English Syntax

Berk provides an introduction to English syntax and grammar, written from a discourse-functional perpsective. No comparable text currently exists. Berk's goal is to ensure that students who have little background in syntax will learn the basics as well as a comprehensive view of English grammar. The primary audience will be beginning graduate students and upper level undergraduates in linguistics courses such as Introduction to Syntax and Introduction to English Structure, as well as in TESOL/ESL programs and English departments. Berk includes an extensive glossary.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Introduction What Does Grammar Mean? Grammaticality (Acceptability) Judgments Historical Periods Edited English It's All in Your Head 1. Basic Sentence Structure The Subject Syntax of the Subject Semantic Roles of the Subject Discourse Functions of the Subject The Predicate Transitive Verbs and Direct Objects Semantic Roles of the Direct Object Covert Direct Objects "Light" Transitive Verbs Degrees of Transitivity Intransitive Verbs Ditransitive Verbs and Indirect Objects Degrees of Ditransitivity Not All Recipients Alternate Discourse Functions of the Indirect Object Benefactives Copulas and Subject Complements Sensory Copulas Stative Copulas Change of State Copulas Copula Be Restricted Copulas--Stative and Change of State Complex Transitive Verbs and Object Complements Degrees of Complex Transitivity Marked and Unmarked Word Order 2. The Noun Phrase The Determiner Articles Demonstratives (and Deixis) Indefinite This Quantifying Determiners Genitive Determiners Interrogative Determiners Predeterminers and Postdeterminers Genitives Genitive Semantic Types Double Genitives Group Genitive Generic Reference Proper Nouns Non-Count Nouns Categorizing Non-Count Nouns Collective Nouns Pronouns Personal Pronouns Reflexive Pronouns Reciprocal Pronouns Demonstrative Pronouns Quantifying Pronouns Indefinite Pronouns Interrogative Pronouns Noun Phrases in Discourse 3. The Verb Phrase Tense Tense and Meaning Finite and Non-Finite Verbs Aspect Progressive Aspect Perfect Aspect Tense and Aspect in Discourse Passive Voice Transitive Verbs that Don't (Readily) Passivize Get Passive Passives with No Corresponding Active The Passive in Discourse Word Order and the Passive Primary Auxiliaries and the Lexical Verb Multi-Word Lexical Verbs Movable Particles Unmovable Particles Identifying Multi-Word Verbs Modality Epistemic Modality in General Deontic Modality in General Modal Auxiliaries Semi-Auxiliaries Auxiliaries, Time, and Tense Mood and Modality The Verb Phrase and Scope of Negation Scope of Negation and Auxiliaries The Verb Phrase and Questions Yes/No Questions Information Seeking Questions (Wh Questions) Tag Questions Multi-Word Auxiliaries as Operators in Questions and Tags Historical Development of the Operator Exclamations Existential There Constructions Narrative Discourse and the Verb Phrase 4. Modification Modification of the Noun and the Noun Phrase Prenominal Adjectives Predicate Adjectives Postnominal Adjectives and Adjective Phrases Object Complement Adjectives Limiters Gradability Adjectives and Compound Nouns Adjective Order in the Noun Phrase Internal Structure of the Adjective Phrase Adjective Complements Use of the Term Adverb Adjunct Adverbs Intensifying, Downtoning, and Limiting Adjuncts Locatives (Space Adverbs) Temporal Adverbs Adverbs of Manner Adverbs of Means Adverbs of Reason/Purpose Adverbs of Result Adverbial Proforms Some Other Adjunct Categories Problems in Categorizing Adjuncts Movability of Adjuncts Adjuncts and the Scope of Negation Stacking and Coordination of Adjuncts Adjective Phrases Revisited Adjunct Forms That Modify Adjectives Adjectives That Function as Adjuncts Disjuncts Attitude Disjuncts Style Disjuncts Point of View Disjuncts Epistemic Disjuncts Conjuncts Sequencing Conjuncts Adding and Reinforcing Conjuncts Resulting Conjuncts Transitional Conjuncts Concessive Conjuncts Some Other Conjuncts Conjuncts in Discourse 5. Clauses: Coordination and Subordination Clauses Conjoining Conjunction And Conjunction r Conjunction But Coordination and Questions Ellipsis and Gapping Embedding Nominal Clauses That Clauses Infinitive Clauses ING Clauses Relative Tense in Non-Finite Clauses Wh Nominal Clauses Clauses as Adjective Complements Postnominal Modification Restrictive Relative Clauses Other Restrictive Postnominal Modifiers Non-Restrictive Relative Clauses Restrictive Appositives Adverbial Clauses Locative Adverbs Temporal Adverbs Adverbs of Manner Adverbs of Means Adverbs of Reason/Purpose and Result Disjuncts and Conjuncts Concessive and Conditional Clauses Notes Glossary References Index Each chapter ends with a "Summing Up" section