being corrected. Many responded to the post, sharing that it’s all about intention and delivery.

See also: Would you feel offended if someone corrected your English grammar?