ABSTRACT

Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide is an innovative reference guide to German as it is spoken and written today.
* Part A provides a description of the structures of modern German. All grammatical rules are illustrated with examples of contemporary German, each of which is accompanied by an English translation.
* Part B focuses on functions. Language is closely related to everyday situations: voicing an opinion, apologizing, expressing regret and so on. All points are richly illustrated, grammatical features are cross-referenced to Part A, and information is provided on register and relevant cultural background.
A detailed contents list, a section on how to use the book and a comprehensive index make the grammar user-friendly and accessible.
Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide is suitable for intermediate and advanced learners of German. It will prove invaluable to those with little experience of formal grammar, as no prior knowledge of grammatical terminology is assumed and a detailed glossary of terms is provided. The book will also be useful to teachers seeking back-up to functional syllabuses and designers of German courses.

part |2 pages

Part A Structures

chapter 1|4 pages

Letters and sounds

Vowels

chapter 2|4 pages

Word order

Simple sentences and main clauses

chapter 8|3 pages

Subordinate clauses

chapter 9|6 pages

Indirect questions

chapter 3|13 pages

The case system

The cases

chapter 4|11 pages

Nouns

The article

chapter 26|1 pages

Compound nouns and acronyms

chapter 28|6 pages

Noun declensions

chapter 5|5 pages

Pronouns

Pronoun reference and forms

chapter 6|12 pages

Verbs

Verb forms

chapter 34|3 pages

Use of tenses

chapter 35|44 pages

Modal verbs

chapter 7|11 pages

Adjectives and adverbs

Predicative and attributive adjectives

chapter 49|17 pages

Extended adjectival phrases

chapter 9|11 pages

Style and orthography

Formal and informal style

part |2 pages

Part B Functions

chapter |37 pages

Social contact

Greeting

chapter 66|15 pages

Expressing good wishes

chapter |10 pages

Giving and seeking factual information

Talking and enquiring about existence

chapter 75|33 pages

Describing objects

chapter |7 pages

Putting events into a wider context

Giving reasons and purpose

chapter 80|19 pages

Providing spatial context

chapter 91|6 pages

Helping and advising

chapter |4 pages

Conveying attitudes and mental states

Asserting and denying the truth of something

chapter 102|6 pages

Remembering and forgetting

chapter 105|2 pages

Indicating preferences

chapter 107|7 pages

Voicing opinion

chapter 114|7 pages

Expressing surprise

chapter |2 pages

Communication strategies

Using fillers

chapter 117|23 pages

Keeping the channel open