Intermediate Japanese Reading Aids Volume One: Verbs and Verb-Following Expressions

Unfortunately, this review begins with both good news and bad news. The good news is that with a bit of initiative any one can get this book. The bad news is that it is out of print, so anyone that does want it will need to do a bit more leg work than one might normally expect and probably pay significantly more than the cover price. I rate this little book worth its weight in gold, so keep that it consideration when you see the price someone might ask.

Probably one of the most difficult concepts in understanding Japanese is not just particles but verb-following expressions and auxiliaries. This little book facilitates understanding them in a way that no other book even approaches. Dictionaries and Grammar books often are missing the information required. Having lost count of the number of times I could find the answer no where else but in this book, I'll also mention that this book does not frustrate the way a grammar book does with overly technical explanations. The examples and explanations are concise and easily understood.

First, this book explains all the various types and base forms of verbs. Then comes the meat of the book, the verb-following expressions. Since they are organized by base, it is very efficient to look up an expression. With a grammar book, a student would find the index and see several different pages that contained a given construction, then one would have to go back and forth until the correct example is found. Dictionaries may or may not have the required information. Both dictionaries and grammar guides will present both germane and non-germane information together forcing the student to guess. This is one reason students will often be more confused after consulting a grammar guide than before.

With V&VFE, because the expressions are organized by the verb base they follow, the student doesn't have to spend as much time guessing which of several possible uses applies. More importantly, because the expressions are organized by base, the student will more naturally learn to associate these expressions by the verb base they follow and be less likely to misuse them. Probably best of all, every time I look up an expression that the dictionary and my textbook failed to explain adequately, I always close this book satisfied that I understand whatever I looked up.

The book goes on to cover giving and receiving, conditionals, obligation, permission, and several annoying contractions.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Every time I come to this book because all the others failed, I wish I had looked here first.