Rating: 
Summary: Brauchen Sie mit Grammatik helfen?
Review: As as German minor, I figured it would do me a bunch of good to have something on hand that can answer my "quick" German grammer problems. Wow! Was I in for a treat when I got this book. It is absolutely great! Not only does it explain almost any problem that you could ever encounter, but it also gives great examples, so you don't struggle to figure out how to use it correctly based on the definition alone. The index is super! You can look up a word such as "neben" and it gives the exact local of it. I assumed the index would be a bit more ambiguous (I guess that is the appropriate word in this case), but it is so precise that it makes finding any problem easy. Each chapter is labeled and classified, so if you are having problems with pronouns, per say, then you can simply turn to the section and have at it. There are charts throughout, too, which help if you are in a hurry. However, I would definitely NOT depend on this book if I had no idea what I was doing in German to begin with. The grammer problems/solutions are quick and to the point, so if you don't know what you are doing to begin with, then this will just confuse you more. This is definitely a book for those intermediate or advanced in this language. I classify this book as a MUST for any serious learner of German.
Rating:
Summary: Brauchen Sie mit Grammatik helfen?
Review: As as German minor, I figured it would do me a bunch of good to have something on hand that can answer my "quick" German grammer problems. Wow! Was I in for a treat when I got this book. It is absolutely great! Not only does it explain almost any problem that you could ever encounter, but it also gives great examples, so you don't struggle to figure out how to use it correctly based on the definition alone. The index is super! You can look up a word such as "neben" and it gives the exact local of it. I assumed the index would be a bit more ambiguous (I guess that is the appropriate word in this case), but it is so precise that it makes finding any problem easy. Each chapter is labeled and classified, so if you are having problems with pronouns, per say, then you can simply turn to the section and have at it. There are charts throughout, too, which help if you are in a hurry. However, I would definitely NOT depend on this book if I had no idea what I was doing in German to begin with. The grammer problems/solutions are quick and to the point, so if you don't know what you are doing to begin with, then this will just confuse you more. This is definitely a book for those intermediate or advanced in this language. I classify this book as a MUST for any serious learner of German.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to "Digest"
Review: Hammer's is a very advanced grammar book NOT intended for anyone with less than university English grammar knowledge.
A great extent of the examples encompassed within the book are solely in German with no interpretation in English. And that is a major flaw. Some of the explanations can be quite confusing and unintelligible so beware. Furthermore, one should take into consideration that that it serves the function of reference, excluding practice. Therefore, it is insufficient for students in need of practice. In the overall, not very useful for freshmen students.
Rating:
Summary: Top of the line
Review: HGGU is an excellent supplement to any German major/minor! I strongly reccommend this book solely for more advanced German speakers and those who understand the grammatical functions of language. If you are new to German, this is probably not the best way to start. But, if you are concentrating on all of the ins and outs of the language, this is the book for you. It is very specific to all aspects of grammar, offering examples, exceptions (because there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules in German) and even often quoting German authors such as Boell. I highly recommend it, since my professor is one of those who worked on previous editions, and I know the amount of knowledge and breadth that was put into this book.
Echt toll!
Rating:
Summary: Thorough Grammatical Analysis of the German Language
Review: HGGU is an excellent supplement to any German major/minor! I strongly reccommend this book solely for more advanced German speakers and those who understand the grammatical functions of language. If you are new to German, this is probably not the best way to start. But, if you are concentrating on all of the ins and outs of the language, this is the book for you. It is very specific to all aspects of grammar, offering examples, exceptions (because there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules in German) and even often quoting German authors such as Boell. I highly recommend it, since my professor is one of those who worked on previous editions, and I know the amount of knowledge and breadth that was put into this book.
Echt toll!
Rating:
Summary: The Most Thorough German Grammar Book Available
Review: This book is a must for the serious German student. It's wonderful to have as a reference. I also highly recommend the workbook that is sold separately. It will keep you busy for a long time. This book still has German written in the pre-Rechtschreibreform style, but there are notes explaining when certain things are now used or written differently. This is written from a British point of view, so the English in it not necessarily used in America, but that makes no difference. It's an excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Thorough German Grammar Book Available
Review: This book is a must for the serious German student. It's wonderful to have as a reference. I also highly recommend the workbook that is sold separately. It will keep you busy for a long time. This book still has German written in the pre-Rechtschreibreform style, but there are notes explaining when certain things are now used or written differently. This is written from a British point of view, so the English in it not necessarily used in America, but that makes no difference. It's an excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Very Useful and Comprehensive Reference
Review: This book is an excellent reference material for intermediate to advanced students of German. To be more precise, I would recommend it for those who have studied German in high school or college for a year or more. In 542 pages, it covers all the major areas of German grammar in considerable depth. Extensive examples and exceptions are provided. The organization of the book is logical and understandable, and the table of contents helps one to find what one is seeking. My main qualm is with the index. It is split into three parts: a German word index, an English word index, and a topic index. The German word index is for finding notes and examples on the use of specific German words. The English word index is for finding ways to express English concepts in German. The topic index is supposed to be much like a conventional index as you would find in any reference book. The problem is that the indices are poorly organized and not particularly useful. I almost never find myself using the word indices, as they usually don't point to particularly useful or applicable information. (A much better resource for looking up the usage of specific German words is Langenscheidts DaF Großwörterbuch, and any good English-German dictionary, such as Harper Collins College Dictionary, is quite suitable for looking up ways to express English concepts in German.) The topic index is OK, but needs more entries and more depth to be of much use. In a reference book such as this one, indices are quite important, and more attention should be paid to them here. Nonetheless, the book is well worth the list price of 29.95 USD or 41.95 CAD.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive, more than a reference book, not for beginners
Review: This book takes a slightly abstract approach to classifying the material -- the zero article, the valence of verbs. I found this helpful. But mostly it has a lot of clear explanations and examples of each point.Not suitable as a first book or even a first grammar book.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect Reference Book
Review: This is a fantastic book for intermediate-level German and above.
Excellent, clear examples are given throughout. Occasionally it may be difficult to locate specific areas, due to the Dewey-decimal-like system used to label sections. What makes this book so useful is that it will cover *every* grammar issue a student could possibly encounter in the classroom during a complete study of the language. I used this book starting in my 3rd year of college, and it has continued to be of tremendous value long thereafter. Excellent examples, exceptions to the rules... all clearly described.
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