A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar (Blackwell Reference Grammars) [Paperback]

Christopher J. Pountain (Adapter), Jacques De Bruyne (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0631190872 | ISBN-13: 978-0631190875 | Publication Date: January 16, 1996 | Edition: 1

This is a much-needed, definitive grammar for all students of Spanish. Balancing a respect for established tradition with an awareness of current usage, A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar is both authoritative and stimulating in its approach. The book covers topics from basic pronunciation and the use of the noun, to particular problem areas, such as difficulties with verbs and word order. Special sections examine regional diversity within the language, and attention is paid throughout to the inclusion of Latin-American Spanish.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Comprehensive this indeed is, with frequent attention to substandard, variant and regional usages, to developments currently observable, and of course to the language of Spanish-speaking America. The exposition is admirably organized with clear typefaces on uncluttered pages, and is mercifully jargon-free so as to be accessible to all categories of user."
--Colin Smith, Emeritus Professor of Spanish, University of Cambridge

"A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar is an excellent reference book which I can wholeheartedly recommend for use by English-speaking users of Spanish, including those teaching it as a foreign language. This book is well worth acquiring for a variety of categories of English-speaking people who are mastering or have mastered the basics of Spanish."
--Neile A. Kirk, University of Melbourne, Australia

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Dutch --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (January 16, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631190872
• ISBN-13: 978-0631190875
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wise choice if your serious about the Spanish language, September 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar (Blackwell Reference Grammars) (Paperback)

This useful book is the best I could find on the Spanish language written in English. It has 685 pages and was written by a member of the Royal Spanish Academy and Director of the Carlos V Department at the University of Gent, Belgium and Director of the Institute of Hispanic Studies at the University of Antwerp. If you are put off by the price, consider that you would probably spend the same amount on other books that are not as comprehensive as this book is. This work shows a wide range of usage. Covers the usage of the verbs ser/estar which are difficult for the English learners of Spanish and the verb 'to become', the correct use of por and para, and has a good section on suffixes. I highly reccomend this book.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive is right, February 8, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Pomona, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar (Blackwell Reference Grammars) (Paperback)

Though this thick grammar is a translation of a Dutch work, it is the best thing I could find on Spanish. The length may put off those who are only casually interested in the language, but others will appreciate getting such minor questions as how to say numbers ( 'mil quinientos' and never 'quince cientos' ) answered. The book is linguistically sound, and sentences from novels and newspapers are used as evidence to support the grammatical rules. Conversely, the book does not waste space. The treatment of irregular verbs uses easily learned patterns rather than a brute listing of forms.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spanish Grammar Goldmine, November 24, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Comprehensive Spanish Grammar (Blackwell Reference Grammars) (Paperback)

This is an absolutely fantastic grammar. First of all, the way the table of contents is set up makes it easy to find the sections that explain the grammar. The explanations themselves are easy to understand (not grammar-jargon), and the book provides examples to illustrate how each part of the grammar functions in context. I consider this to be one of the best Spanish-materials investments I have made. This book would be a tremendous help to any serious Spanish student and an invaluable resource to any instructor.