HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is based on our own experience as practising teachers in higher education institutions and in Italian classes for adult learners. It is intended for anyone studying Italian, at any age, wherever they are learning it. It is especially suited to students taking an accelerated course in Italian from scratch at university who need to reach a high level in as short a time as possible. It can also be used by students on a regular beginners’ course or by those who want to revise or consolidate their knowledge. Since it goes beyond what is normally covered by a regular beginners’ course, you can continue to use it into the second year and beyond.

The situations covered in the book are all those normally covered by beginners’ course books: meeting people and introducing oneself, making travel arrangements, booking accommodation, eating in a restaurant, etc. However, we also cover situations such as working and studying in Italy and renting an apartment, and we include materials focused on the Italian media, including cinema, television, the press and advertising.

The book is organised both by functions and notions and by grammar structures, with particular emphasis on the structures students find difficult. In terms of grammar structures Units 1–15 cover simple sentences, including the forms and use of the full range of indicative tenses: present, future, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect, past historic, as well as gerund, infinitive and participles. Units 16–22 cover complex sentences, and the use and forms of the subjunctive: present, imperfect, perfect and pluperfect.

Each unit includes several activities for the learner to carry out in class, including reading , writing , speaking , vocabulary and listening . There are recordings to go with the course and the authors are developing a website, which can be used as an additional resource by teachers using Intensive Italian. All the transcripts of the audio recordings will be found on the website, along with suggestions for further study. An Intensive Italian Workbook will also be available, with a range of exercises covering the same structures as the main book.

Each unit contains a Key vocabulary explaining any colloquial expressions or phrases contained in the unit. At the end of the book is a more general vocabulary list which contains most of the useful words found in Units 1–14. From Unit 15 onwards, we expect learners to be able to use a good dictionary and we encourage them to look up any words they don’t know. Unit 0 gives some guidance on using a dictionary. Any key colloquialisms, however, are still explained in the Key vocabulaiy inside the units.

The alphabetical index includes all grammar structures and functions covered and also includes key words in Italian. Grammar structures are listed in English with a few more important ones listed in Italian as well. The photos contained in the book are all recent and show aspects of Italian life not always shown in course books!

Anna Proudfoot, Tania Batelli-Kneale, Anna Di Stefano,
Daniela Treveri Gennari

September 2003