Customer Reviews

Interactive German Grammar Made Easy w/CD-ROM

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

 

 

An excellent reference to German grammar.
Does not teach the language per se, but an invaluable resource for grammatical questions.
If you want just phrases, then this book is not for you, but if you want to compose your own sentences, then it's a must-have.

Very well organized, too, unlike many books I've consulted.

The CD is pretty good, too - many fill in the blanks type exercises testing your knowlege of declensions, conjugations, prepositions and so on. Most phrases have sound files, too, so you can hear them to check on pronunciation.

Apparently because the book's CD-ROM uses macromedia flash, it apparently was necessary for me to visit the macromedia site to change security settings in flash. I also had to visit the McGraw-Hill knowledge base for enough instructions to get me through the process (http://s3.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4329). They did a good job of explaining what to do, rare in the industry IMO. When starting the grammar application, it accesses the computer's default browser (in my case Opera) which blocks the popup that the application tries to put on the screen, so you have to be aware enough to catch it and allow it to open. Then the application starts in the browser window and runs well enough, but is not what might be called an immersion into German grammar.

If you have to have an interactive program that leads you through some grammar items, it is better than nothing. A more exhaustive book would hold more potential, but who has the discipline and drive to use one of those?

I found a quote on the back cover of this book that was so strange that I had to share with future readers. "In a perfect world, you would have been born into a German-speaking family!" How curious! I think the obvious irony was lost on the author or the blurb writer. It is only by the grace of God that we never got that "perfect world". I still think you should buy the book.