Italian Step-By-Step

Rating:
Summary: A beginners guide!
Review: The one thing I appreciate most about this manuel is the bracketed pronounciation advice. Directly below the word or phrase you're practising is the elongated version, broken down by syllable phonetics. It shows the learner where and when to enunciate. The flow of my spoken Italian feels more natural and I'm definitely more at ease knowing that I'm not foolishly stressing words at inappropriate moments.

It's a fine beginners guide, but I've found it necessary to use additional books in my studies. Berlitz has a tendency to immediately throw you into the language with vague and ambiguous explanations. There's very little focus, for example, regarding the masculine and feminine voice, tenses and verb usage. If you're looking for something to supplement your current learning regime, then this book is ideal. It's geared towards "instant conversation", as opposed to in depth understanding.

The great thing about Italian, Step by Step, is the "instant lyricism". It's a quick fix for speaking the lovely language with some modicum of fluency! I believe the cost of the book is comprable to the value of the information within. A good buy for a good price.