Customer Reviews:
Very easy for beginners.......2007-08-24
This book has helped my wife a lot in understanding the english grammar beside her real life english course. The audio CDs are very practical way to practice both listening and writing. I strongly recommend it for any english learning beginner. No need for any instructor.
Azar is great!.......2007-08-14
The best grammar series around! I like all the books in the series and have used them in my different levels of ESL classes in several international schools. Good for middle and high school students, as well as adults. Some can be used with younger children as well, although the content is sometimes for older students. Excellent workbooks, too!
For teaching ESL.......2007-01-30
Azar books are a must for any ESL teacher. Can be used in the classroom as a textbook or as a guideline to the teacher for lesson plans.
Book Description
Golosa is a two-volume, introductory Russian-language program that strikes a balance between communication and structure. It takes a contemporary approach to language learning by focusing on the development of competence in the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), as well as the expansion of cultural knowledge. Each section in the text revolves around a topic and follows the same format: introduction of basic vocabulary, listening to introductory conversations, short dialogues with exercises and role play practice, practice in strategies for listening and reading, and grammar study with practice in both oral and written form. With its robust audio and video program on the World Wide Web, Golosa provides comprehensive explanations of Russian grammar along with the practice users need to build accuracy. This program is useful for those employees in fields where a working knowledge of Russian is necessary.
Customer Reviews:
Perfectly adequate textbook.......2004-12-07
I used this textbook in the second half of an intensive Russian class I took in college. (Used Golosa Book 1 for Russian 1.) It follows the standard textbook format: Each chapter introduces a grammatical concept and new vocabulary. There are a few short dialogues and several exercises to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary. There are also exercises at the beginning to practice cursive in the cyrillic alphabet. At the end of the book there was a grammar reference so it was easy to review and brush up on previous lessons. It was a perfectly good textbook to use as part of a class.
In this case I also used the workbook and tape set. The workbook has additional exercises for each chapter in the book. It helped, but isn't necessary since things are covered in enough detail in the book. The tapes were helpful for picking up on how to pronounce words, but by Russian 2 I had gotten the pronunciation right and they weren't so useful. Basically they contain spoken versions of the dialogues in the text and a few simple exercises. They just supplement the text and don't add to it.
This and Golosa Book 1 is a good textbook set to use as part of a class. I used it in college but it would also work for highschool. It did a pretty good job of explaining things and covered the concepts adequately. Teachers will want to know that there is a third edition out now.
If you are trying to learn Russian on your own: If you are at the level where you can study a second year book on you own, then using these texts to review and brush up on grammar would be fine. If you are not to a point where you can pick up a second year Russian text book and follow it then you should pick up a tape and book set designed specifically to teach you Russian on your own.
Overall a wonderful text for guided- or self- study!.......2000-06-25
I studied Russian in some capacity for almost 5 years now. As a russophile one runs into many text that offer little explanation to make this complex language more easily understood. This book is certainly not one of them! The Grammar review sections are perfect whether you are advancing your study by yourself, or you are reviewing for a test in a class. The vocablary sections are complete and well organized. This the second Golosa book focuses even more on authentic texts than the first volume. My only complaints include: the glossary--it is not a complete enough to serve as a useful tool; the cultural sections--on rare occasion are not complete enough to avoid broad generalizations; and the illustrations are childlike and not always clear. Nonetheless, this is a text that must be included in every Russian language student's reference library!
Book Description
The second edition contains new units, more exercises, and a free Audio CD with recordings of example sentences so students can hear the grammar structures they are learning. Each of the 116 units in the Student's Book is presented in a two-page spread, with simple, clear explanations on the left-hand page and practice exercises to check understanding on the right. This new edition includes an Audio CD with example sentences, ten units of new material more exercises per unit, and a new section of Additional Exercises that give students the opportunity to consolidate what they have learned. Editions with and without answers keys are available. Basic Grammar in Use, Second Edition, can be used as a class text or for self-study. Teachers using a main course book in lower-level classes may wish to assign this text as a reference guide so that students can look up grammar points that cause them difficulty.
Customer Reviews:
An Institution In Its Own Right.......2007-06-01
Raymond Murphy's books are ubiquitous, and rightly so. Murphy is something of an institution, and his books must be about the best selling of their kind globally. I have used them for years.
"Basic Grammar in Use" covers pretty much the Elementary and Pre-Intermediate levels, though there are some useful units that could be used at slightly higher levels. The explanations are simple and accessible, and the exercises provided are pretty straight forward.
The only quibble I would have is the lack of contextual exercises in Murphy's books. It would be nice to see some more text-level exercises for students to practice using the forms in a wider context than sentences.
Apart from that, this is still excellent value for money for teachers and students alike.
A GREAT ASSET.......2003-05-30
I've used this book (in its previous editions) for years in many different kinds of classrooms. It not only helps students review material studied in class, but helps me maintain my focus and remember the many details involved with teaching grammar effectively. It is organized in a logical way and its illustrations are wonderfully clear and entertaining. It is concise, but includes many details that help "round out" a student's understanding of grammar use. Its appendices, including regular and irregular verb forms and spelling rules, are excellent.
The only difficulty I have had with this book is its limited applicability in ESL classes where students have fewer literacy skills. The book is densely written (one page gives examples of the grammar point or points, and the facing page contains varying practice exercises) and therefore can be intimidating or simply too dependent on strong reading and writing skills to be beneficial to students whose educational backgrounds have been substantially interrupted or limited. The type is small and tightly spaced, which may be a concern in teaching younger students or those who, though older, haven't acquired the reading or writing skills necessary to benefit from such a text.
All in all, this book is definitely worth the price.
Customer Reviews:
Very good, could have been better........2007-09-20
This is a good product like all Living Language Ultimate products are. I have two complaints about this one though. Number one is that there was way to much time spent on the Spanish of Spain with vosotros. If this had been all Latin American countries then this would have been almost perfect. The vast majority of Spanish speakers live in Latin America. As far as I know I have never encountered a Spanish Speaker from Spain here in America even though I know there are some here. Many different Latin American countries were represented which I felt was a good idea. My other complaint was the lack of a written transcript of the four hours on the go audio. The set includes 8 hours audio with 4 hours designed to be used with the book and 4 hours to be used while say drving without the text which is 400 pages and filled with great information on grammar, vocabulary, and cultural notes.
Book Description
Basic Connections provides basic information about expressions and usages that facilitate the flow of ideas and thoughts in written and spoken Japanese. It explains how words and phrases dovetail, how clauses pair up with other clauses, how sentences come together to create harmonious
paragraphs. Since this is a book about the basics it starts with the fundamentals, explaining first the two types of Japanese sentence-"A is B" and "A does B." Then it proceeds to the problem of the modifier and the modified-a matter of "which is which." Wa and ga naturally get considerable play;
after all, it is downright impossible to speak properly without them. There is also a discussion of linking nouns and noun phrases, not to speak of verbs and verb phrases. The book goes on to devote a whole chapter to common mistakes and troublesome usages. The final chapter attempts to pin down
some particularly slippery locutions: such as toshite, imada ni, sore kara, whoppers like "Sentence A-te sae inakereba, Sentence B," and many more.
Any beginning or intermediate student, having spent a certain amount of time and energy studying this book, will be able to speak and read Japanese in a much more coherent fashion.
Customer Reviews:
anthing BUT basic.......2007-04-17
I bought this book in order to prepare myself to take the JLPT4 exam. And, well, I was in for a shock. The title is nothing if not misleading. The grammar covered DOES NOT focus on what you would expect to be basic material. Of the hundred odd "connections" that the author has chosen, only a handful are JLPT4, and the other half are split between JLPT3 and JLPT2. Other cons are that the language of the author is of a very wordy and academic nature, so the explanations seem more complex than clear or concise! And, contrary to the premise that much of this book is aimed at beginners, in the majority of cases the author clearly expects readers to already have a grasp of intermediate grammar, thus leaving far too many things improperly explained, skimmed over, or even lacking in any explanation at all.
However, this is not to say that this book is a waste of good paper. If you are of an intermediate-higher level (read: higher JLPT3 and above) it can come in quite useful, because it at least alerted me to a lot of aspects many other grammar books did not even touch on, even though it failed to explain many of these in detail. And if you're a beginner, consider it for future reference, but don't be in any hurry to buy it.
If you have a certain backround- it's a nice book.......2006-11-04
The field of language books and Japanese language in particular, is as enormous as can be. It's important to know where to start, and how to accumulate information in order to make a steady move forward while learning any language. This book, though trying to give you as much general information about the language as possible, is not for beginners. If you want some real basic Japanese, try any Kodansha book or any other college students book that will give you the right start. Although not for beginners as I said, it's a very handy book for the more experienced Japanese learner, and will give you bunds of information that'll make your language familiarity better. Again, a book not to start from, but a great supplementary didactic tool for the advanced user.
Clear and In-Depth!.......2005-11-13
This is a great book for beginning/intermediate Japanese students. It describes the usage of particles, select verb phrases, and common sentence patterns very thoroughly, especially where appropriate context is required. Instead of just saying "A kara, B" means "because of A, B", this book delves into the complexities of kara implying direct cause and effect, even blame.
As for the use of romanji, it's annoying and ill-suited to a book that is not for absolute beginners. However, in a way it's also better than furigana because it's easier to practice reading kanji. I find that I've developed the annoyingly lazy habit of just reading furigana even if I know the kanji.
All in all, a great supplemental text!!
I love this book.......2005-03-11
This is a very good book for beginners, but you still have to sit down and practice the basics with it... it's very good.
The most important grammar book you'll find?.......2004-05-31
This could be the most important Japanese grammar book you could buy, and I'll tell you why. If you're already learning Japanese, you know how complex the sentence structures and grammar can be. It's one thing to be able to get your ideas across in a reasonably intelligent manner, but it's another thing entirely to make what you're saying flow and sound natural. This book teaches you how to connect ideas and sentences so they more naturally flow into the next one. Now, if you're like me, you might be really good and saying things in Japanese, as long as you don't have to build on what you said the sentence before, or put together one long thought or sentence. This book shows you how to "look ahead" so you can figure out how to construct the sentence from the beginning so that, by the time you get to the end, everything has neatly connected itself along the way.
My only regret is I didn't find this book sooner than I did. It is truly invaluable for the beginning student, and even for the intermediate student, as well. Don't even hesitate to buy this book. It is cheap and EASILY worth the price.
Book Description
A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Sentence Patterns is a fundamental learning tool for all students of the Japanese language, whether they be unblemished beginners or scarred veterans. With both types of struggling student, as well as for all the gradations that fall in between, there is a strong tendency, in the heat of battle, to lose sight of the essential nature of the Japanese sentence. It is for just such people that this dictionary has been created, to help them keep their eyes fixed firmly on the target and not be led astray. The dictionary contains fifty of the most fundamental Japanese sentence patterns as well as sixty-nine variations. This number covers all the patterns that are needed for levels 3 and 4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Each pattern and variation is clearly defined by a formula given in Japanese, romanization, and English. Each is exemplified by sample sentences (both in single sentences and in dialogues), and each is represented in both polite and informal usage. By means of this approach, the essential nature of the Japanese sentence is clarified, and once that has been done, the many patterns and variations fall easily into place. The simple, undisguised truth is that there are only three types of sentence in Japanese, and all of the convolutions and complications that distract and bemuse the student are nothing more than modifications of these three fundamental types. The study of the Japanese sentence need not be as difficult as it is seems. A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Sentence Patterns may be used as a reference book to look up individual patterns for the purpose of learning, confirming, or reapproaching them, or it may be used as a textbook to be read from beginning to end, providing an overview of the Japanese sentence while buttressing the student's grasp of individual patterns.
Customer Reviews:
A good reference.......2006-12-17
Since a search that brought up this book probably also brought up Japanese Sentence Patterns for Effective Communication: A Self-Study Course and Reference (same publisher) and at first glance one might be tempted to just buy whichever is cheapest at the time. It's worth noting that they are very different books.
A Dictionary... is indexed for a reader that encounters a strange construction. It is formatted in a way to facilitate looking-up strange new sentences. Japanese Sentence Patterns is indexed for someone that wants to say something in Japanese.
Thus, If you want to tell someone in Japanese that one thing would be better to do than another, Japanese Sentence Patterns will tell you how to say it. On the other hand, if you see or hear "Yukkuri tabeta hou ga kenkou ni ii yo." Then A dictionary... is better for figuring out what the person meant.
In all, both books are very much worth getting. Both serve completely different needs, they are definitely not duplicates of the same book. I gave a 3 star because I find the indexing system a bit unwieldy, not for lack of content.
Great book for beginners.......2005-03-11
This is a very good book for beginners, but you still have to sit down and practice the basics with it... it's very good.
Just not quite enough.......2004-09-13
A basic dictionary is right. This book can be used to help one deconstruct simple sentences, but any complex structures involving one or more patterns just isn't there. You won't be able to learn Japanese from this book, nor construct more realistic, complex sentences.
The book spends too much time with routine analysis of each sentence pattern and not enough really useful, complex examples that use one or more patterns together. Most of the examples for the polite speech are fairly routine and what one would expect in a text book. However the casual sentence patterns that are also provided give a more detailed look at real conversation. But these complex examples are few and far between, and sometimes quite complex to understand.
I also found the reference section of verbs and adjectives at the back lacking in detail. There were many verbs used in the book that just weren't there.
So, in all, I read it. It was okay. I wouldn't buy my own copy if I had borrowed it from someone else.
A solid reference book for beginning/intermediate students.......2004-09-06
This book is exactly what it says it is, "A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Sentence Patterns." Like all dictionaries, it is a reference book designed to supplement other methods of language learning, rather than being a text book on its own. After all, you don't learn English by reading the Dictionary!
As a reference book, it is excellent. It breaks down the Japanese language into 3 basic sentence patterns (Nominal, Adjectival, and Verbal), then shows possible variations. As it is a grammar reference, the book assumes that one is fluent in grammatical English as well, and that the readers know a participle from a predicate. Along with the basic patterns, the book demonstrates how formality/informality and men's/women's languages can influence the shape of a Japanese sentence. There are many example dialogs, showing the same conversation from a few viewpoints.
As with all decent Japanese texts, it uses Japanese kana, in this case complete kanji, when writing Japanese, then provides a romaji translation. I don't think that this is a good reference for learning new vocabulary, but a few words might be picked up here and there.
All in all, "A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Sentence Patterns" provides a good resource for what can be a confusing element of the Japanese language. Sometimes having something explained in a different manner can help it to click, and even when deciphering longer sentences, it is good to know that they will fit the variation of one of the three patterns.
Good as a side book.......2004-09-02
This was my first book to learn about the Japanese language, and I find this pretty good once I understand it's pattern. I had to re-read several times. And this is really just about learning sentence structures, not on learning vocabulary.
What I like about it is that it also includes the Japanese language and not just the English Romanji.
Book Description
Many students of English as a second language are daunted by the complexities of English grammar and its terminology. This user-friendly book was written especially for them. The emphasis here is on practical use of written and spoken American-style English, rather than on theory. The first of the bookÂ's 15 chapters explains different kinds of sentences—affirmative, negative, and interrogative, as well as clauses and phrases that are component parts of many sentences. Several chapters that follow focus on different parts of speech, describing their uses in verbal and written communication. The bookÂ's later chapters discuss vocabulary, standard protocols in conversational speech, and modes of expression, such as preferences and dislikes. A separate chapter presents guidelines for composing letters, e-mails, résumés, and other written forms. Short quizzes for self-testing appear throughout the text, with answers given at the back of the book.
Customer Reviews:
Can't live without this book!.......2007-01-20
I'm a textbook writer and I do a lot of ESL/ELL work. This book is a MUST have for teaching/writing about grammar and language development. It explains complex ideas in simple terms and offers plenty of examples. I wish I would have found a book like this years ago.
A blend of quizzes for self-testing and insights into how English works.......2006-07-05
If English is your second language and you can't figure out the inconsistencies of grammar, Basic American Grammar And Usage: An ESL/EFL Handbook is for you. Fifteen easy chapters avoid the usual theory and focus on applied written and spoken American-style English, offering a blend of quizzes for self-testing and insights into how English works. Guidelines include sentences, clauses, standard conventions, relative pronouns, and more: many an English speaker will also find this a solid refresher course on usage.
Average customer rating:
- Good for review and intermediate students of chinese
- A clear intorduction to Chinese Grammars
- Excellent study material
- Great review / reference
- be careful
|
Basic Chinese: A Grammar and Workbook (Routledge Grammars)
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Book Description
Written in a reference-and-practice format, Basic Chinese introduces beginners to the fundamental elements of the language. Comprehensively written, this book covers simple sentences and elementary grammatical categories. Basic Chinese is the first volume in a two volume set; learners may follow with Intermediate Chinese. With keys to the exercises and a glossary of lexical terms, this grammar and workbook is perfect for individual or classroom use.
Customer Reviews:
Good for review and intermediate students of chinese.......2007-09-11
My Chinese class required this book so I got it. The book is an excellent tool for learning grammar. The book is clear and concise. A beginner could use this book, but I think it's better if you already have a basic knowledge of some chinese (mostly because vocabulary is not covered - the book is purely grammar). The book does the job well and isn't overwhelming.
A clear intorduction to Chinese Grammars.......2006-08-23
I am a Chinese who can speak the language but live in a foreign country and seldom use it. I thought it was very difficult if possible at all to lay down rules for Chinese grammars, until I came to use this book to teach my teenage son who was not brought up in Chinese. It make teaching and learning Chinese easier than I thought.
Excellent study material.......2006-02-05
I was able to browse through this book in the bookstore. I study Mandarin Chinese for one and a half year, speaking fluently, and I own quite a few different study books, so I can judge them easily. I was impressed with this book and certainly plan on buying it - just it's a bit pricy. Clear presentation of the grammar, AS it is used by the native speakers, advanced English without mistakes, and use of Hanyu Pinyin romanization *without mistakes* (as often seen as an obstacle in Chinese study books). The other book(s) from this author has the same but I suppose more advanced (as a follow up course). These are not books for the absolute beginner, though! It is not the kind of friendly course book with stories and all vocabulary laid out for each chapter, no it is not. It is, however, all presented in a very clear way.
Great review / reference.......2005-02-14
Having completed 270 hours of study, I bought both this book and the intermediate level book to review and build upon what I had learned. I found the book very suitable for these purposes. Both books together provide comprehensive coverage of all essential Chinese grammar concepts, and there are helpful cross references between chapters. Each grammar point is illustrated with several examples, and possible sources of confusion are clarified. At the end of each chapter are a variety of self-checking exercises and an answer key in the appendix.
My only complaint is that the pinyin is in boldface, which distracts my eyes away from the characters. Any serious student of Chinese learns literacy along with speaking skills, so pinyin should not dominate.
Even here in China, I have not found a comprehensive reference/self-study grammar book. These books are a must for any person who endeavors to master Chinese. These books should not be used alone as model sentences do not provide full context for the language. These books are an excellent supplement to an integrated textbook.
be careful.......2004-06-13
make sure you have already another method of learning Chinese before you get this book, because it is strictly grammar, not a learning course.
Customer Reviews:
foggy on grammar.......2003-09-30
I'm agreeing with one of the reviews posted previously here. While FOG does give an in depth view into the grammar aspects of English, it does not do so in a concise manner, and I am surprised that no one has written this before. The presentation of the grammar aspects is done so in a confusing setting that, while it does present the material at least, does not do so in a manner beneficial to someone learning the language. There are tremendous amounts of errors in the book itself as well; this includes not only the editing itself but also the answer keys. I find I am often forced to skip exercises because they present contradictory material to the presentation given in the beginning of a chapter. Students who have studied English grammar intensively previous to using this book will find that they have a lot of questions that are difficult at best to answer. If you are stuck using only this series of books, good luck to you; you will be pulling your hair out time and time again if you, as well as your students, are paying attention to what is actually in the book and not just writing what "feels" right as a native speaker. There is a lot of confusing and almost false material presented. It seems as though the language was manipulated for publishing purposes, as opposed to using realistic language for organizing a lesson. And as far as communicative grammar goes, I find this is by far a "workbook" type of grammar book; though there are opportunities presented for communicative work, it is often not done so in a realistic setting.
Good overall but more than a few errors.......2001-02-07
I am writing about the 2000 edition: This series and text is good overall but considering this is the 2nd or 3rd edition, I am disappointed that there are so many mistakes between the questions, correct answers and answer key. It's hard enough for people to learn English as it is without them beating their heads trying to find why an answer is such-and-such only to learn that the given answer is wrong or that the question itself doesn't give all needed information.
Impressed.......2000-08-16
Well, what more can I say. I teach English in Mexico and bought this book here. It's a bit more expensive here, but it was well worth the wait. In addition to the book, I bought the workbook, the teacher's manual and the cassettes. The level of the book itself is about 4th to 7th grade. It is a very impressive book and intend on buying the newest series, when or if they become available. I would recommend this series to anyone who would be interested in teaching ESL or EFL.
Content-based and with lots communicative tasks.......2000-05-02
This series provides well-designed grammar books in real Communicative-language-teaching approach. This course book has both clear and user-friendly grammar reference and a lot of interesting skill-building practices. It helps learners to practice grammar in controlled exercises and communicative tasks. The tasks are similar to what learners may encounters in real life, and some of them require oral negotiation during the problem-solving process. Thus, this material help learners to use English in carrying out tasks in real life. Unlike traditional structural-based and drill-focused grammar books, this material allows learners to practice and use grammar in a social context, so it is very suitable for EFL or ESL classrooms, but not for individual learning. The outstanding features of this grammar series are as follows: 1. The methodological emphasis on retrospective approach to grammar. For example, learners encounter the focused grammar structure (usually highlighted) in a reading passage or a dialogue in the first section. Then, they will read the explanation of that grammar usage in the second section. Examples are always included in the explanation, so it is easy to understand and remeber the grammar usage. 2. Instruction-friendly design: model dialogues or passage, explicit explanation of grammar, and ready-for-use tasks are provided 3.A good grammar companion to any other course book: units are arranged according to grammar categories, so learners can practice what they need. 4.Well-designed and interesting skill-building exercises. Some are task-based exercises and allow learners to practice grammar in real communication. 5. Focus on content. Wide-range of interesting subject matters in the presentation and practices. Usually, all ofthe exercises/tasks within one unit deal with the same grammar structure (e.g. passive voices)through the same content topic (e.g.naming) Sometimes, the topics of several units are related when these units deal with related grammar structures.
Book Description
This volume uses both Roman and Cyrillic alphabets. It opens with a diagnostic self-test to help students determine what they already know of Russian and how to get best use from the book. Following chapters include a grammar brush-up covering all parts of speech, and special topics including Russian word formation, idioms, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Best Reference for Use with Other Learning Tools.......2002-09-29
If you're looking for an introduction to Russian, with dialogues and lessons, this book is not for you. It is, however, the clearest book I've found to explain the grammatical concepts. If you're self-teaching with tapes or software programs, you will most likey come to a point where you've learned an expression or a change in word endings without fully understanding the grammar behind it, this is where to look to quickly get the explanation. It does not contain much vocabulary, or full sentences, it is made up of chapters explaining particular grammatical structures and rules, so you're not going to learn to speak using this book alone.
Excellent reference.......2001-06-24
I agree completely with the reviewer from Oregon. I am starting to learn Russian from a cassette series (Learn in Your Car, which I also highly recommend) and this book is a very well-organized, valuable reference. In fact, it is one of the best organized special-purpose reference books I have seen anywhere. It has plenty of tables, and very clear descriptions of things like 'Why do Russian nouns have so many cases?' After teaching myself Spanish, Russian is my next goal, and it is quite a challenge. I think I would have given up by now without this book.
Excellent backup reference.......2000-01-22
I bought this book as an additional reference to my class textbook. I use it constantly to review key concepts. Most language textbooks are not organized to make good reference material, but this one (inexpensive) book makes up for such a shortcoming completely.
You can use Master the Basics to quickly zero in on a particular concept whether it be the parts of speech, pronouns, verbs, case declension and the concepts are presented in a very concise and straightforward manner. I especially like the well-organized charts scattered throughout as they make a clear summary with graphical-style impact that makes things easier to remember.
If you intend to pursue Russian seriously at any level, then this is a must-have book, handy and gets right to the point. Do svidannya!
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Fundamentals of English Grammar, Third Edition (Full Student Book with Answer Key)
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