Cassell's Contemporary Spanish: A Handbook of Grammar, Current Usage, and Word Power

By Angeles Perez

Book Overview

Cassell's Contemporary Spanish is designed to make your Spanish-speaking experience relaxing and uncomplicated. Part 1, A Concise Reference Grammar, is like a complete refresher course in the basics of sentence structure, verb forms (including modal verbs), gender, mood, tense, and parts of speech. It's filled with examples and focuses on the specific problems English speakers often encounter when they try to learn Spanish. Part 2, Contemporary Functional Language, demonstrates the practical, modern, everyday workings of the language. It is this section especially that sets Cassell's Contemporary Spanish apart from any other language guide, because it gives you valuable advice for getting along on a day-to-day basis in a Spanish-speaking country - without sounding like an outdated phrase book. Here you'll find guidelines for using the telephone, asking for or giving advice, applying for a job and writing a resume, writing a personal or professional letter, and conducting business matters. This section also tackles the common questions and unnerving language nuances that plague nonfluent Spanish speakers, such as how to tell colloquial and slang expressions from vulgar ones, how to understand regionalisms and local etiquette, and how to avoid mistaking English sound-a-likes for Spanish words. Part 3, Word Power, is made up of several specialized vocabularies that help you decipher the unique languages of finance and banking; politics and current affairs; shopping; travel; legal matters; media, the arts, and literature; even weather forecasts. There's a reference you can use to build on the verbs, nouns, and adjectives you already know, and a guide to using popular expressions. Wi dozens of examples and illustrations, Cassell's Contemporary Spanish is guaranteed to make any visit or extended stay in a Spanish-speaking area relaxing, enjoyable, and hassle-free.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0025959158
• ISBN13: 9780025959156
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Recommended to me by a native Spanish speaker.

I am currently taking a Spanish 1 course at our local college. A colleague of mine, who is a native Spanish speaker recommended this book to me. Fortunately, although out of print, I was able to find it online. This handbook is clearly written and an excellent resource.

A great supplementary study aid

This is a very helpful study aid for Spanish speakers at most levels. I consider it a study aid only because it uniquely covers grammatical points that are geared towards the Intermediate and Advanced speaker but it certainly does not go into depth and definitely does not cover any complex structures. I found it to be very practical, with clear and concise explanations and examples provided. It's not a workbook so don't expect any practice exercises. The back of book serves as a handy reference and covers subject matters outside of the grammatical realm such business writing, idiomatic expressions, thematic vocabulary etc. This book is an excellent complement to a good grammar book. It definitely is handy for clarifying doubts from time to time and the grammar topics cover are the most typical reoccurring grammar points that present difficulty for learners of the Spanish language. The lessons are in English with relevant examples in Spanish.

Now printed as Langenscheidt Pocket Grammar

Too bad the Cassell's Contemporary Italian/French/Spanish/German series are now out of print. I have them all the they are the best grammar books I own. I am a language buff and own several grammars and these can't be beat! I had been looking for the Cassell's Contemporary Italian recently and discovered the Langenscheidt Pocket Grammars are the Cassell's Contemporary series in new editions. They are identical.

Very Helpful

This book is very helpful if you need help on Spanish grammar, but it is mainly only good for that. With supplemental books (or other teaching tools) on the language, this book is great. A must for anyone trying to increase their competency in Spanish.