Customer Reviews

French for Oral and Written Review, Fifth Edition (English and French Edition)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't need a thousand words to extol the virtues of this compact, totally accessible (to those interested in French at any level of study)handbook of French structure. When I taught French at the university level, this was the only French text students uniformly praised for its clarity and abundance of usable examples of the grammar and idiomatic points it presents. If you have been frustrated in the past by the two extremes in such texts (the hopelessly obtuse--for the beginner and intermediate students at any rate-- on the one hand, and the simplemindedly childish on the other), Carlut and Meiden will come as a refreshing breath of common sense. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. --R. L. Mazzola, PhD

I can add this student's complete endorsement of Carlut & Meiden to that of former French teacher Robert Mazzola. It is one of only two French textbooks I've kept years after taking the course, and the only one I recommend to others. This book helped to put me into Phi Sigma Iota (foreign language honorary.)

Easy to use, straightforward, perfect third-year book, which most people I know who have used it keep after their classes. A bit old (time for an updated version with a strong spine -lots of exercises on every subpart of each chapter and the idea of the problem words that everybody trips on ("room" "space" 'place', etc.) is great. Excellent book (and if you contact the publisher--ask professors, they'll tell you--, you will indeed get the answer key, despite what another reviewer said - try harder and call them).

I am a french minor, and last fall I had this book for one of our upper level grammar classes. At that point, I had taken french for 7 years, and this book really pulled it all together for me. Now, a year later with a couple more classes under my belt, I still use it for reference and am reading through it entirely once more for review. It makes grammar a fun class (wow, I know) and translation like a puzzle to be solved. The entire class and my teacher loved this text!

This is surely the best intermediate-advanced review of French grammar still available. Every aspect of the language is covered with abundant excercises. There is also a workbook for those who wish to have even more scope for student practice (though I've never used in class because the text itself provides sufficient work). My only (slight) criticism is that the "ORAL" part of the review is quite minimal in the text; however, any French teacher should be able to provide supplemental oral practice based on, for example, the readings which introduce the chapters. To the previous reviewer, I must say that I cannot imagine any French teacher who is teaching an intermediate (or higher) level course needing an answer key!!! Those who can't teach at this level without an answer key probably shouldn't be teaching the course at all.

Excellent book, logical format and easy for us english speakers to grasp the complex nature of french grammar. There is a but (2 actually), it's a bit dated now, it needs a revision, which is unlikely as the authors are now well into their respective old ages. The second is the absence of an answer book. Despite a review here saying it's available I have been unable to acquire one in Australia. I have even written to the publishers with no reply. An answer book is VERY important if you are a mature aged student studying french in my opinion. So not 5 but 4 stars from me.

Book came in good shape and timely but the class changed and now I get to buy another. DRAT!

I am a French teacher and live in Switzerland. I am teaching French to women who travel the world. They usually stay in Switzerland for a few years. This book is simply the best and answer all the questions people could have about this difficult language to learn! My mothertongue is French and I always find - in this book-all the particular questions people are asking me.
There is ,unfortunately- A MAJOR PROBLEM with using this book. I have been looking everywhere for the ANSWER BOOK, which is the teacher book. The publisher can not provide it, eventhough it is mention in the first pages that an "ANSWER KEY" is available! Therefore, I wouldn't recommand this book. The exercices are difficult and take a long time to be solved!