Table of Contents
The numbers in square brackets [ ] indicate the corresponding chapters in A Comprehensive Spanish
Grammar by Jacques de Bruyne and Christopher J. Pountain (Blackwell 1995). Preface viii
Acknowledgements x
Pronunciation 1
1 The alphabet [1–2] 1
2 Diphthongs [9–10] 2
3 Stress [10–17] 3
4 Punctuation and capital letters [18–24] 5
5 Revision 7
The Article 11
6 The definite article [26–70] 11
7 The indefinite article [71–85] 15
The Noun 20
8 Gender: masculine and feminine [86–123] 20
9 Number: plural formation [124–50] 23
The Adjective 28
10 Agreement and placement of adjectives [151–80] 28
11 Degrees of comparison [181–98] 33
Numerals 38
12 Cardinals and ordinals [204–32] 38
13 Fractions, multiples and collectives [233–7] 43
Pronouns 45
14 Personal pronouns [238–97] 45
15 Demonstrative pronouns and adjectives [298–319] 52
16 Possessive pronouns and adjectives [320–41] 55
17 Relative pronouns [342–64] 59
18 Interrogative and exclamatory pronouns and adjectives [365–77] 61
19 Indefinite pronouns and adjectives [378–535] 63
Impersonal Expressions 68
20 Uses of impersonal expressions [536–45] 68
The Adverb 73
21 Adverbs of manner [546–69] 73
22 Adverbs of degree and quantity [570–96] 75
23 Adverbs of time [597–610] 77
24 Adverbs of place [611–20] 78
25 Adverbs of confirmation, negation and doubt [621–31] 80
26 Adverbial expressions [632–3] 81
Comparative Constructions 83
27 Uses of comparative constructions [638–57] 83
Prepositions 88
28 Uses of prepositions [658–794] 88
Constructions with Verbs and Nouns 100
29 General rule and use [795–822] 100
Conjunctions 106
30 Use of some conjunctions [823–56] 106
The Verb: Conjugation 113 Regular Verbs 113
31 Present indicative [857–60] 113
32 Imperfect and preterite indicative [861–4] 119
33 Future and conditional [865–8] 125
34 Present subjunctive [869–70] 130
35 Imperfect subjunctive [871–4] 133
36 Perfect and pluperfect of indicative [878–9] 136
37 Future perfect and conditional perfect [881–2] 139
38 Perfect and pluperfect subjunctive [883–5] 141
39 The imperative [887–97] 144
40 Irregular verbs [903–70] 148
Use of the Tenses 163
41 Present indicative [971–7] 163
42 Past tenses of the indicative [978–98] 170
43 Future and conditional tenses of the indicative [999–1013] 184
44 Sequence of tense with the subjunctive [1014–17] 189
The Passive 198
45 The passive idea [1018–23] 198
Use of the Moods 206
46 Use of the subjunctive [1024–76] 206
The Impersonal Forms of the Verb 224
47 The infinitive [1077–136] 224
48 The gerund [1137–74] 231
49 The past participle [1175–230] 238
Special Problems with Spanish Verbs 245
50 Ser and estar [1231–55] 245
51 Haber, deber and poder [1256–75] 256
Subject–Verb Concord 265
52 General rule and use [1276–89] 265
Syntax of Negative Elements 268
53 General rule and use [1291–8] 268
Word Order 274
54 General rule and use [1299–1318] 274
Affective Suffixes 279
55 Forms and meaning [1319–32] 279 Key 284
