作者序１
矯正最容易用錯的英文
美國教育測驗服務中心（ETS）公布南韓考生的托福分數，在全世界一百三十七個國家中排名第一百一十一位，真是令人感到惋惜*。光是國人在一年內投資在英文補習上的費用，就高達十五兆韓元（約四千多億臺幣）。社會上雖掀起學英文的熱潮，但國人的英文實力仍遠遠落後於其他國家。要說許多人的英文被侷限在傳統框架中，真是一點也不為過。我國的社會如此繁榮富裕，為什麼國人的英文實力無法提升呢？雖然眾說紛紜，但我認為原因不外乎以下三點：
首先，許多人在學習英文時，往往會忽略英語系國家的文化及思考方式。對於文化不理解，又想以傳統方式學習英文，加上周遭許多錯誤用法的影響，學習英文的效果就會大打折扣。
第二，人們會跟隨時尚潮流來改變學習英文的重點。過去我們的英文教育只注重文法，最近的趨勢卻傾向於完全捨棄文法，只學習簡單的生活用語。然而，若要寫出正確或高階的英文句子，勢必要對文法有所理解。因此，比起考試取向的英文學習，還不如每天讀一個版面的英文報紙，或反覆收聽英文新聞，以實戰為主的英文學習，才是學好英文的王道。
第三，雖然市面上有許多英文學習書，真正對學習英文有幫助的並不多。很多書都不知該界定為英文參考書，還是譁眾取寵，為打響知名度而寫的書。再者，讀者糊里糊塗的把書讀完了，對於書中的內容到底記得幾成？很多書也只是含糊解釋一些在生活中該用或不該用的俚語，這些對讀者而言都只是浪費時間。
這本書就是為了解決以上問題而編寫的。書中包含了我個人及在韓國教大學生英文的Eve Schein老師寶貴的經驗。雖然稱不上是世界一流的英文教材，但我相信可以矯正許多人常犯的錯誤。我希望這本書能讓大家的英文實力蒸蒸日上，以因應全球化的時代，提高國際觀。
最後，我要向出版本書的智慧之屋八分公司副總裁張治赫，以及孜孜不倦改正原稿的申恩實代理表達感謝之意。我也要感謝我的二女兒幫我校正原稿，還有她不吝於請教雜誌社編輯記者的犀利言語！
註：2010年，以全球163個國家及地區，托福iBT考生的平均分數而言，臺灣排第112名，南韓則為第80名；若以亞洲的30個國家及地區來看，臺灣排第18名，南韓則為第9名。
李商彬 寫於春暖花開的五月
作者序２
I admire your dedication and motivation
This book was written to help Korean English speakers identify and overcome their most common mistakes. Most of these mistakes are not addressed in either conventional textbooks or language guides, and they are the cause of numerous problems in understanding between native English speakers and Korean English speakers.
As an instructor of English at both ELS-Jongno and Hanyang University, and as a resident of Seoul from 1994-1997 and 2005-2007, I had the unique opportunity to teach over 1,000 Korean students of English and interact with numerous other Korean English speakers.
I found that regardless of the speaker's language proficiency or educational background, he or she would routinely make the same basic mistakes, and that these mistakes could lead to confusion, misunderstanding, and even embarrassment when talking to native English speakers.
In conversations with other teachers, I found that they, too, were encountering the same situation. We were all frustrated that no single book reviewed these mistakes simply and clearly. More importantly, we found that many of the mistakes our students were making had been taught to them, or included in their middle school textbooks, as examples of correct usage.
When I reviewed a selection of Korean English textbooks, I found numerous instances of incorrect examples and outdated information. I also found a number of popular Korean-English dictionaries that gave "My family is 4" as an example of good English. It is not. It is very upsetting that students are spending so much of their limited time studying books that are full of errors.
This book is dedicated to all the students that I have had the honor of working with in Korea, and to every student who is trying hard to improve his or her command of the English language. I admire your dedication and motivation. I applaud you! This book was written with love. I hope you enjoy it. I hope it helps you.
Eve Rothman Schein Seoul, 2007
共 
