Textbooks with the easiest to understand grammar explanations?

[Larry Language Lover]

I imagine there might be a wide variety of opinions on this matter, but I am currently following the  official HSK4 Standard Course textbook, and I find the grammar point explanations even in English at times difficult to understand what they are trying to say.  At times it seems like a not very clear or precise translation into English of a Chinese explanation.  However, one of my native conversation partners said he sometimes finds it difficult to understand the wording of the explanation in Chinese.   Are there other textbooks that are a much better choice, with clear, concise and to the point grammar explanations?   What are your recommendations?  Thanks!

[Shelley]

Have you come across the All Set Learning grammar series? https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/

 

Not a stand alone text book but very very good for grammar.
 

[mungouk]

Chinese grammar wiki is good but it tends to tail off as you get to intermediate levels; basically they're still working on those.

 

HSK 4 grammar points aren't in the main menu but you can find them at https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK_4_grammar_points

 

For some popular grammar books see also: https://www.chinese-forums.com/forums/topic/60125-chinese-grammar-book/

[Jan Finster]

I would just absorb as many sources as you can find. For example, when I learned "the 把 structure", I simply googled and searched on Youtube. I watched 3-4 videos and read 3-4 text sources. Done!

[MandarinXiao]

Since you are in HSK4, I can recommend you to try the book called "Chinese Grammar: From knowledge to Competence". It was written by an experienced Chinese professor from Peking University, and the advantage of this book is it has English translation below the Chinese, which translated by a American professor who teaches Chinese too. It doesn't involve every grammar but for HSK 4 level, i think it can be helpful! It has Moocs lessons on edx.org. You can start it with free classes and then decide to buy the book or not. 

 

Another advice, for those explanations in HSK books, as teachers, we sometimes do find it is difficult to understand as well. We usually encourage students to look for some examples on Pleco or internet, with certain situations, it can help us to understand better how and when to use those grammar or word! What @Jan Finstermentioned above is very helpful, usually the videos or explantions por internet will give you the very practical situation to use that word or grammar. Good luck with your Chinese learning. ?

[mungouk]

On 6/2/2021 at 3:08 PM, Jan Finster said:

I would just absorb as many sources as you can find

 

Sure, that's one approach.

 

But since grammar is (by definition) a set of rules, I personally find it's also very useful to have a good grammar book you can refer to when you have a specific question. 

 

Almost like: dictionaries are for vocab, grammar books are for (errr) grammar. 

 

Thankfully Chinese grammar is way simpler than, ohhh let's say... German. ?

 

 

[Larry Language Lover]

On 6/2/2021 at 3:27 PM, MandarinXiao said:

Since you are in HSK4, I can recommend you to try the book called "Chinese Grammar: From knowledge to Competence". It was written by an experienced Chinese professor from Peking University, and the advantage of this book is it has English translation below the Chinese, which translated by a American professor who teaches Chinese too. It doesn't involve every grammar but for HSK 4 level, i think it can be helpful! It has Moocs lessons on edx.org. You can start it with free classes and then decide to buy the book or not. 

 

Thank-you!  It is so nice to hear from a native Chinese teacher, and especially to know that the explanations can be difficult even for professional teachers.

[Larry Language Lover]

A Chinese contact, who is not a teacher but who I read the HSK dialogues to and who I do the exercises with just sent me a pdf copy of Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar- A Practical Guide by Claudia Ross and Jing-heng Sheng Ma.    Anyone familiar with this?  It looks excellent.

[mungouk]

If it works for you, then it's good!

 

Everyone has different learning needs and preferences.

 

Ultimately all the information is the same of course, but just presented in slightly different ways.

 

 

 

 

[Shelley]

18 hours ago, Larry Language Lover said:

Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar- A Practical Guide by Claudia Ross and Jing-heng Sheng Ma. 

This is a useful book, as mungouk says its all the same info just presented differently. One good thing about this book is there is a workbook to go with it. I have these books and found them useful if a bit technical in the language used. As a first language english speaker I never learned the rules and language of grammar so I have to learn all the meanings of things like predicate, conjunction etc. Verb, adverb and adjective was as much as I learnt.

 

This is also good - Schuam's Outline of Chinese Grammar, it is by Claudia Ross one of the authors of Mandarin Chinese Grammar- A Practical Guide, same info slightly less technical language. It also has practice exercises.

[Larry Language Lover]

I think I may have found the perfect learning solution (for me),  combining these bits of advice:  continue with the HSK Standard Course series,  and suppliment the grammar points with Chinese Grammar Wiki explanations where available and explanations from books like this one, and online videos and google info search when needed.

[Pall]

Think about "Chinese Grammar in Tables", though it's in Russian. However, I could do photoes of all tables and explanations. I don't know about the copyright rules, but if it's in photoes and for tables only, without excercises, the rules will not be violated, I suppose.