Book excerpt: Arabic: An Essential Grammar is an up-to-date and practical reference guide to the most important aspects of the language. Suitable for beginners, as well as intermediate students, this book offers a strong foundation for learning the fundamental grammar and structure of Arabic. The complexities of the language are set out in short, readable sections, and exercises and examples are provided throughout. The book is ideal for independent learners as well as for classroom study. Features of this book include: coverage of the Arabic script and alphabet a chapter on Arabic handwriting a guide to pronunciation full examples throughout.