Essential German Grammar by Durrell, Martin;

Short description:

"This is a student-friendly grammar designed to give intermediate level-plus learners a firm foundation for developing their German language skills"--

Long description:

Essential German Grammar is a student-friendly grammar and workbook designed to give learners a firm foundation on which to build a real understanding of both spoken and written German. The reference grammar section offers clear explanations of key grammar points while a separate exercise section gives students the opportunity to test themselves and put into practice what they have learned.

This new edition has been revised and updated throughout. Explanations, tables and exercises have been improved and a number of the authentic texts and illustrations have been replaced by new material. Key features of this second edition include:



User-friendly layout with updated 2 colour design, engaging illustrations and visually appealing tables throughout to aid the learning process


Clear and accessible explanations with memorable examples informed by the latest research on the German language and presented in accordance with current teaching methodology


Helpful parallels between English and German provided where relevant


End-of-chapter extracts taken from contemporary journalistic or authentic literary sources, illustrating grammar in context, with model translations provided at the back of the book


Material to enable better strategic learning and understanding, including a Why Grammar? FAQ section, a glossary of grammatical terms in both English and German and a complete answer key to exercises


Created especially for the new edition, a companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/kaiser offering a wealth of additional materials, including interactive exercises, quizzes and flashcards to test student understanding, downloadable PDF sheets for classroom use, PowerPoint slides for instructors and audio recordings illustrating the sounds of spoken German.

Written by highly e

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, UK

Here 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, Australia

Clearly 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, India

An 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

Table of Contents:

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