This new edition of the Modern Italian Grammar is an innovative reference guide to Italian, combining traditional and function-based grammar in a single volume. With a strong emphasis on contemporary usage, all grammar points and functions are richly illustrated with examples.
Implementing feedback from users of the first edition, this text includes clearer explanations, as well as a greater emphasis on areas of particular difficulty for learners of Italian. Divided into two sections, the book covers:
• traditional grammatical categories such as word order, nouns, verbs and adjectives
• language functions and notions such as giving and seeking information, describing processes and results, and expressing likes, dislikes and preferences.
This is the ideal reference grammar for learners of Italian at all levels, from beginner to advanced. No prior knowledge of grammatical terminology is needed and a glossary of grammatical terms is provided. This Grammar is complemented by the Modern Italian Grammar Workbook Second Edition which features related exercises and activities.
Cover
Modern Italian Grammar
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
How to use this book
Glossary
Part A Structures
1 The noun group
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The noun
1.3 The article
1.4 The adjective
1.5 Agreement of noun, article and adjective
2 Verbs
2.1 General features of verbs
2.2 Individual verb moods and tenses
3 Pronouns
3.1 What is a pronoun?
3.2 Personal pronouns: introduction
3.3 Stressed personal pronouns
3.4 Unstressed personal pronouns
3.5 Relative pronouns
3.6 Interrogative pronouns and adjectives
3.7 Possessive pronouns and adjectives
3.8 Demonstrative pronouns and adjectives
3.9 Indefinite pronouns and adjectives
3.10 Pronouns and adjectives of quantity
4 Prepositions
4.1 What is a preposition?
4.2 Combined prepositions and articles
4.3 Common prepositions used with nouns
4.4 Common prepositions used with verbs
4.5 Other prepositions
5 Conjunctions
5.1 What is a conjunction?
5.2 Coordinating conjunctions
5.3 Subordinating conjunctions
6 Adverbs
6.1 What is an adverb?
6.2 Formation of adverbs
6.3 Functions of adverbs
6.4 Comparative and superlative adverbs
7 Numbers
7.1 What is a number?
7.2 Cardinal numbers
7.3 Ordinal numbers
7.4 Calculations
7.5 Percentages
7.6 Collective and approximate numbers
7.7 Dates
7.8 Time
7.9 Weights and measures
7.10 Currency
7.11 Table of numbers
Part B Functions
I Giving and seeking factual information
8 Identification: giving personal information
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Tu or Lei?
8.3 Giving different kinds of personal information
8.4 Emphasising the person referred to
8.5 Eliciting personal information
8.6 Dialoghi
9 Specifying people or objects
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Specifying a known or particular person or object
9.3 Specifying a category or type
9.4 Specifying ownership
10 Describing people or things
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Physical characteristics
10.3 Non-physical characteristics
10.4 Position of adjectives
10.5 Intensifying the meaning of the adjective
10.6 Diminishing the intensity of the adjective
10.7 Essere, stare
10.8 Dialogo
11 Talking about existence, occurrence and availability
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Talking about existence and/or presence
11.3 Talking about occurrence
11.4 Talking about presence, attendance and participation at an event
11.5 Talking about availability
11.6 Expressing ‘some, any’
11.7 Specifying the quantity available
11.8 Expressing ‘something/anything’, ‘someone/anyone’
11.9 Specifying location, time or frequency
11.10 Expressing non-existence or non-availability
12 Talking about the present
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Describing present situations, actions and events
12.3 Expressing ongoing actions
12.4 Words and phrases indicating present time
12.5 Dialogo
13 Speaking and writing about the past
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Passato prossimo and passato remoto
13.3 Using the passato prossimo
13.4 Using the passato remoto
13.5 Using the imperfetto
13.6 Combinations of perfect and imperfect tenses
13.7 Present tense expressing past
13.8 Indicators of past time
14 Talking about the future
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Using the future tense
14.3 Using the present tense
14.4 Indicators of future time
14.5 Expressing the immediate or very near future
14.6 Expressing the English ‘going to’
14.7 The ‘past in the future’
14.8 The future seen from the past
14.9 Expressing intention and future plans
15 Asking questions
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Asking a question using interrogative intonation
15.3 Asking a question using interrogative words
15.4 Dialogo
16 Negative sentences
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Reinforcing a negative statement
16.3 Expressing negation using niente, nulla
16.4 Expressing negation using the pronoun nessuno/a
16.5 Expressing negation using the adjective nessun/o/a
16.6 Other negative elements non . . . mai, non . . . ancora, non . . . più
16.7 Expressing negation using né . . . né
16.8 Omitting non
16.9 Specifying negation with a che clause
17 Comparisons and degrees of intensity
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Using comparative adjectives and adverbs
17.3 Expressing ‘than’
17.4 Expressing ‘which’
17.5 Expressing different degrees of intensity
18 Referring to objects and people
18.1 Introduction
18.2 Using a pronoun to refer back
18.3 Using a pronoun: referring to the subject of the action
18.4 Using a pronoun: referring to the object of the action
18.5 Referring to someone or something using questo, quello
18.6 Using indefinite pronouns to refer to someone/something
18.7 Referring to something or someone mentioned
18.8 Referring to what has been said or will be said
19 Focusing on the action
19.1 Introduction
19.2 Focusing on the action using the passive
19.3 Situations when the passive is not used
19.4 Focusing on the action using si passivante (passive form with si)
19.5 Si impersonale (impersonal si)
19.6 Focusing on the object of the action
II Actions affecting ourselves and others
20 Social interactions
20.1 Greeting, welcoming
20.2 Introducing oneself and others
20.3 Saying goodbye
20.4 Wishes
20.5 Expressing and receiving thanks, appreciation
20.6 Compliments and congratulations
20.7 Making and accepting excuses, apologies
20.8 Expressing commiseration, sympathy
20.9 Using titles, salutations
21 Getting other people to do things
21.1 Introduction
21.2 Giving orders and commands
21.3 Making negative requests and commands
21.4 Written instructions and recipes
21.5 Asking someone to do something
21.6 Giving an order using ‘command’ verbs
21.7 Far fare, lasciar fare
21.8 Using persuasion
21.9 Monologo
22 Permission and possibility
22.1 Asking or granting permission
22.2 Denying permission
22.3 Speaking about the ability or opportunity to do something
22.4 Making a request
23 Expressing need, obligation or desire
23.1 Introduction
23.2 Expressing wants
23.3 Expressing needs
24 Suggesting, proposing, advising and recommending
24.1 Giving advice
24.2 Making a suggestion
24.3 Choices
24.4 More expressions of advising or suggesting
24.5 Advising someone not to do something, giving a warning
24.6 Asking for advice
III Expressing emotions, feelings, attitudes and opinions
25 Expressing emotions: positive, negative, other
25.1 Introduction
25.2 Interjections (positive, negative, other)
25.3 Expressing positive emotions
25.4 Expressing negative emotions
25.5 Expressing other emotions
26 Expressing emotions: hope, fear, doubt
26.1 Introduction
26.2 Expressing hope
26.3 Expressing fear, pessimism or regret
26.4 Expressing doubt
27 Expressing an opinion or belief, agreement or disagreement
27.1 Expressing or seeking an opinion or belief
27.2 Expressing agreement, disagreement
28 Indicating preference, likes and dislikes
28.1 Introduction
28.2 Expressing likes
28.3 Expressing dislikes
28.4 Expressing a preference
29 Expressing certainty and knowledge
29.1 Introduction
29.2 Sapere
29.3 Essere certo, sicuro, convinto
29.4 Non . . . certo, poco certo, incerto, poco sicuro
29.5 Pensare, credere, sembrare, parere
29.6 Ricordare, dimenticare
IV Putting in context
30 Combining messages
30.1 Introduction
30.2 Combining statements of equal importance
30.3 Combining statements of unequal importance
30.4 Setting events in a time context
30.5 Sequence of tenses
30.6 Infinitives and gerunds
30.7 Relationship of tenses in complex texts
31 Quoting or reporting events and hearsay
31.1 Introduction
31.2 Quoting: direct speech
31.3 Reporting: indirect speech
31.4 Reporting information or quoting hearsay
32 Expressing possibility and probability
32.1 Introduction
32.2 Certainty, uncertainty
32.3 Knowing, not knowing
32.4 Possible or impossible, probable or improbable
32.5 Evident, obvious
33 Expressing purpose
33.1 Introduction
33.2 Purpose involving only the subject of the action
33.3 Purpose involving someone or something else
33.4 Purpose attached to a person or object
34 Expressing causes and reasons
34.1 Introduction
34.2 Specific people, factors or events responsible
34.3 General cause or reason
34.4 Il motivo, la causa, la ragione
34.5 Causare, provocare, suscitare
34.6 Dovere, dovuto
34.7 Asking why
34.8 Using the imperfect tense to give reasons
35 Expressing result, effect and consequence
35.1 Introduction
35.2 Coordinating conjunctions
35.3 Conclusive (result) conjunctions
35.4 Così, tale, tanto, troppo
35.5 Words expressing result, effect
36 Specifying time
36.1 Introduction
36.2 Expressing same time context
36.3 Sequences of events
36.4 Defining the limits of a period: ‘since’/‘until’
36.5 Specifying repetition and frequency
36.6 Other expressions of time
37 Place and manner
37.1 Introduction
37.2 Place: adverbs
37.3 Place: prepositions
37.4 Manner
38 Expressing a condition or hypothesis
38.1 Introduction
38.2 A condition which is likely to be met (probable or highly possible)
38.3 A condition which is unlikely to be met (improbable)
38.4 A condition which can no longer be met (impossible)
38.5 Expressing conditions with other conjunctions
38.6 Expressing conditions with gerund, infinitive or participle
38.7 Unfinished conditional sentence
38.8 Other uses of se
39 Expressing reservation, exception and concession
39.1 Introduction
39.2 Expressing reservation or exception
39.3 Modifying a statement by concession
V Expanding the horizons
40 Register and style
40.1 Introduction
40.2 Spoken and written discourse
40.3 Differences in lexis
40.4 Differences in syntax
40.5 Formal and informal registers
40.6 Word order
41 Oral communication and telephone skills
41.1 Introduction
41.2 The Lei form
41.3 Discourse markers
41.4 Techniques of oral communication
41.5 Spelling on the telephone
41.6 Telephone phrases
41.7 On the telephone
42 Written communication
42.1 Introduction
42.2 Business letters
42.3 Informal written communication
42.4 Extended writing: differences between English and Italian
42.5 Writing essays, making connections
42.6 Reports
42.7 Bureaucratic language
42.8 Scientific and technical language
42.9 Journalistic language
Appendix I: Spelling and pronunciation
Appendix II: Regular verb forms
Appendix III: Irregular verb forms
Appendix IV: Verbs and prepositions
Appendix V: Sequence of tenses
Index
