Book excerpt: "Polish: An Essential Grammar" is the sole up-to-date Polish grammar available to English-speakers. A reference guide to the most important aspects of the language, it presents a fresh and accessible description, focusing on genuine patterns of use in the modern language. The ideal reference work for the independent learner the business traveler or the researcher, this grammar is written without jargon and with a special focus on areas traditionally problematic for English-speakers. The preliminary section on the Polish alphabet, the range of contemporary usage and grammatical examples, and the comprehensive index contribute to the accessibility of the book. Sections also focus on aspects frequently left out of less-detailed works (such as the diminutive noun, vowel and consonant changes, irregular verb declension and declension of words into different parts of speech) making this book an essential companion to the student of Polish even as study continues to advance.