In the Author's Note to the first edition Professor Robinson wrote that there was "a need for something of an elementary nature which should be of value to the student who takes up Syriac for the first time. A book of paradigms and exercises is especially desirable in the case of those who have had no previous experience of Semitic languages ... it is designed as an introduction, and an introduction only." The steady demand for the grammar since then has shown that the need remains and that this grammar has gone some way to meet it. The printing of a new edition has given the opportunity of expanding the grammar slightly, chiefly by adding some explanatory notes and one or two further rules of syntax, and of providing more help to pronunciation by printing diacritic points more fully throughout. It remains an introduction only, and the more advanced student will still need to refer to larger grammars. - Preface to the fourth edition.

Classical Syriac is the third language of early Christian literature after Greek and Latin, and as a dialect of Aramaic it has a special relationship with the words of Jesus. This sixth edition of the classic textbook continues to provide a clear introduction to the language, with larger text and improved explanations.

T. H. Robinson published Paradigms and Exercises in Syriac Grammar in 1915 to meet the need for 'something of an elementary nature which should be of value to the student who takes up Syriac for the first time'. Since then, the book has met this need for generations of students. Still, teachers have recognized its weaknesses and this fifth edition is a thorough revision. Much of the old explanatory text and many of the exercises have been superseded. Some matters of grammar and pronunciation receive more systematic treatment and there are new appendices to introduce the estrangela and East Syriac scripts. In its format and level, however, the book aims to be, as before, an approachable introduction to this important language.

T. H. Robinson's Paradigms and exercises in Syriac Grammar was first published in 1915 to meet the need for 'something of an elementary nature which should be of value to the student who takes up Syriac for the first time'. Since then, the book has met this need for generations of students. The fifth edition of 2002 remains the grammar of choice for many teachers of Syriac classes as well as for students learning by themselves. The present revision, drawing on ten more years of university teaching experience and students' comments, clarifies some of the grammatical explanations and exercises. Improvements to the fonts and a larger format make for easier reading. As before, the West Syriac script and grammatical tradition are followed in the body of the lessons, and appendices introduce reading in the other (estrangela and Eastern) scripts. The book remains a plain and friendly introduction to this important language.