G. N. Groffman's introduction to Standard Arabic takes absolute beginners to a level at which they will be able to read, write, and speak Arabic with some proficiency. The author begins by explaining the forms of the Arabic letters and the rules for their pronunciation. He then provides a systematic coverage of Arabic grammar. He describes the major syntactic rules, word formation, the principal verb types, nouns, prepositions and particles, and dates and numbers. He does so in a way that is easily followed by the reader, with numerous practice exercises at every stage and regular advice on commonly encountered difficulties. He ends the book with a useful reference table of verbs, substantial English-Arabic and Arabic-English vocabularies, and a comprehensive grammatical index.

This up-to-date and approachable course is aimed at students. It will also be a valuable guide for all those, including scholars, diplomats, and business people, who need a working knowledge of Arabic.