The French Correction: Grammatical Problems for Review and Reference

By Norman Susskind

Book Overview

"This useful and approachable book can...do much to help students at the intermediate level and beyond to identify many of the more troublesome points of idiomatic French usage. It probably should be required reading in conversation and composition classes." - Jeffrey T. Chamberlain, French Review A uniquely helpful and entertaining book for anyone who knows beginner's French and would like to advance to a more confident and correct handling of the language. Using many examples and giving his basic instructions and comments in English, Susskind provides clear and detailed explanations of perennial problems as well as advice about mastering them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300031580
• ISBN13: 9780300031584
• Release Date: September 1984
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

Prevents Confusion

Let's face it, French can be quite confusing for a non-native student. This book to helps clear up some of these confusions. And we really need to have them cleared up, for French speakers don't like their language spoken with mistakes. If you want to learn French, buy this by your second of third year of high school or second or third semester of college. It only tackles a limited number of problems, but French requires several books to learn right, and this is one of them.

Wealth of Information Found in Slim Volume

Don't let the slimness of this volume fool you, in under 100 pages author Norman Susskind pinpoints key problem areas in French grammar and suggests ways in which the native English speaker can master them. Each tip is assigned a three digit number which is nicely cross-referenced in the back in a thorough index. All of the tips are grouped under the following twelve chapter headings: Articles, Object Pronouns, Relative Pronouns, Passe Compose and Imperfect, Agreement of Participles, Reflexives, Passive Tense, Subjunctive, Interrogation, Certain Effects of Certain Verbs in Certain Tenses and Moods, Faire, Falloir, S'Agir and Time. In addition to concise information, formatted in an almost encyclopedic style, Susskind sprinkles his French gems with a liberal coating of humor and grammar usage illustrating his points with actual sentences. My only complaint here is the lack of English translation for all the sentences however simplistic. I realize that Susskind intends the book for advanced students who have already encountered rigorous grammar exercises and can easily recognize the sore subjects Susskind so thoughtfully summarizes with a knowing wince, but I do think that a beginning and most definitely an intermediate student will benefit greatly from this compendium. My absolute favorite chapter is Certain Effects of Certain Verbs etc. where Susskind turns his attention to the devoir, pouvoir, vouloir, and savoir and explains their usage in the different tenses with English translations. This is most appreciated! Kudos Mr. Susskind

An invaluable tool for the French student and teacher alike!

This is one book that no French teacher/student should be without! From his very first paragraph and throughout his entire book, Professor Susskind will delight every Francophile with his witty yet extremely practical approach to those rather "prickly" points that seem to characterize French grammar. Norman Susskind will have both students and teachers alike howling with laughter as they encounter some funny and very effective illustrations which help immeasurably in simplifying some rather troublesome grammatical topics: relative pronouns, object pronouns, etc. This book should be required reading for ALL French students and their teachers.(It is especially relevant to native speakers of English who are trying to master French). There is nothing else like it on the market. C'est formidable! Buy this book!!