Essential German Grammar

Martin Durrell is Professor Emeritus of German at the University of Manchester, UK Katrin Kohl is Professor of German Literature at Jesus College, University of Oxford, UKClaudia Kaiser is a Senior German Language Instructor, University of Oxford, UKGudrun Loftus was a Senior German Language Instructor, University of Oxford, UK.

• Preface Why Grammar? Abbreviations Glossary Words and sentences Nouns The noun phrase: determiners and pronouns Adjectives, adverbs and adverbials Prepositions Verbs forms Verbs uses Valency and cases Word order Complex sentences Word formation Spoken and written German Exercises Answers to exercises Grammar in context: translations Acknowledgements Index

Essential German Grammar is exceptionally straightforward to use, full of useful exercises and examples and written with an eye for salient detail. I would recommend it confidently to students at A level and beyond. It is not just a valuable source of information; the book also explains cogently why you can’t just ‘do without’ grammatical knowledge. It will help learners appreciate that, far from an inconvenience, the striving for a mastery of grammar is absolutely central to successful advanced language learning Geoffrey Plow, University College School, UKHere now is finally a German grammar that stands out from the crowd: modern, pleasing on the eye and bursting with self-correcting exercises, backed up by a complimentary website to make it a book of its era. The ideal grammar to work through prior to taking on the ultimate reference work on the topic, Martin Durrell’s Hammer’s German Grammar and Usage. Bruce Donaldson, formerly at The University of Melbourne, AustraliaClearly set out, this useful reference work is student-friendly. The two colour design makes examples clear and easy to access; contemporary text extracts, amusing illustrations together with exercises (and answers) as well as explanations in English take the frustration out of learning German grammar. Essential German Grammar is a highly recommended addition to any post-beginner’s German course. Kathleen Thorpe, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg "Students of German with English language backgrounds will welcome the second edition of the Essential German Grammar. It is an excellent, user friendly stand-alone Grammar which presents the basic structures of German in a clear and systematic manner. Grammatical concepts are explained in a glossary which teachers too will find useful. The emphasis on learning rules with examples of authentic usage will be very helpful for Learners who wish to move to an advanced level of competence in German. This well designed volume is highly recommended." Anil Bhatti, Jawaharlal Nehru University, IndiaAn invaluable tool for every serious student of German. Concise and clearly written - yet covering all the key elements of German grammar - it is without question one of the most user-friendly grammars currently available. Seán Allan, University of Warwick, UK