A Practical Chinese Grammar
Cheung, H.S.
Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.
Available in HK (HK$240).
The grammar explanations follow the order one of the Beijing Language Institute's basic courses.

TEXTBOOKS

Elementary Textbooks (1st year)
Mandarin Step by Step
by David Parshall & Martin Symonds
Pub.: Jianhua (Tianjin & Hong Kong)
The main advantage is that the book is written by westerners for westerners.

Chuji Hanyu Kouyu (Part Two)
by Dai Gui-fu, Liu Li-xin, etc.
(Peking University Press)
An excellent textbook with very practical content relevant to foreigners' communicative needs.

Conversational Chinese 301.
Published by the Beijing Language Institute Press.
Available in Beijing, Hongkong and Singapore.
Has three cassette tapes.

Intermediate Textbooks (2nd year)
(Many of the intermediate textbooks used in China are too literary in content and contain many words and phrases which are not particularly useful for everyday communication.)

Zhongji Hanyu Kouyu (Part One)
by Liu De-lian & Liu Xiao-yu
(Peking University Press)
An excellent textbook with very practical content relevant to foreigners' communicative needs.

Kaiming Zhongji Hanyu
by Theodore Huters
Pub: Yuwen chubanshe
A good intermediate-level textbook with excellent interactive grammar drills.
Do NOT buy Kai Ming Chuji - it was written by someone else and is a very poor book!

Hua Shuo Zhongguo (2 vols).
Publisher: Sinolingua (Huayu jiaoxue chubanshe)
An excellent introduction to Chinese culture, although a few lessons are now a little outdated.
Volume I deals with Chinese geography, history, and politics.
Volume II deals with Chinese economy, society, education and philosophy.

Zhongguo Xin Shi
Publisher: Beijing Language Institute
Nicely written, but slightly advanced.

Shuo Hanyu Tan Wenhua
by Wu Xiaolu
Publisher: Beijing Language Institute
(Talking of Chinese Culture)
A well-written book covering aspects of Chinese culture, but a little advanced.

A Brush-Up Course in Modern Chinese (Conversation)
by Zhong Xiaozhong
Publisher: BLI Press
Slightly advanced.

Longman's English-Chinese Photo Dictionary (Hanyu Pinyin)
by Rosenthal & Freeman
[Longman]

Other useful textbooks
Hanyu Waimao Kouyu 30 ke
(published by Beijing Language Institute)
30 lessons on foreign trade terminology for those doing business in China

Xinwen Hanyu Daodu: Guided Reading in Journalistic Chinese
(pub.: Beijing Language Institute)

DICTIONARIES

Concise English-Chinese Chinese-English Dictionary
by Cowie & Evison et al
published by The Commerical Press & Oxford University Press.
A pocket dictionary, with the Chinese-English entries listed in pinyin alphabetical order.

Longman's English-Chinese Photo Dictionary (Hanyu Pinyin)
by Rosenthal & Freeman
[Longman]
When you have reached an intermediate level, you will find this book helpful for both reviewing as well as learning new vocabulary. It is topic orientated, each topic having a series of colored pictures to go with the vocabulary lists. However, it is best to go through it with a Chinese friend as some of the words may not be commonly used in China in everyday speech.

LANGUAGE LEARNING

How to be a More Successful Language Learner
by Joan Rubin & Irene Thompson,
published by Heinle & Heinle.
This excellent book, written especially to meet the needs of ordinary language learners like you, is crammed full of good ideas about how to learn a language while living in the country where it is spoken. It is completely free of technical linguistic jargon, which therefore makes for easy reading. The book is divided into three parts: Part One covers the language learner's personality and goals as well as looking at how one uses language to communicate. Part Two gives hundreds of helpful suggestions on how to approach the task of acquiring a foreign language -- and all of the ideas are intensely practical. Part Three looks at the use to which textbooks, reference grammars, tapes, etc. can be put in the language learning process.

Memorizing Vocabulary

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