Italian Grammar Made Easy

Mike Zollo, Alan Wesson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9780071460927
• eBook ISBN:
  9781134673124
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

The Grammar Made Easy series is ideal for complete beginners as well as for those non-linguists who have some knowledge of the language but need to know the basics of grammar to progress beyond phrasebook level.

The books consist of seven units that present basic grammar topics in an accessible and non-patronising manner.

The downloadable resourcesprovide extensive interactive grammar practice, it contains around 220 activities (those included in the book plus extra ones) covering all the language in Italian Grammar Made Easy. Learners work at their own pace and move through the different sections with ease.

Numerous grammar tips are at hand if needed. All the correct answers will be recorded so that learners can practise their listening and pronunciation skills.

The downloadable resources can be used with the book or on its own as a revision tool.

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1

VERBS

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1.1 Talking about what you do

If you know what a verb is, go on to 1.1.1.

You use a verb to talk about what someone or something does, is doing, has done, or intends to do or is being, has been or intends to be. A verb can be called a doing or being word.

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To find out if a word is a verb ask yourself if someone could do it.

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I Which of these words are things you can do?

a walk

b trainers

c shout

d invent

e loud

f computer

g behind

h red

i listen

j before

Some words can be used as verbs and nouns or adjectives. e.g. ‘Drink’ can be a drink in a cup or part of the verb ‘to drink’.

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Ask: Are they ‘doing’ it? If they are it is a verb.

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II Which of the italicized words are being used as verbs?

a Jack and Jill are to appear in a play at the local theatre.

b They will play the leading parts.

c They work during the day in an office.

d After work they go to rehearsals.

e Tonight they are having a meeting to discuss the production.

f They are meeting in the theatre bar.

g They need to discuss finance.

h Local sponsors usually finance the productions.

i The producer reports that this time there will be no sponsorship.

j According to newspaper reports the sponsors have gone bankrupt.

1.1.1 About verbs: what is the infinitive?

If you know what the infinitive is, go on to 1.1.2.

When you look up a verb in a dictionary, you will find the infinitive form of it listed first. This is the ‘name’ of the verb.

In English, the infinitive consists of ‘to’ + verb, e.g. ‘to eat’, ‘to build’, ‘to paint’.

Here are some Italian infinitives. You probably know some of them already or can guess what they mean.

III See how many you can match up with their English counterparts:

a parlare b preparare c organizzare d entrare e viaggiare f portare g controllare h invitare i lavare j studiare

to wash to travel to study to look at/check to invite to prepare to speak to carry/take/wear to organise to enter

These are usually referred to as -are verbs because their infinitive form ends in -are.

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Try to look for similarities between Italian and English. Some are obvious: for example entrare means to enter. Others are less obvious, such as viaggiare which means to travel (or to go on a voyage); another is controllare meaning to check, similar to the idea of ‘control’, which is of course another meaning for this verb. Don’t be afraid to try out these little ‘leaps of faith’, thinking...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1 Verbs
• 2 Nouns and Determiners
• 3 Pronouns
• 4 Adjectives
• 5 Adverbs
• 6 Prepositions
• 7 Conjunctions and other useful words
• Verb Tables
• Answers