Russian Verbs of Motion for Intermediate Students

This handbook is devoted entirely to Russian motion verbs, a notoriously complex and difficult area of grammar for English-speaking students. William J. Mahota provides a thorough treatment of verb forms for students in the second and third years of Russian language study, integrating text and workbook exercises in each chapter of the book. By using up-to-date examples and colloquial language, Mahota's handbook aims to prepare the intermediate student to use comfortably the everyday Russian heard in conversation on the street and in the home. For the growing numbers of students traveling to Russia to live and study, facile use of motion verbs will contribute much to their communication skills.

Designed to complement any standard intermediate-level textbook, this handbook focuses first on unprefixed verbs and then on prefixed verbs. Mahota sets up a variety of lesson techniques, such as completion exercises, translations, and pattern exercises designed for oral drill. For some assignments, the student is asked to focus on morphology, for others on lexical choices, and for still others on morphology and lexical choice at the same time. Three appendixes supply conjugations, additional motion verbs, and additional prefixes; a glossary contains English-Russian as well as Russian-English words.

William J. Mahota is associate professor of Slavic languages and language coordinator in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University.