I have a fascinating Latin text-book ( called Parva Sagaci.... a little knowledge) which teached Latin using a sequence of sentences...... that's all.
It starts with a very basic sentence, and shows you how all the parts work.
Then it moves on to a slightly more advanced sentence... and shows you how that works.
Gradually your Latin improves, and at each stage you learn a dinky bit more.
You are also encouraged to learn each sentence as you go along.
An interesting approach don't you think? Rather on the dry side perhaps, but you can see the plus points.
Now I don't necessarily want to promote this too much, but one thing I would take from it is....
Build up a "bank" of Spanish sentences chosen to illustrate grammatical points.
Let's say you are trying to get a better feel for those borderline ser/estar decisions... make a collection of sentences which show this.
If you are learning the irregular preterites... pick out sentences using them and collect them together.
There are plenty of "themes" you can illustrate in this way... it depends what stage you have reached.
Where do you get all these sentences from?
[a] Grammar books... I have found A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish ( Butt and Benjamin) and A Spanish Learning Grammar ( Mun*oz and Thacker) very useful.
[b] Whatever you are reading.... you can pick up loads of sample sentences from whtever book you are reading right now, whether it is a simple childrens' book or a detective story or a Spanish newspaper.
[c] Dictionaries often use illustrative sentences withing the definitions.. for example Collins Easy Learning Spanish Dictionary.
Don't necessarily try to do this all at once... just get started and add to your collection as you find them.
Another key thing is.... your sentence collection is there to be consulted, read, read again, read out loud.... use it!
and now... a bit of light music... this is Bizarre with Sigo Cayendo
*... I know Munoz should have a circumflex, and it used to work fine with ALT 0241 but now the bloggy thing won't let me do it....anyone any idea what has changed?
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