Basic Chinese Grammar and Sentence Patterns

Rating:
Summary: Excellent tool for learning to read Chinese
Review: Vocabulary is introduced by showing both traditional and simplified characters, in columns, along with pinyin transcription. I found this quite helpful because most individual Chinese study materials feature either one or the other. The sentence examples are in handwritten characters, not in pinyin, which makes you learn the characters much more quickly than you otherwise would.

I'd recommend this book in conjunction with a book-CD combination like Kan Qian's Colloquial Chinese (Routledge). This one focuses on grammar, as the title indicates. A bargain, as well.