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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent grammar review!, March 6, 2008
This review is from: Italian Grammar Drills (Drills Series) (Paperback)
I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The grammar is explained in a clear and concise way -- not only with explanations but with plentiful examples too. My favorite sections of this book are the adjective and adverb sections which provide lists of common adverbs, how they are used, etc. Both chapters taught me things that I didn't know, and I learned some things in this book that I never learned in any classroom situation.
Complex grammatical situations are not dumped onto the student in one go but explained through small subsections. As you learn and practice one grammatical area, you proceed to the next one, hitting more complex grammatical concepts as you progress - this is evident in the section where the author explains the various usages of the prepositions, starting off first with the English equivalents and then branching out into more idiomatic examples. This concept is repeated in all the chapters of the book and provides an excellent model for the rest of the book.
I'm really impressed by the author's ability to communicate effectively to her readers. What makes this book standout is that not only are you reading about the grammar but you have the chance to practice it too with the hundreds of exercises (and answers) included in the book. It's hard to find any fault with this book which does its job well. With a class or on your own, you can't go wrong with this book which functions not only as a workbook but also an excellent desk side reference. For those studying Italian on your own, this book works best when coupled with an audio tape course, like Pimsleur or something like Rosetta Stone or any other of the many online sites and tools out there that help you HEAR the language. This book won't help you to learn to speak Italian (there's no CD accompanying this book), but it will help you to learn and/or improve your grammar to become a better speaker and listener in Italian.
Perfect for beginners and also strong review for intermediate and advanced students. You'd be surprised what you will learn!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference book; lacks drill exercises.., September 7, 2009
This review is from: Italian Grammar Drills (Drills Series) (Paperback)
I ordered this workbook as a supplement for my Italian students, after having owned, studied & thoroughly enjoyed ITALIAN VERB DRILLS by the same author. GRAMMAR DRILLS, while thorough in its explanation, comes up lacking with regard to actual drills for students.
A long-time language student, I appreciated the extensive, repetitive grammar exercises in ITALIAN VERB DRILLS that helped me to reinforce those still-weak areas. (VERB DRILLS dedicates at least 4 full pages and about 120 questions to each verb tense, with additional pages focusing on irregular verb forms!) This text continues to be a useful references and practice companion.
ITALIAN GRAMMAR DRILLS, however, dedicates a mere 2 pages to each grammar point, the first page of which is pure explanation. This leaves 1 page (about 2 exercises or 20 questions) for students to practice each new concept. Granted, a book dedicated to the whole of grammar as opposed to just verbs has a much wider subject to cover, and rightly so, GRAMMAR DRILLS is about twice the size of VERB DRILLS. Even so, I feel it could have benefited with even more girth its students, who, upon completing 2 exercises, likely forget again (as is repeatedly the case in language studies) the point they've just covered.
In its defense, the explanation it offers is clear and easy to follow, and the author has included many useful examples, often drawing attention to irregular uses of particular grammar structures. I recommend it as a worthwhile addition to your language library, until a more flawless workbook is discovered.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very useful and a great bargain!, November 21, 2008
This review is from: Italian Grammar Drills (Drills Series) (Paperback)
Good Italian workbooks are pretty difficult to come by. Unlike Spanish and French, there are very few grammar workbooks available which cater to the high school/university student who is studying Italian for written/spoken competency (as opposed to travel).
This text is a great compilation of grammar exercises with an answer key. It would be a great supplement to a course workbook or for a self-study student. Difficulty ranges from intermediate to advanced. It might be be better suited for a student who has already completed Italian 101 or Level 1. Highly recommended!
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