Product Description
This book should be of interest to students taking courses in court reporting; professional court reporters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Loaded with mistakes
While this book may have some good advice for court reporters, it is rife with errors in stating grammar rules (e.g.: "Most collective nouns take singular nouns..." (should be "verbs"); Commas are thus used to separated the adjectives (separate)); typos (Joe's and Peter's shoe were found in the wooded area. (shoes); You may find the dependent guilty of...(defendant); I thing he's dying! (think); The chairmen is he. (chairman)); and bad examples (None of your hope need to be dashed. (hopes); The boy who spoke to you was my cousin. (is); Stanley said to his father, "I have no intention of paying these bills"! (bills!"); Chung and Kim's restaurants (if they owned a restaurant jointly) (should be "restaurant" if it's joint possession); The thief was a light-skinned boy with blonde hair. (blond)).

She also confuses comma splices with run-ons.

There are so many errors that the reader has to do too much work double-checking the accuracy of the content.

So even though there is advice targeted to court reporters, for grammar and punctuation reference I think you're far better off using the Gregg Reference Manual. It's exhaustive, concise, and error-free.

Focus for Court Reporters
I was so overjoyed when I received this book, I began reading it and have not put it down. From a court reporting student's perspective, this book is a tremendous asset in providing the direction one needs to focus on for grammar and punctuation. Most all English books are written to address a writer or student who is creating the writing, but a court reporter has to compose and punctuate what is spoken.This book has filtered and extracted what is important to focus on for court reporting; however, having a good foundation in English grammar is very helpful.

Excellent for writers as well
Well organized, easy to find information.Of exceptional use for writers are those sections dealing with grammar and punctation for the way people really talk. ... Read more

Product Description

Czech: An Essential Grammar is a practical reference guide to the core structures and features of modern Czech. Presenting a fresh and accessible description of the language, this engaging grammar uses clear, jargon-free explanations and sets out the complexities of Czech in short, readable sections.

Suitable for either independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types, key features include:

* focus on the morphology and syntax of the language
* clear explanations of grammatical terms
* full use of authentic examples
* detailed contents list and index for easy access to information.

With an emphasis on the Czech that native speakers use today, Czech: An Essential Grammar will help students to read, speak and write the language with greater confidence.

Customer Reviews (3)

KINDLE EDITION IS UNUSABLE DUE TO MISSING ACCENTS AND DIACRITICAL MARKS
The Kindle Edition of Naughton's Czech, an Essential Grammar is useless.Despite multiple downloads and discussions with Kindle customer service, the book downloads to the Kindle without many accents and diacritical marks on the letters -- for example, throughout the entire book, "R" with hook/hacek -- has no hacek.Same for "r" -- no hook/hacek.The same holds true for other letters with hooks/haceks.Thus, THE BOOK IS USELESS IN ITS CURRENT FORMAT.Without the accents and hooks/hacky, one cannot learn the language.I speak Czech and can see that all the accents are missing, but a non-speaker or learner of the Czech language would not know this, and thus would learn many, many words completely incorrectly.THE PUBLISHERS NEED TO CORRECT THE KINDLE VERSION OF THIS BOOK.

Excellent Book!
Czech, an essential grammar is exactly what it is called.
Author managed to explain complexities of Czech language in logical, brief and easy to understand chapters. I was particularly impressed by the section, cases and prepositions, which was very well presented to anyone who would be interested in studying this very difficult language. Each section covers one element of the grammar which includes nouns, pronouns,numerals, verbs, prepositions and conjunctionsIn fairly short sections, the author was able to cover basic usage in plentiful examples so students can learn a simple conversation in short time.
I have discussed the textbook with my student, Dr. Lois Potter and she found the book to be an excellent tool for her understanding of basic structures oftoday's Czech.
Last but not least positive feature of the book is usage of proper and updated forms of Czech language which does not include slang or terms no longer existing in everyday communication. While Czech language is difficult by itself, many outdated textbooks make it impossible for non-native speaker to understand complicated czech grammar. In Czech An Essential Grammar, the author accomplished a very difficult task of simplifying it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to learn Czech without being discouraged by complexity of Czech grammar.

Val Berzinz, Berlitz Czech instructor

This, the David Short Teach Yourself Czech and the Fronek Dictionary are all you really need...
Really! First, use this work. I know it means seemingly meaningless memorization, but then the Short Teach Yourself Czech will make a lot more sense, and you can concentrate on the colloquial expressions and phrases. Then you can polish off your knowledge with Radio Praha (which has the printed Czech of their articles and sound in RealAudio or Windows Media) and the Fronek dictionary. The Fronek IS hideously expensive, but since you're not gonna find "2,000+ Essential Czech Verbs," you'll find all you need on the irregualr conjugations and declensions there. ... Read more

Product Description
In a world increasingly driven by words and text, knowing how to use grammar to communicate correctly and accurately becomes all the more important at school, in business, and in life. With this newly updated and revised Grammar Success in 20 Minutes a Day, writing and speaking without mistakes becomes much easier-and all it takes is a few weeks of study for 20 minutes a day! Grammar Success in 20 Minutes a Day covers all the essentials, including common and proper nouns; personal, reflexive, and demonstrative pronouns; regular and irregular verbs; adjectives, adverbs, misplaced modifiers, prepositions, subordinate and insubordinate clauses; coordinating and correlating conjunctions; compound sentences; and punctuation. You'll find: A helpful pretest that pinpoints strengths and weaknesses so students know where to focus their time Hundreds of practice questions covering all vital grammar skills, from dealing with noun and verb agreement to knowing when to use a comma, colon, or semicolon Free additional grammar practice questions online A useful posttest that shows students' progress This book can be used as a supplement to classroom learning materials or simply to help brush up on already known skills. ... Read more

Product Description
Long trusted as the most comprehensive, up-to-date and user-friendly grammar available, French Grammar and Usage provides students and teachers with a complete guide to French as it is written and spoken today. It includes clear and concise descriptions of all the main grammatical aspects of the language, illustrated by numerous examples taken from contemporary French. Praised for its clear lay-out and lucid explanations, the new edition includes updated examples, enhanced cross-referencing and expanded explanations of the most difficult points of grammar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

So Good I Bought the Book!
I originally checked this out at my local library and it was so helpful and chuck full of information I decided to buy the book. If you are serious about learning French the correct way this is the book for you. It is very easy to find the information and material that you need. It is down to earth and in simple language with tables and examples so you will completely understand what you are reading. I can't say enough about this book it is simply amazing and should be on everyone's bookshelf.

Excellent reference grammar
Hawkins and Towell is a very good reference grammar of written and, to some extent, spoken French.It is best suited to intermediate or advanced levels, although curious and motivated beginners would also profit.The second edition is a definite improvement over the first.

Remember "reference"--it is not a standalone self-teaching grammar.If you are studying on your own and you are a beginner, you will want another book to walk you through French grammar from the basics up.However, the clarity and the organization of Hawkins and Towell make it a superb companion to the solitary student who may not find things explained fully in a step-by-step grammar.

the best book i've yet to find on the french language
Simply put, this really is the very best book on French I've ever come across, so much so that I bought it on the spot, which is something I very rarely do. It is well-organized, has wonderful examples, and has a particularly good section on adverbs. Although most grammars are simply grammars, I think this is a wonderful book for vocabulary expansion because of all the examples provided, and for the most part translations are provided for both phrases and individual words. It also has a very good index, which is always good in a book, especially so thorough a book. One of the best and most easily-overlooked conveniences is that the formal or colloquial usages are noted right alongside the rest rather than being put in seperate formal or colloquial chapters which would complicate things too much for the student.

I'm not sure how the beginning student would find this book though, but I think I would've liked to have it when I first started out. Perhaps some pronunciation guides would help, but I really don't think that the lack thereof is particularly detrimental.

God bless this book
I'm glad I've finally a decent grammar book for French. It's an extremely helpful reference. The earlier review mentioned that the cover is hideous but I have to say, the cover is *not* a problem.

There are notes on the differences between "written" and "spoken" French. Overall, this is a great book. Easy to use. Even if you're a complete beginner, you shouldn't have a problem.

Very thorough
This is an excellent grammar for English speakers.It has a thorough review of preposition usage, an excellent guide to the subjunctive and pretty much everything else I usually get wrong;-)I browsed for acouple of hours in Borders on Oxford Street and couldn't find anythingbetter.Nicely type-set as well.The only problem is the hideously uglycover. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Very Pleased
I am very pleased with this presentation of Bibilcal Hebrew.I currently have a copy of Weingreen's Hebrew Grammer and think that Garrett's text compliments it very nicely. ... Read more

Product Description
A Students Grammar of the English Language draws on the most recent research, including new findings not only in grammar but also in the neighbouring fields of semantics, pragmatics and text linguistics. Discourse features are dealt with throughout, as well as being the theme of a major chapter entitled form 'sentence to text' The authors are careful to point out those features of grammar which distinguish spoken from written, formal from informal, and British form American English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

just as advertised
The item I received was in perfect condition, and just as it had been described. It certainly was a good buy.

A guide for every learned person.
This is the third book my husband has received. He is a retired teacher and enjoys this book. He has shared with a few of his ex-students.

A brilliant guide for teachers and students of English
I bought this book when I started teaching English and wanted something more comprehensive and rigorous than the textbooks that I was using (e.g., John Warriner's English Composition & Grammar). I quickly discovered a host of brilliant insights and clearly defined concepts that I was eventually able to put to classroom use and that immediately gave me greater confidence.

This is for the *serious* student or teacher. If you study this book, you will find answers to many areas of English that might otherwise baffle you. The authors are clear writers and generally provide appropriate examples with each explanation. For example, remember the textbook distinction between prepositions and adverbs, e.g., between "up" in "grow up" and in "climb up the rope"? As a boy, I always found this confusing. But when I read Greenbaum and Quirk, I realized that my confusion was natural -- the concept itself, as presented in my high school textbooks, was the problem. To clear it up, the authors clearly explain the concept of a "particle," which includes both phrasal verbs such as "find out" and prepositional verbs such as "dispose of." Once you read the section on complementation of verbs and adjectives, you will finally understand this distinction as well as many other points that you might have felt uneasy with. The authors take on the difficult subject of adverbs (a junk category of English if there ever was one -- but we're stuck with it) and break down each kind of adverb -- even the most obscure ones. For example, consider sentences such as "Oh well, we probably would have lost the game anyway" or "Why, I didn't even notice him leave the room." The authors explain that "oh well" and "why" belong to a class of adverbs called "initiators," and give lists of the other initiators. Nothing seems to escape their notice.

I would particularly recommend this for ESL teachers who want to understand how English really works, and also for native English speakers who are studying or planning to study a difficult foreign or ancient language such as Russian or Latin. If you are learning English as a second language or foreign language and have already mastered at least the basics, it might also prove useful to you. Finally, anyone who is interested in the English language as a joyful study would likely find this a worthwhile purchase, one to set aside Mencken's The American Language, the OED, Fowler, and other classic works that offer inherent interest over and above their practical value as references.

So why didn't I give it five stars? Simply because I think it should have even more examples than it does. As the book stands, students without a very good foundation in traditional grammar will probably find this a struggle, at least at first. I would therefore recommend using a good traditional grammar book, such as one ofJohn Warriner's books (mentioned above) or any entry in the popular "English Grammar for Students of _____" series, and mastering at least seventy percent of it before taking on Greenbaum and Quirk. (I would say that you probably shouldn't put a great deal of work into mastering *all* of the traditional textbook, because the parts that confuse you might be inherently confusing -- just note the problem areas and then clean them up later by reading Greenbaum and Quirk.)

A Student's Grammar of the English Language
I find this book is very helpful for learning English as a Second Language people. ... Read more

Product Description
A Reference Grammar of Thai provides a clear, detailed and comprehensive guide to Thai grammar, designed for intermediate to advanced learners. Written by two leading experts on Thai, it places a special emphasis on functional accounts of its grammatical phenomena: the use of demonstratives, personal reference terms, the modality system, the aspectual system, pragmatic particles, verb serialisation, relative clauses, question formation, passive and causative constructions, topic marking and many more. Unlike any other book on Thai grammar, it draws on data from everyday spoken discourses such as informal conversation, group discussions, interviews and narratives, as well as non-technical written texts such as folk tales, short stories and newspaper articles, to discuss grammatical phenomena at both sentence and discourse level. An extensive index is provided and examples are given in both Thai orthography and IPA symbols, making this an invaluable resource for linguists as well as students and teachers of Thai. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

And then there were three!
There are now THREE very good Thai grammars available.David Smyth's book Thai: An Essential Grammar (Routledge Grammars) and the Higbie/Thinsan book Thai Reference Grammar were apparently the first two out of the gate, and now we have a third, which first appeared as a hardback in 2005.

This is probably not a book for beginners, BUT this judgement may depend on the type of "beginner" we are talking about.I think that once you have started learning to read Thai --- or even before --- you may find this book extremely useful.And, in an important way, it's useful aside from the grammatical explanations.

As a comparison: that old classic, William Kuo's Teaching Grammar of Thai had a lot of good grammar, but I came to love it because it presented ONLY Thai script and was fantastic handwriting practice.In a similar way, I appreciate that this is the first truly modern Thai grammar, but even more I love it because it presents hundreds and hundreds of examples of real Thai speech!Where else, for example, can you find a Thai saying, "Well, the electricity was almost unusable, or something like that...""Or something like that?"How do you say THAT in Thai?

So, if you can read Thai in transliteration (and I give this book additional high marks for a transliteration system which is Haas-based and does not have to be learned!!), you may want to start leafing through this book in the early stages of learning the language.It will instantly take you way beyond the "sawatdii khrap" stages, and lead you into things like, "I don't THINK he was here, but I'm not quite sure..."

This book is FUN!

-------------------------------------
Revised review: I am revising this review simply to state that I think this is the best of the three.Especially in the field of particles, it absolutely dusts the competition.

Highly recommended text for advanced students and linguists
This volume is probably unique in its field : providing a comprehensive view of Thai grammar in the context of real-life language use in Thailand (so called "functional grammar").

In my opinion, the book will provide most value to :
- linguists wanting to understanding the grammar of the Thai language.In particular the book expresses many of its ideas in the standard terminology of linguists ; it refers to recent developments in functional linguistics using Thai as a test case ; use of IPA-based phonetic symbols
- advanced students of the Thai language who want a deeper understanding of the structure and grammar of the language.In addition, this audience will learn a great deal about linguistic analysis, as most of the linguistic terminology is carefully defined at the start of each section.

For those of you reading this review who are looking for a book that will help you to learn the Thai language from scratch, this book is not for you yet.A new student of Thai looking for an introduction to basic Thai grammar would be better served by Higbie's book of a similar title.

I can highly recommend this unique and scholarly work, to linguists wanting to understand Thai grammar, or to advanced Thai students wanting a better understanding of Thai grammar, from the viewpoint of how the language is used.

This is the most scholarly and complete work I have seen on this subject and reflects an enormous amount of work undertaken by the authors.This book will surely become the standard text on this subject. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a reference and practice book which introduces grammatical structures in authentic language and contexts and provides a wealth of exercises for practice.
The Teacher's Book provides presentation ideas, extension activities, photocopiable assessment tools, achievement quizzes, and an answer key. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

My favourite set of grammar books
I've been teaching English (EFL)in Brazil for the last twenty years and the Intermediate Grammar by Susan Kesner Bland, together with its Teacher's Book by Ellen Balleisen makes my favourite set of grammar books: I ALWAYS recommend them to my colleagues and students.
It's a shame they have become so difficult to find. I assume they are not being published anymore.

This book is excruciatingly effective!
I am a graduate student at Harvard University, and last year I undertook a research project on the effects of written(as opposed to spoken and aural) teaching methods of English as a Second Language. I found Ms.Bland's textbook to be one of the primary examples of a well-written,cohesive, effective textbook. I don't really know how one goes aboutreviewing a textbook, so please do not consider this to be so much asubjective analysis as a large thank-you to Ms. Bland and as a call to allteachers and students of English looking for a fabulous text upon which tobase study. ... Read more

Product Description
Superb grammar and exercise book enables students to quickly recognize, understand and begin to use the basic patterns of modern Greek. Full glossary.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

With A Few Qualifications A Good Book
This book covers all the fundamentals of Greek grammar: nouns, adjectives, personal pronouns, verbs, etc. It does break down these areas in a logical fashion in just under eighty pages plus a glossary on grammatical terms. Knowing the information in the book will definitely help you decipher the language. The Greek lettering is tiny so read in a good light. Also, there are many sections that exist as a series of rules (rule applies in cases when preceded or followed by these eight or ten letters). That kind of information is difficult to read and even more difficult to remember but perhaps that aspect of Greek can not be simplified or made more palatable. All in all I am very glad I bought this book, and I feel my knowledge of the language was significantly enhanced.

Don't bother
Pre-80' accent spelling, and a lot of focus on that which leaves little room for actual beginner's inferences as goes grammar. Too many generalizing statements, that lead the beginner learner astray and do not leave room for exceptions as one goes further with study.
I do not recommend this book.

Almost perfect for learning Modern Greek grammar quickly
The choice of grammars for modern Greek is severely limited.This is the best available grammar if you plan to spend some time in Greece and you want to become conversant quickly.At a price of six dollars, don't fret about whether to buy it.If you are a casual or professional traveler to Greece, it should be part of your kit.

The book is brief and small.It gives you the basics to an adequate depth, without becoming burdensome.It does not provide phonetic spellings in English or much in the way of conversation.The introduction explains that the grammar is intended to be used in combination with a CD course (to learn the sounds of Greek) and a phrasebook (for practical examples and phonetic spellings).In my experience, that's a convenient combination.

The book is a bit dated, mainly in using an older and more complex system of accents.It's a small anachronism that is easy to ignore.

Someone who is unfamiliar with Greek should start several months before departure by listening to one or more of the CD courses and learning practical expressions from one or more of the phrasebooks.Use this grammar in the background to understand the structure of the language.Before arriving in Greece, get a lightweight Greek-English dictionary.

Only worth the 'used' price
I am Greek, someone who went through K-8 in Greece (but hardly paid attention in Grammar class). I thought this would give me a good memory jog. For my purposes, it was an OK book, but I would certainly not spend 5 bucks to get a new one. The book still uses the polytonic system (something no longer used in modern Greek), and there are some mis-translations in the book. The translations are technically correct, but not semantically correct. If you want a good, solid grammar book for Greek, this isn't it.

Excellent Grammar Book
This is the second book I have used in this language series.The other is Italian. These are both outstanding books.Small and concise. You DO get the essentials, just as they promise. ... Read more

Product Description

Danish: A Comprehensive Grammar presents a fresh and accessible description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in modern Danish. The volume is organized to promote a thorough understanding of Danish grammar. It offers a stimulating analysis of the complexities of the language, and provides full and clear explanations.

This edition has been fully updated to reflect changes in grammar, cultural changes and the impact of modern technology. All sections have been systematically revised, and a new section on phrases and an up-to-the-moment account of the use of the comma have been added. The examples and grammar explanations have been improved throughout.

Features include:

• a wealth of examples from present-day Danish
• particular attention to areas of confusion and difficulty
• Danish-English parallels highlighted throughout the book
• an extensive index and clear paragraph numbering for easy navigation
• cross-references in all parts of the book.

Danish: A Comprehensive Grammar is the most comprehensive and detailed Danish grammar available in English and is an essential reference source for the learner and user of Danish at all levels. It is ideal for use in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types.

Product Description
This fully updated and revised 4th edition offers plenty of practice with issues of capitalization, punctuation, basic grammar, sentence structure, organization, paragraph development, and essay writing. ... Read more

Product Description
A Comprehensive French Grammar is a clear, well-organized textbook of French grammar designed for advanced students of French language and literature.

• Includes full explanations and numerous examples of French grammar in a clear, well-organized format.


• Introduces modifications to points of detail, including references to Rodney Ball's Colloquial French Grammar (Blackwell 2000) and a list of works likely to be of interest to advanced students of French.


• Continues to be the standard comprehensive textbook of French grammar for advanced level students.

Customer Reviews (2)

Hope this will help you.
First of all, i am sure that this book is really comprehensive as they say
But it is not easy to use, and not that "friendly".

I bought this one a while ago and i hardly use it, although i really want to learn more of the French tenses and all the French grammar.
can point exactly why i hardly use it, perhaps because this book is a reference, and i hoped something for "beginners",

I won't recommend this book for beginners or people that want a book in which they can easily learn French grammar in a nice and easy way.
and this book isn't cheap also, so think if you really need it, my guess
most of us probably wont.

Most of the times i don't really bother to look for something in the
book, if i have some grammar questions i just use the internet, instead of
trying to find something in that book

i bought several book, to try to learn the French grammar with a lot of examples,in a nice easy and friendly way, still haven't found one.

will be happy to find one though :) if someone can recommend one for me.

Layout and organization needs some work... otherwise it's great
I should first point out that I can't critique the content too well, as my French is still firmly in the "Beginner" category, so I don't know if some of the explanations are correct, incorrect, misleading, etc.All I can say to that is that everything I've looked for I've been able to find (I'll get back to that, though) and I haven't yet found myself confused by any explanations.

What I can critique, however, is the somewhat poor layout of the book.The first issue is the numbering of the entries: they're simply numbered from 1 to 715.The reason this is a problem is because it is extremely easy to find yourself stopping briefly at page 115 when the index was actually referring to entry 115.This is made all the more difficult by the lack of putting any of the entry headings in bold, which itself results in often going past an entry because the entry number doesn't stand out from the rest of the text.Further adding to the confusion is that the entry numbers for each page are located on the inner half of the top of the page, with the page number on the outside corner.Of course, that is the normal location for a page number; in this specific case, however, the result is that, when you're flipping through searching for an entry, you have to hold the book open wider so you can see the entry numbers, while also actively ignoring the page numbers.

For example, one left-hand page has across the top "484 Adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions 616" all in that formatting except the "484" is italicized, and the only thing you really need to see is the 616... yet it's pushed in towards the center binding, so you need to have the book open nearly all the way to see it--and not only that, but the only thing that IS formatted to stand out from the rest is the page number, which is irrelevant!At first glance it seems so minor and inconsequential, but after dealing with it for the 30th, 40th, 50th time, it really starts becoming aggravating--all the more so considering that there's really no need for page numbers in a book like this: the index points to entry numbers, not page numbers, so why would you even need to know that you're on page 484?

I think the publishers should've followed a separate numbering system--I'd personally recommend something similar to that used in Hammer's German Grammar: "12.1.3(a)," referring to chapter 12, section 1, subsection 3, letter (a) and so on.Either that, or just not numbered the pages at all.After all, this is in effect a grammatical dictionary--when was the last time you needed to know what page a specific word was on?C comes after B, and entry 18 will come after entry 17--the page number is irrelevant.

The other major issue with the layout is that the index doesn't get specific enough for many of the entries (which ironically makes the page numbers often a more precise method of finding an item, yet the index doesn't offer page numbers, so they remain useless!).I think this can be best illustrated by detailing one of the real cases I found of this problem.

I didn't know how to say, "I was just doing something," and looked in the index for a possible entry.I found "just ('to have just done')."Perfect!Next to it is "538."Okay, entry 538.So I flip back through the book, searching for entry 538.I have to ignore the first "538" my eye focuses on, since I soon realize it's a page number.I flip further back and arrive at entry 538 "Miscellaneous verbs" on page 412.The first verb listed is "approcher," which takes up the whole page; on the facing page is "changer."Since I of course have no clue what verb I'm actually looking for, I start looking through the entry for each verb: approcher, changer, couvenir, decider, devoir, manquer, rester, servir, tarder, traiter... nothing, until I finally arrive at "venir," TEN pages later!If the item in question, "venir de," had simply been labelled 538(k)2 both in the main book and in the index, all of that time spent reading all ten pages of entry 538 would've been saved.The index could've also simply given me the page number, but then why have any entry numbers if the index is just going to give you the page numbers?

As it is, the index sends me ten pages from where what I'm looking for is actually located.How useful can such an index really be?

What you end up with is a book with two separate but visually indistinguishable numbering systems that are not only incredibly easy to confuse--especially when flipping through at high speed, looking for a particular entry--but in fact will send you far off from the specific item you're looking for.

It's a shame that this book is so poorly formatted, especially considering they'd be rather simple fixes, as it does appear extremely detailed, and as I said above, everything that I have looked for I've found and been satisfied with the explanation.If only it were so much less aggravating to actually arrive at this wonderfully detailed information!

I give it 5 stars for detail and content, but the poor layout demands that it be knocked down one star.I sincerely hope that the publishers fix this formatting issue in the next edition, because I would happily buy a book with this content but with better organization. ... Read more

Product Description
Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to Chinese grammar.It presents a fresh and accessible description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in modern Chinese. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Too expensive
It's a great reference guide, though it's really expensive. I wonder if there are any free e-book alternatives online....

A great grammar - n.b. a few errors
This is a grammar most deserving of its title.It is truly comprehensive in every sense of the word.The grammar is explained along lines that a Westerner with even a pinch of grammatical knowledge can understand.

It is probably a good idea that the examples of erroneous grammar are included, complete with an asterisk to indicate that it is an error.However, I can't help feeling that they'll remain in my memory and I won't be able to tell the difference between a sentence that's been hailed as a grammatically correct example and one that is incorrect.I can't really think of any alternatives to the way the authors have done this though.

It would be great if there were just a few exercises at the end of each chapter, complete with an answer key.That really wouldn't add all that much to the total page count of the book, but would greatly add to its overall usefulness.After all, most of us who actually buy/read this book are students of Chinese who need all the exercises we can get - aren't we?

Lastly, here are a few errors I found in this book:

In the index, on page 417 xiang3 points to a non-existent 8.1.6.It should be 18.1.6 (page 284).

ning4ke3 and ning4yuan4 (section 22.3.8, page 342) should have exactly the tones which I have indicated.In error, this book introduces both words with the correct tones, and then proceeds to give examples with the wrong tones.

Duo1 is confused with dou1 twice on page 181.

The index has an entry "causative sentences - 20.1".There are no causative sentences at 20.1.

I'm not sure whether the below should be classified as errors or shortcomings:

On page 46, section 2.14 should be cross referenced to chapter 7.

Hai2shi0 (or) is explained in section 23.4.But there's no reference made to huo4zhe3 at all, which is exceedingly relevant.

Wonderful Chinese Grammar Book
This is a fantastic book, recommended only for serious learners of Chinese. This is a book you can use during your whole life of learning Chinese. The only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating is the author is so pedantic. The author should use language to speak to real people, not other linguists. However, this is a wonderful, very technical book. I still need a more simpler book on Chinese grammar, but do not regret having this book.

awesome!
this book is really comprehensive...goes into alot of details and examples....good for those who plan to fine tune their chinese...not good for those who are beginners.

A cheaper alternative
I was looking for a Chinese reference book that explained complements and the verb aspect system.My Chinese instructor recommended _A Chinese Grammar for Foreigners_.Most likely, you will find it used (as it is sold to foreigners living in China) at around $20.The book provides examples of sentences in simplified Chinese and English.The layout is not the most ideal, but it provides a systematic approach to understanding the language. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

I love you, Constance Weaver!
Okay, grammar is as dull as anything. Weaver's other book was a breakthrough in how we look at grammar in language arts. First, we get all the rules and then there are the exceptions which are too numerous to mention. Upon the isolation of grammar instruction, teachers of language arts or english are expected to teach literature which the rules are usually broken. The problem of grammar instruction is that we have been teaching grammar in the same manner as ancient Latin and Greeks. Weaver is a God-send to us language arts teachers who don't know the proper place for grammar instruction. I use it only when I see fit. A lot of grammar instruction is too much and less is better than more according to Weaver's books. The studies indicate that grammar instruction is misleading and detrimental. Most language arts instructors are not here to teach grammar as much as they would like to teach or instruct literature of their favorite writers. ... Read more

Product Description

The purpose of Grammar for Teachers is to encourage readers to develop a solid understanding of the use and function of grammatical structures in American English. It approaches grammar from a descriptive rather than a prescriptive approach; however, throughout the book differences between formal and informal language, and spoken and written English are discussed. The book avoids jargon or excessive use of technical terminology. It makes the study of grammar interesting and relevant by presenting grammar in context and by using authentic material from a wide variety of sources.

Customer Reviews (2)

great resource
I really like this book. It has everything you need. In addition, it offers some great practice activities you can try with your students.

informative book
This book contains more than just the basic grammar rules.I was able to find the answers to all of my questions in this book. ... Read more

Product Description

This text gives broad, up-to-date coverage of English grammatical facts and related concepts of introductory linguistics, emphasizing argumentation and motivation for empirically-based grammatical analyses without theoretical debates. It treats the prescriptive/descriptive distinction, phonology, morphology, word classes, phrase structure analysis of both simple sentences and a variety of complex sentences, grammatical relations, and anaphora (pronouns and pronoun-like elements).

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excelent service
My review for this item is that the delivery service was great.I got the book in less than the time estimated.I recommend this service to anyone who wants to buy it.

An excellent 2nd or 3rd book on grammar and linguistics
This book is wonderful. It contains a bevvy of information on syntactic structures, not just in the English language, but from languages around the world. It is not, as some might expect, a "do-this-don't-do-that" prescriptivist manual on how to write or speak; if that is what you need, look elsewhere. There are plenty of books that can tell you not to end sentences with prepositions, or what a split infinitive is. This book explores living language in all of its wonderful vitality.

Too Esoteric
This book is not for the average person to refresh his or her understanding of English grammar. This book investigates grammar from a perspective that demands far too much effort for anyone looking to review rules of grammar. Often the standard terminology for grammar is replaced by the author's own vocabulary. Perhaps the book would be helpful for someone who is an aspiring linguist searching for a multiplicity of esoteric investigations of the English language. This book could be one of those investigations. Or maybe a college student could use this book as part of his/her background material in writing a paper. Otherwise, the ratio of effort to reward is not satisfactory. ... Read more

Product Description
Here's help for anyone who has something to say or write but has difficulty doing so. Better Grammar in 30 Minutes features thorough coverage of key grammar skills, clear explanations with a minimum of grammatical terms and an abundance of exercises and activities to help reinforce new skill development. An answer key in the back encourages readers to work at their own pace. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

another mistake
I read a review and it inspired me to say that on the cover it states:"-for anyone else who wants to improve their writtencommuncations..." >To me communication should never be plural(it isan non-coutable noun.

Better Grammar in 30 Minutes
This book was a great help.The short chapters are broken down into subchapters followed by exercises. The book is clear, direct and easy to follow.

It covers many terms and rules I remembered hearing in school,but didn't grasp. They are presented in a format that I could study on myown; I use it asa quick reference when I'm not sure of something.

It's great as a remedial book and in the same category as PainlessGrammar.

A very good book!
This is a very good book, no matter what the "reader from Maryland" says below ... s/he is just simply _wrong_ about grammar - the phrase on the cover is perfectly correct. This is really a very usefulbook. You won't regret it if you buy it.

There's a grammar error on the cover
I find it hard to take seriously a book that has a grammar mistake on the cover of the book. Notice, if you will, the third bullet on the cover -- the one that says "For anyone else who wants their writtencommunications to be more powerful and professional."Every grammarbook I've ever read, including "Bedford's Handbook for Writers,"tells me that indefinite pronouns are singular. In other words, it shouldhave read "For anyone else who wants his written communications to bemore powerful and professional." If you don't like to use he becauseof political correctness, you can always say anyone else who wants his orher. Anyway, it doesn't make me very confident of the ability of a book toimprove my grammar when the editor cant catch a simple mistake on thecover. ... Read more

Product Description
This indispensable guide provides explanations and examples for all the important areas of grammar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Great Book
Alexander's "Longman English Grammar" is among the best of its type I have seen, though not without some drawbacks.

The coverage is exceptionally comprehensive, going over a large number of structures and forms that will keep most students going for a long time. The covers not only the main structures, but also some more specialised forms that students may need to be familiar with.

The explanations are generally easy to understand, though sometimes they get a little confusing. The examples provided are excellent and they often clear up any points of confusion that the explanations may have left the reader with.

Perhaps the biggest plus for this book is the fact that they include a section of exercises called "Context". Very few grammar practice books do this, prefering instead to have only sentence level practice. Alexander has provided an excellent opportunity to practice grammar in a wider context of language. The only pity is that he did not provide more like it, but some is better than none, and this alone makes the book worth getting.

Alexander's book is one of the best grammar practice books out there, and is an indispensible tool for the English student. If you can get one, I recommend doing so.

Teacher & Engineer
This is the most comprehesive book for an international student.
I would highly recommend you to have a copy of this handy book.

Don't miss the best of the bests
This is a book for all English students and teachers; a book you will keep for the rest of your life.

grammar
I like this grammar book because it contains every topic in concise. But I don't know if nowadays the author has edited or released a new edition for this book or not. ...

A dedicated student
WOW This is the most valuable book I ever bought. An indispensable tool for intermediate students. ... Read more

Product Description
This textbook provides a thorough and precise account of all the major areas of English grammar. For practical reasons the author concentrates on Standard English and only selected aspects of its regional variation. The book is written for students who may have no previous knowledge of linguistics and little familiarity with 'traditional' grammar. All grammatical terms, whether traditional or more recent, are therefore carefully explained, and in the first three chapters the students is introduced to the theoretical concepts and methodological principles needed to follow the later descriptive chapters. Nevertheless, the book is more than a straightforward 'grammar of English'. Rodney Huddleston does not espouse any formalised contemporary model of syntax and morphology, but he adopts the framework of modern 'structural' linguistics, in a very broad understanding of that term. The grammatical categories postulated derive from a study of the combinational and contrastive relationships the words and other forms enter into, and Dr Huddleston pays particular attention to the problem of choosing between alternative analyses and justifying the analysis he proposes. In this sense his book is addressed to the student of linguistics, who will find Introduction to the Grammar of English a much needed foundation for more advanced work in theoretical linguistics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not enough explanation, rambles all over the place
I bought this book hoping for a gentle intro into grammar and linguistics and then more discussion of other advanced grammar/linguistic topics.It however dissappointed me greatly. Within the first 20 pages, he is talking about subordinate clauses and what not with no explanation of them. He says in the preface that all such terms are fully explained, but by chapter 6, one is swimming in an ocean of terms that were never explained. If I wanted to go back in lookup every term to be 100% clear about it, I would have bought a reference book. Damn, I had high hopes for this book ! ... Read more

Product Description
This brand-new title for students of Spanish serves the double purpose as a combination workbook and a grammar instruction manual. It is filled with exercises and answers that emphasize informal, conversational language usage. Both the lessons and exercises are arranged progressively, from easy to more difficult, to reflect studentsÂ' learning development. Mastering Grammar books make ideal supplementary companions to main classroom textbooks. They can also be used as main texts for adult education courses and for individuals learning a new language on their own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mastering Spanish Grammar
This is a useful and fairly comprehensive book with an adequate number of exercises and better than usual graphics.My only problem with it is that they used a number of grammatical terms that most U.S. readers probably are not familiar with.Examples, are dative, gentative, and accusative.I would have much preferred that the authors use primarily the better-known terms and left those somewhat archaic ones in an "also-called" status if they felt one needed to know them.They do, however, give the more common names at some point although those "also calleds" may be a bit difficult to find if one is just browsing for a specific subject.

Frank

Great Book
This has really helped both my daugher and I with our spanish classes. Grammer has been very hard for me to grasp and this helps a lot. ... Read more