Wow.. this really works!

My baby twins have just turned one, and after half hearted attempts at signing with them for the past few months, they have just started joining in! It is so amazing to realise that they really understand even though they are so tiny, and already it's stopping tantrums when i know what they're actually asking for. This week they were able to ask their Grandma for milk! They love being understood and are really proud of their achievements. The book itself is brilliant, really good to look at, and easy to understand; the babies enjoy sitting and 'reading' it... having now been totally converted to baby signing, I'm ordering the rest of the set, and am determined to do more with them. Commend the BSL approach, as it makes sense to give them a basis with which to communicate with others later in life, rather than use ASL, effectively a `foreign' language. Highly recommended.

I want to recommend this particular course

This audio course is very important for someone who wants to learn to speak French. Many of the other materials on offer may not be very helpful because they seem to start at a level too difficult, like trying to reach the bottom rung of a ladder and finding it too high, the student is likely to give up. This course fills this very crucial gap and if you have tried before to learn a foreign language and decided you cannot quite make it, then this is the course for you! I was delighted with it for making something achievable that was before potentially too difficult for me. There are minor criticisms which you can pick up from reading some of the other reviews but I would say this is not the important part. What is important is that this course is a significant breakthrough and it is exciting to be enabled to speak French!

Quickstart Spanish - simply brilliant!

I have bought a number of spanish courses, from Michel Thomas (god bless his soul) to GCSE bitesize. Yet still I could not piece together a simple sentence, let alone a conversation. I have one or two friends who are fluent in speaking spanish, but when I tried to speak I turned into a blithering idiot - the words just wouldn't come out, my brain just wouldn't work fast enough. Then I read the reviews on quickstart Spanish and thought - I must give it a go! Even though my bookshelves are already groaning under the weight! However, it's the best thing I've bought so far!I'm not saying that all the other stuff isn't equally as brilliant, but this just pieces together all the bits that are floating around in my head. It's fairly basic stuff, like ordering things, and counting, money and time etc, but they way that it is taught suited me down to the ground. You are firstly prepared for what is going to be in the unit, then you hear a conversation, then they pick out bits of the conversation and talk about grammar, then you are encouraged to have a go, and finally you hear the conversation again - at which point you say 'oh my god, I understood every word of that'. Anyway, thats enough rambling on - I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!

A fun way to improve understanding of the French language

This book is a fun,entertaining book that helps learners of the language grasp colloquialisms that they wouldn't understand otherwise e.g.-<Tomber dans pommes>(to fall into apples)means to faint!The idiom is given in a conversation to help understand what context it should be used in and these conversations are translated at the back of the book.But the best thing about this book are the comical drawings that illustrate each idiom.This gives the impression that the book has a more lighthearted approach to understanding and teaching French.A refreshing book for those wanting to speak more like a native or those who just want a more enjoyable way to improve their French.

Detailed, user friendly and highly effective

As an advanced learner of Spanish I feel well placed to be able to comment on the usefulness and effectiveness of this book. This book has many strengths that I found to be especially useful in the course of my studies. Firstly, the verb tenses are explained clearly, as opposed to some books which use technical language and then quickly move on assuming the learner"got it" (e.g."attach the gerund to the suffix of the infinitive"). This book by contrast goes into detail, in plain English, to make sure the learner is clear on the tense. Additionally, each chapter isolates exceptions and irregulars to these rules, to prevent them from confusing the learner, and thus quarantining them where they can be learned fully before moving on.<br /><br />Finally, there are good exercises, especially translation exercises where the reader has to translate blocks of text c.250 words. In short, this book is a must and it will be appropriate for all levels, from people who want to pass a GCSE to people who want a career as a Spanish teacher. The book also is nicely organised, with each tense neatly separated and organised into separate chapters, as opposed to some books which attempt to teach too much at once. I would strongly recommend this book, and its price is extraordinarily low and fair considering the vast pay off in terms of skills it gives you. In short, a must have!<br />

Should be compulsory in all schools

This is by far the easiest and best method that I have used to learn Italian. If this method was used in schools we would definitely have more pupils enthusiastic about learning a foreign tongue!! Definitely worth five stars.

A more natural way to learn

Amazingly painless, and rapid results. There is no gimmickry involved, Michel Thomas simply focuses on the important structures of the language and builds them up piece by piece. You are expected to relax and absorb the language which I was skeptical about at first, but after forcing myself to put down the pen and the grammar books I realized I had effortlessly gained a good grasp of the language. His attention to emphasis and pronunciation in general is important because as with many languages the native Spanish speaker is listening out for these things; the rhythm of the phrase or sentence. The MT method is far better, and immeasurably more fun than using books.

Buy BEFORE you start your dissertation!

I started my dissertation very late - too late - and bought this book to help me through. It's a very simple, uncomplicated book which helps you set out your dissertation in the right way and guide you through the process of planning it, writing it, and checking it.<br /><br />Also, as it is written by an ex lecturer the advice is coming from the right sort of person. There is a checklist at the back of the book which helps you mark your own piece of work and check that you've done the basics. It also has some useful tips yo help you avoid the most common errors.<br /><br />I managed to get a First for my dissertation, thanks largely to this book. But save yourself rushing about like I did if you can, and buy this simple little book early, before you start!

A very useful grammar the size of a dictionary

This grammar book has the size of a dictionary, and the entries are in alphabetical order for quick reference. It is"intended for intermediate and advanced students, and for teachers of English," as it is stated in the introduction. I particularly enjoy the bright white of the paper and the use of a brown-red for the entries, whereas their explanations are in black, in bold type and cursive. There are also ten very interesting pages about"newspaper headlines" and useful information on"stress, rhythm and intonation," as well as"weak and strong forms."
I have a degree in foreign languages and literatures and have taught English for the last ten years. I think everyone who studies the English language should have this book on their shelves, next to their dictionaries, for whatever your grammar doubt is, you'll quickly find a solution to your problem.

Must have for all writers...informative and very readable

Superb book. Teaches (or reminds) you of grammatical devices and the rules of language, which may sound dull but it's actually very readable and dare I say it- fun. An ideal present to anyone studying english, or any aspiring writer...or you could treat yourself, you will be glad you did.

Basic-ally Brilliant!

This is a great basic, yet easy to follow guide to learning the French language. I myself am off to the South of France this year and cannot wait to put some of the phrases I have learnt to good use. Tres Bien and highly recommended!

One of the best

I agree with the majority of the reviewers below. the common complaint is that this is not advanced? Well that is arguably the case but if you have a basic understanding of French and you want to take youreself into the A level (which incidentally stands for advanced) then I recommend this set. The fact that I took A level French many years ago and this set clarifies tenses better than any teacher I have experienced says it all- and now I am relatively comfortable with 19 YES 19 tenses after this course (even the subjunctive!!). <br />I would also add that his advice at the end of the cd is priceless I just wish he managed to produce a further course.And he has got rid of the dithering student from the introductory course which was frustrating. The man was a genius.<br /><br />Oh and for the lady who called this complete rubbish it depends what you wanted out of the course, maybe checking some reviews would have been helpful first before spending money on it.

Excellent

My son has just turned 4 and loves learning his letters now! This is a really easy way to teach the letter sounds with actions and then how to blend them together. I am proud to say he made the word SPIT from the first six letters he has learnt so far!

Dangerous. It can make you waste years of your life.

I've been studying English for the most part of my life and I've always be frustrated with English grammar. I thought that English grammar had no clear-cut rules and, therefore, was difficult to explain and understand. I was wrong. <br /><br />The problem wasn't English grammar. The problem is this book (that I've been using all my life). This book has confuse explanations and Raymond Murphy knows English but he doesn't know which are the rules and how to explain them.<br /><br />Of course, English grammar is hard (because there are so many rules) but it is easy to understand IF you read the RIGHT book. I recommend you Swan's Basic English Usage. If you want to know how to use English, please buy it. You won't be disappointed.<br /><br />But don't buy"English Grammar in Use". I have wasted whole years of my life because of this book. If you don't want to do that, please skip this book. It deserves -10 stars.

Well put together but not revolutionary!

As explained in the other reviews you get a two CD set and an A5 booklet with this pack.<br /><br />It's all been nicely put together for the beginner (this is definitely aimed at the phrase book/ tourist market) and the stand alone CD is a good idea.<br />However the main problem with this is the inclusion of Tony Buzan's mind maps - I just can't see that they are helpful in learning a language.<br /><br />It's also quite annoying that he lays claim to teaching techniques that really wouldn't surprise Plato or Socrates! If you can get past Buzan's self advertising this is a very well put together set and will put you well on the way to learning enough to get you by on a business trip or holiday.

Another winner

I bought this book, already owning"Practice makes perfect: Spanish verb tenses" and both books are of equally high value.

Pronouns are amongst the key elements to conversational Spanish and knowledge of pronouns is crucial to Spanish sentance construction! Amongst many other things, they enable talking without constant repetition (I saw the food, then I ate the food but I didn't like the food because the food was bad etc...).

As with my previous purchace, this book helps to explain the"rules" in a clear and logical way, helping the reader to gain a detailed understanding of the different sets of pronouns and how they feature in converrsation.

Each new rule is explained simply with many accompanying excersizes to assist memorization and the learning curve is set at a consistant pace.

For those looking for a precise breakdown of Pronouns and prepositions and how each device is incorporated into everyday language, get this.

Don't be put off by the seemingly specific nature of the book if you are new to the Spanish. Learning the underlying structure of Spanish has been a great way to start learning, much more beneficial than the"starter guides" that are available, which seem to tend towards the"Una cervesa por favor", without helping the student to understand what it is that they are saying.

I have only been learning Spanish for four months and between this book,"PmP: Verb Tenses" and a pocket dictionary, I feel that I am progressing at a consistant rate and have no major questions that this combination of books isn't able to address.

BUY IT!

Definitely Worth Trying

Firstly, let me say that I have not completed the course. It isn't something you can do overnight. What I am extremely pleasantly surprised about though is that I have found this very easy to use and am actually learning something from the course.<br /><br />The book is very well presented and easy to follow and the CDs work well in conjunction with it. However, if you are to be successful, you need to set aside about an hour a day (with no distraction!) to practise what you have learned and to build on your momentum. Trying to do this on an ad hoc basis won't work; there will always be something else taking precedence. If you are a family, it will work very well as a family activity. There will be time to spend together as a unit with a common goal and something achieved at the end of it.<br /><br />I am definitely impressed by this course and would certainly recommend it. However, do bear in mind that if you are not prepared to make the time to use it on a regular basis, you will be wasting your money.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better

There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book,"The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the"Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?<br /><br />In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.<br /><br />What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.<br /><br />This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the"Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

Great reference resource for Spanish students..

Although this book is really meant more as a reference tool than a revision aid, it really serves its purpose well. As a non-native speaker of Spanish, I often can't tell if I had conjugated the verb properly. I just don't have the native-speaker's kind of"intuition" when it comes to determining whether a word sounds"right" or"wrong". Anyways, I have found this book indispensable whenever I am writing essays and compositions. If you are a serious student of Spanish, you will find this book a great asset!