Analysing English Sentence Structure An Intermediate Course in Syntax

This chapter begins (Module 1.1) by comparing prescriptive and descriptive approaches to grammar, and evaluating different sources of linguistic data; it goes on to consider the nature of grammatical categories and features. Module 1.2 then turns to look at the merge and adjunction operations which generate syntactic structures, and at the underlying principles of X-bar Syntax. Next Module 1.3 examines the syntax of null constituents, and the role played by the relation c-command in a range of syntactic phenomena (e.g. case-marking). Module 1.4 goes on to explore three different types of movement operation, namely A bar Movement, A movement, and Head Movement. Subsequently Module 1.5 examines the role of constraints in blocking illicit operations, and of filters in blocking illicit structures. The chapter concludes with a Summary (Module 1.6), Bibliography (Module 1.7), and Workbook (Module 1.8), with some Workbook exercise examples designed for self-study, and others for assignments/seminar discussion.