Essential

German

A No-Frills Approach to Reading and Writing German

by Eugene R. Moutoux

ermoutoux@juno.com

Nowadays most German textbooks are packed with a great variety of material, the purpose of which seems to be to address as many teaching preferences and learning styles as possible, thereby appealing to the widest possible audience. In the process, grammar seems to take a back seat to dialogues and drills and cultural information.  The original title of this book was Deutsch ohne Überfluss, which means "German without superfluity." Although the title has changed, the content has not: vocabulary blocks, grammar explanations, translation practice, and not much else. The student learns words, grammar, and the application of these two language elements in reading and writing German.

Some students will not want to use this book. It is intended for those who already have a solid grasp of English grammar or who will put in the time and effort necessary to acquire it. Furthermore, this book will not satisfy the student's speaking and listening needs; therefore it needs to be supplemented by tapes or live voices, be they those of teachers, friends, or people encountered on trips to German-speaking countries.

* * * Check out my web pages with diagrams of 36 German sentences by clicking here. * * *

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