A Comprehensive Russian Grammar (Blackwell Reference Grammars) (Paperback)

by Terence Wade (Author)
Key Phrases: masculine short form, aspectival pairs, unidirectional verbs, Russia Today, Note Some, Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural Nom (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"With the additions of a helpful glossary and of a major section on word formation in the Russian noun, Terence Wade's Comprehensive Russian Grammar, already the best reference book of its kind, has, in its second edition, become even more useful for students of Russian." Barry P. Scherr, Professor of Russian, Dartmouth College

"Students (and other readers) will now have quick and easy access to some of the finer (and very tricky) points of Russian language, in addition to very solid and thorough materials which already make up the Grammar." Margaret Tejerizo, Lecturer in Russian Language and Literature, University of Glasgow

Reviews of the First Edition:

"The coverage and fresh, interesting examples make Wade's grammar attractive . . . It will certainly be a standard reference work over the next fifty years." The Slavonic Review

"The most complete, accurate and authoritative English-language refernece grammar of Russian ever published." Choice

Product Description
A Comprehensive Russian Grammar provides a definitive guide to current Russian usage, taking many of its examples from the press and contemporary literary sources.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 632 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (August 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631207570
• ISBN-13: 978-0631207573
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #350,579 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best existing Russian grammar in English, March 31, 2001

By	Howard D. Rowland (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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

Wade's "Comprehensive Russian Grammar" is no doubt the best work of its type for English-speaking students of Russian. It deals exhaustively with virtually every aspect of the language and gives copious information which should satisfy the curiosity of both intermediate and advanced students of the language. Some American learners might have a bit of difficulty with "Britishisms" such as the use of the first-person future "shall" instead of "will" and a few other such things, but this is no significant barrier. Once in a great while there are a some very peculiar usages in the English translations of Russian utterances (such as "I'll give you argue!" and "I'll give you gallivanting around!" on page 301) which are incomprehensible to Americans (and perhaps also to British people), but such problems are rare. All in all, this work is the answer to the dreams of serious English-speaking learners of Russian.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but not advanced enough., March 31, 2001

By	CJ - See all my reviews

What no one has mentioned here yet is that there is a grammar workbook by the same author that acts as a companion to this grammar book. This was a recommended work when I was doing a degree in Russian. It is a good and thourough work on the Russian language that you will, undoubtedly, find useful. However, I think that there are some sections that really need more detail. First of all the (painful!) verbs of motion need more clarification and explanation in relation to the variations used by Russian speakers. There have been whole books written on verbs of motion so the little that has been devoted to it here is not enough in my opinion. There have been times in my own interaction with Russians when I have been corrected in my use of a verb of motion even though what I said was grammatically correct. We need to know when and where to use them. Secondly, the section on perfectives and imperfectives and the way affixes are used is just not advanced and thourough enough. If you are going to spend your money on a grammar book you want the full story, don't you? Examples used tend to be from Soviet/Russian press, which is Ok, but also from authors such as Chekhov. I think it would be better to stick to modern sources as much as possible instead of gining readers the idea that what they may be learning might be older style Russian. I think that all the examples will be perfectly OK in modern Russian, but I think you should consider the impression you give readers as well as the actual information. Still, a good book and a good combination if used with the grammar book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for any truly serious student of Russian., April 30, 1998

By A Customer

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

This book is one of the best Russian grammars I have ever read. It is very thorough and detailed. It covers virtually every grammatical aspect and complexity of the Russian language. It is a must for any truly serious student of Russian who wishes to perfect their language ability.