Unlike other Spanish language books on the market, this guide does not emphasize culture, but rather is designed for those readers who have proficiency in oral Spanish yet need to master the proper grammar and the written language. Manual de gramática y ortografía para hispanos will improve the user's grasp of Spanish in all aspects: oral expression, writing, and reading ability. The book is organized into three-part chapters: 1) Gramática (grammar and exercises); 2) Ortografía (spelling rules), and III) Lengua y cultura (reading and composition.) Grammar explanations are written simply and clearly, and a collection of readings allow readers to relate to many aspects of the hispanic history and life. For bilingual readers who need to master reading, spelling, and writing in Spanish. Manual de gramatica y ortografia para hispanos was written for those students who speak Spanish at home and have some proficiency in oral Spanish, yet have not plastered the written language and related Orammatical usage. The gradual and simple ways in` which grammar and spelling rules are presented serve the linguistic and language needs of heritage speakers. Highlights: Emphasis is placed on those aspects of the language that are typically ignored or misunderstood by heritage speakers. - Appropriate and well-developed exercises allow students to immediately apply the rules learned in class in their everyday speaking. - Three-part chapter organization includes: 1) gramatica (grammar and exercises); 2) ortografia (spelling rules); and 3) lengua y cultura (reading and composition). - Attention is given to two kinds of spelling problems: Those caused by English interference and those that are typical spelling problems for heritage speakers. - Each chapter presents a legend or short story with accessible vocabulary for students at this level, followed by several sets of comprehensive exercises. With a primary focus on grammar and spelling, Manual de gramatica y ortografia para hispanos emphasizes speaking, reading, and writing Spanish for the heritage speaker. Manual de gramatica y ortografia para hispanos was designed specifically for those students who speak Spanish at home and therefore have some proficiency in speaking the language but who, at the same time, have not yet mastered all aspects of grammar and the written language. Manual de gramatica y ortografia para hispanos is a first-year course that covers the common core of first-year material, but is geared to native speakers. We have reduced the grammatical syllabus to the indispensable, taking into account the reality of today's students and their needs. CHAPTER ORGANIZATION Each chapter is divided into three parts: Gramatica (grammar and exercises), Ortografia (spelling), and Lengua y cultura (reading and composition). Gramatica: Grammar explanations are written in simple, direct Spanish, always avoiding sophisticated linguistic jargon. We emphasize those aspects typically ignored or misunderstood by the heritage speakers, and we do not stress those aspects that are naturally understood by the native speaker (for example, the difference between ser and estar ). English is used judiciously particularly when we need to translate some examples to point out significant differences between the two languages, thus giving special attention to those mistakes in Spanish caused by English interference. A complete and extensive set of exercises allows the students to immediately apply the rule or concept learned in each lesson. The "Ejercicio preliminar" sections that appear in the last six chapters of the book are designed to awaken the student's unconscious or forgotten knowledge of the structure of the Spanish language. - Ortografia: Spelling rules are presented clearly and concisely with special attention given to two kinds of spelling problems: those caused by English interference (such as the use of q for words as cuestionario, instead of c, the use of ch instead of qu, etc.) and those spelling problems that are typical for native speakers (words with s, c, and z, y and ll, and the use of the h ). This section also presents many homofonos (e.g., casa/caza ). Also, accent rules are presented in the first chapters with plenty of exercises to practice those rules. - Lengua y cultura: Each chapter presents a legend or short story with a preliminary list of vocabulary and exercises to prepare the students for the reading. Each reading is followed by a set of exercises. The first set reinforces the grammatical structure of the lesson and is followed by the section "Comprension de la lectura," a series of questions to check students' basic comprehension of the reading and to encourage class discussion. The writing section "Composicion" has two or three suggested topics related to the reading. Finally, "Alrededor de la lectura" is a short paragraph designed to practice the rules of accentuation, offering teachers and students the opportun