NTC French Grammar

This book is the perfect "handy reference" to French grammar. It is clear and concise and -- as far as I know -- very reliable. But the really great thing about it is that it will rest on the arm of a chair and you can flip to anything you want to know very quickly. It is just so well organized...it is a wonder. I have several French grammar books, a couple of them the rather heavy-duty variety. But it is from this book that I learned the basics of French grammar, and it is still to this book that I turn ninety-five percent of the time. Of course, it is formatted as a reference book rather than a tutorial, yet the clarity and the organization have just made it so useful that I never felt any need to pursue any sort of methodical study of grammar beyond what it offers. It is an awful shame that this book is out of print. I guess I am a bit of a pig because I have two copies. As soon as my first copy began to show a bit of wear, I started watching out for a used copy. Scored a like-new one for a buck or two, plus shipping. Those days are long gone. You'd think the publisher would be inspired by the prices for used copies.

I am a French instructor and it is the book I recommend to my students. If you don't know what a definite article or a direct object is, this book is for you. If you have problems with the subjunctive or the conditionnal, it is also for you. It is both very clear and very comprehensive. It is also small enough that you can take it with you. You won't need a verb book, at least in the beginning, as it features the conjugation of the main irregular verbs. This book is also very user-friendly thanks to a detailed table of contents and a good index. A great buy for whoever needs to work on his/her French grammar!