Latin Beyond GCSE

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P. xii: Complement is defined as “another nominative word or phrase describing the subject”: this needs some reference to the verb “to be” and to the idea of completing. It has tonnes of examples for the different types of translation, comprehension, grammar and composition sections on the GCSE 9-1 language paper. No Latin textbook, or any textbook, can match John Taylor's for its ability to explain clearly and concisely, or for the depth of understanding it instills.

This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc. P. xii: Elision is defined as the “process by which the final vowel or syllable of a word is in effect knocked off”: in fact it is only the vowel which is knocked off (together with nasalizing m) leaving any preceding consonant intact. John Taylor has again put students of Latin (and their teachers) in his debt with this volume, a companion to his 'Greek Beyond GCSE' that follows the same format.In addition, examples are laid out in columns, so that English translations sit next to the original Latin rather than underneath it. Contributors explore digital comics and social media networks; comics as graffiti and stencil art in public spaces; comics as a tool for teaching architecture or processing social trauma; and the consumption and publishing of comics as forms of shaping national, social and political identities. Tosavemehavingtohanditineachtimetogetmarked,doesanyonehaveacopyoftheanswerstoLatin,BeyondGCSEbyJohnTaylor? P. 41: Would the Romans really have said amo currere for “I like running”, given as an example of an infinitive as direct object? John Taylor was for many years Head of Classics at Tonbridge School, UK, and now teaches Classics at Manchester University, UK.

It offers a comprehensive survey of Latin grammar in a more engaging way than the traditional grammar book, and it provides plenty of exercises to reinforce the grammar that has been learned and give practice in applying it. We ask that comments be substantive in content and civil in tone and those that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be published. The (many) different uses of quin need to be explained; they are not confined to expressions of doubting and preventing. I started a Classics degree from scratch at 18 after having never studied it in my life and this made it so simple. It is possible, I suppose, that such assistance will be given in the form of supplementary online materials.

The purpose of these is presumably to provide extra reading for students in addition to the set books that they are studying. Finally there is a reference section including a summary of all constructions, a comprehensive grammar, and a vocabulary of 1000 Latin words (with an additional list of 250 common poetic words for A2 verse passages). And, as I said, this course would not help them directly to prepare for half of the examination requirements; for that a different sort of book would be needed. Each point is carefully explained and followed by five Latin sentences to be translated into English and five English sentences to be put into Latin (except at the very end, where remote/closed conditions in indirect statement are evidently judged too difficult for the latter exercise).

The arrangement of the contents of the sections on the gerund and gerundive give undue prominence to the gerundive of obligation.

Finally there is a reference section including a summary of all constructions, a comprehensive grammar, and a vocabulary of 1000 Latin words (with an additional list of 250 common poetic words for verse passages). Also, there is no section on comparative clauses, though for some reason this may not be included in the specifications. I used John Taylor's "Essential GCSE Latin" constantly whilst studying for the exam and found it the most useful of all my Latin books.

In fact the tenses used are exactly the same as those for subordinate clauses in indirect speech, which such a table (see point 9) would show at a glance. Taylor is clearly fascinated with Latin grammar and its various subtleties, and one might deduce that he is used to teaching bright classes who share his enthusiasm. Instead, what we have as far as the content is concerned is the first edition revised only to the extent of certain additions and removals needed to bring it into line with the new OCR specifications (for AS from 2017 (so of limited usefulness for 2017 candidates), for A level from 2018). John Taylor is the author of 'Greek to GCSE' Parts 1 and 2, 'Greek Beyond GCSE', 'Essential GCSE Latin' and (with Stephen Anderson) 'Greek Unseen Translation'.Some suggested translations seem less than helpful in the actual context, and other words are not glossed though used in a slightly unusual sense.