A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish

Rating:
Summary: The most complete Spanish grammar available in English
Review: Actually, having just returned from Spain, I think this book is better than most of the grammar books from Spain as well. Spanish grammar books are hobbled by a weird cultural issue: the "official" grammar is defined by the Spanish academy. However, many (that is, most) writers and publications ignore the Academy prescriptions and proscriptions.

This grammar book does not report on what the Academy suggests. Instead it tells you what is actually used and expected by both Spaniards and Latin Americans. As a result, you get the straight scoop. [You want an example? Take the word solo. The Spanish grammar I just bought says that solo should have an accent on the first o only when necessary to distinguish its adjectival meaning from its adverbial meaning. However, every Spanish dictionary lists the adverb solo with an accent. Who's right? I finally checked Butt & Benjamin and there was the explanation: despite the Academy's suggestion of using the accent only when needed to disambiguate the two meanings, most Spanish speakers have retained the accent on the first o when it's used as an adverb. Clear, correct, and to the point.]

If you're a serious student of Spanish, this book is a must-buy.

Rating:
Summary: excellent book for the serious student
Review: I wish I read this book before I wasted a lot of time reading all those other Spanish books. This book is perfect for the serious student of Spanish who wants to know the details and fine nuances of speaking the language. This book is not for the casual Spanish speaker or tourist who wants a quick fix because his plane to Spain leaves tomorrow. My frustration level is a lot lower now than before. I found this book in a public library and now I am going to buy it and use it as a reference

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Spanish references available on the market.
Review: This is a tremendous Spanish grammar reference for very advanced speakers, teachers and professors in my opinion. If you are not at any of the mentioned levels this reference will appear complicated and unmeaningful. This reference covers all the principal grammar topics and goes into detail with examples of structures and concepts that traditionally present difficulty. There are no practice exercises so for application of concepts you would have to ascertain a grammar book. The book is divided in chapters by grammar topic and of course there is a great deal of dedication to verbs and the various moods and tenses. I found this grammar reference to include the specifics about Spanish that goes beyond general knowledge as well as many pragmatic concepts that are hard to research and reference. I honestly recommend this reference for clarification of unusual Spanish grammar concepts, some explanation of pragmatic usage and for overall improvement of your Spanish grammar at a very advanced level.