Understanding English Grammar

All chapters have Chapter Previews.

Preface    

 

Part I

Introduction    

 

 1.         The Study of Grammar: An Overview    

* English: A World Language

Three Definitions of Grammar    

* Traditional School Grammar

Modern Linguistics    

Structural Grammar    

Transformational Grammar    

The Issue of Correctness    

Language Variety    

Language Change    

Language in the Classroom    

Key Terms    

Further Reading    

Classroom Applications 

Questions for Discussion   

 

Part II: The Grammar of Basic Sentences

All chapters in Part II have Key Terms, Sentences for Practice, Questions for Discussion, and Classroom Applications

 

* 2.       An Introduction to Words and Phrases 

Form Classes

Nouns

The Noun Phrase

Verbs

The Verb Phrase

NP + VP = S

Adjectives and Adverbs

Prepositional Phrases

 

3.         Sentence Patterns

* Subjects and Predicates

The Sentence Slots    

The Be Patterns    

The Linking Verb Patterns    

The Optional Slots    

The Intransitive Verb Pattern    

Exceptions to the Intransitive Pattern    

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs    

The Transitive Verb Patterns    

Transitive Phrasal Verbs    

The Indirect Object Pattern    

The Object Complement Patterns    

Compound Structures    

Exceptions to the Ten Sentence Patterns    

Sentence Types

* Interrogative Sentences (Questions)

Imperative Sentences (Commands)  

* Exclamatory Sentences  

Punctuation and the Sentence Patterns    

Diagramming the Sentence Patterns    

Notes on the Diagrams    

The Main Line    

The Noun Phrase    

The Verb Phrase     

The Prepositional Phrase    

Compound Structures    

Punctuation    

 

4.         Expanding the Main Verb

The Five Verb Forms    

Auxiliary–Verb Combinations    

The Modal Auxiliaries    

The Subjunctive Mood    

Tense and Aspect        

Using the Verb Forms   

* The “Future Tense” 

Exceptions to the Rule    

The Stand-In Auxiliary Do    

The Verb System of African American Vernacular  English    

 

* 5.       Changing Sentence Focus

The Passive Voice

            The Passive Get

            The Transitive-Passive Relationship

            Patterns VIII to X in Passive Voice

            Changing Passive Voice to Active Voice

The Passive Voice in Prose

            Other Passive Purposes

The There Transformation

Cleft Sentences

 

Part III:            Expanding the Sentence

All chapters in Part III have Key Terms, Sentences for Practice, Questions for Discussion, and Classroom Applications

 

Form and Function

 

6.         Modifiers of the Verb: Adverbials

 

Adverbs    

Prepositional Phrases    

Nouns and Noun Phrases     

Verb Phrases    

Dangling Infinitives    

Clauses    

Punctuation of Adverbials    

 

7.         Modifers of the Noun: Adjectivals

The Determiner    

Adjectives and Nouns 

            * Prenoun participles   

Prepositional Phrases    

Relative Clauses    

Participial Phrases    

Passive Participles    

The Participle as Object Complement    

Movable Participles    

Dangling Participles    

Participles as Adverbials    

Punctuation of Clauses and Participles    

Multiple Modifiers    

Other Postnoun Modifiers    

Infinitives    

Noun Phrases    

Adjectives    

Adverbs    

 

 

8.         The Noun Phrase Functions: Nominals

The Nominal Slots    

Appositives    

Punctuation of Appositives    

Noun Phrase Substitutes    

Gerunds    

The Pattern of the Gerund    

The Subject of the Gerund    

Dangling Gerunds    

Infinitives    

The Subject of the Infinitive    

Nominal Clauses    

The Expletive That    

Interrogatives    

Yes/No Interrogatives    

Punctuation of Nominal Clauses    

Nominals as Delayed Subjects    

 

9.         Sentence Modifiers

Nouns of Direct Address: The Vocatives    

Interjections    

Subordinate Clauses    

Punctuation of Subordinate Clauses     

Elliptical Clauses    

Absolute Phrases    

Appositives    

Relative Clauses    

 

 

10.       Coordination

Coordination within the Sentence    

Punctuation    

Elliptical Coordinate Structures    

Subject–Verb Agreement    

Parallel Structure    

Coordinating Complete Sentences    

Conjunctions    

Semicolons    

Colons    

Diagramming the Compound Sentence    

 

Part IV:            Words and Word Classes

All chapters in Part IV have Key Terms, Questions for Discussion, and Classroom Applications

 

11.       Morphemes 

Bases and Affixes    

Bound and Free Morphemes    

Derivational and Inflectional Morphemes    

Allomorphs    

Homonyms    

Compound Words    

 

12.       The Form Classes

Nouns    

Noun Derivational Suffixes    

Noun Inflectional Suffixes    

The Meaning of the Possessive Case    

Irregular Plural Inflections    

Plural-Only Forms    

Collective Nouns    

Semantic Features of Nouns    

Verbs    

Verb Derivational Affixes    

Verb Inflectional Suffixes    

Adjectives    

Adjective Derivational Suffixes    

Adjective Inflectional Suffixes    

Subclasses of Adjectives    

Adverbs    

Adverb Derivational Suffixes    

Adverb Inflectional Suffixes    

 

13.       The Structure Classes

Determiners    

The Expanded Determiner    

Auxiliaries    

Qualifiers    

Prepositions    

Simple Prepositions    

Phrasal Prepositions    

Conjunctions    

Coordinating Conjunctions    

Correlative Conjunctions    

Conjunctive Adverbs (Adverbial Conjunctions)    

Subordinating Conjunctions    

Relatives    

Interrogatives    

Expletives    

There    

That    

Or    

As    

If andWhether (or not)    

Particles     

 

14.       Pronouns

Personal Pronouns    

Case    

Gender    

Reflexive Pronouns    

Intensive Pronouns    

Reciprocal Pronouns    

Demonstrative Pronouns    

Relative Pronouns    

Interrogative Pronouns    

Indefinite Pronouns    

 

Part V:             Grammar for Writers

 

15.       Rhetorical Grammar

Sentence Patterns    

Basic Sentences    

The Linking Be and Metaphor    

Cohesion    

Sentence Rhythm    

End Focus    

Sentence Transformations    

Choosing Verbs    

The Overuse of Be    

The Passive Voice    

The Abstract Subject    

The Shifting Adverbials    

The Adverbial Clause    

The Adverbs of Emphasis    

The Common Only    

Metadiscourse    

Style    

Word Order Variation    

Ellipsis    

The Coordinate Series    

The Introductory Appositive Series    

The Deliberate Sentence Fragment    

Repetition    

* Antithesis

Using Gender Appropriately    

Key Terms    

 

16.       Purposeful Punctuation

 Making Connections    

Compounding Sentences    

Compounding Structures within Sentences    

Connecting More Than Two Parts: The Series    

Separating Prenoun Modifiers    

Identifying Essential and Nonessential

Structures    

Signaling Sentence Openers    

Signaling Emphasis    

Using Apostrophes for Contraction and Possessive Case    

 

Part VI

 

Glossary of Grammatical Terms    

 

Appendix on Sentence Diagramming

 

Answers to the Exercises    

 

Index