Understanding English Grammar

Preface / 3
Introduction
0.1 What is (English) grammar? / 11
0.2 Why do we study (English) grammar? / 12
0.3 What are we studying in this English grammar textbook? / 13

Chapter 1 Exploring Simple Sentence Components
1.1 What is a sentence? / 15
1.2 Analysis of sentences: form and function / 19
1.3 Operator / 20
1.4 Essential elements of a sentence: subject and verb / 22
1.5 Linking verbs and subject complements / 26
1.6 Transitive verbs and direct objects / 27
1.7 Ditransitive verbs: indirect object and direct object / 28
1.8 Direct object and object complement / 29
1.9 Adverbial complement / 30
1.10 Direct object and adverbial complement / 31
1.11 Sentence constituents and basic sentence patterns / 33
1.12 Semantic roles of the sentence constituents / 36

Chapter 2 Word Classes
2.1 Word Classes / 48
2.2 Nouns / 52
2.3 Main verbs / 64
2.4 Pronouns / 67
2.5 Determiners / 84
2.6 Auxiliary verbs / 94
2.7 Adjectives / 100
2.8 Adverbs / 107
2.9 Prepositions / 110
2.10 Conjunctions / 113

Chapter 3 Understanding the Structures of Phrases
3.1 Noun phrases (NP) / 123
3.2 Verb phrases (VP) / 133
3.3 Adjective phrases (AP) / 150
3.4 Adverb phrases (AdvP) / 152
3.5 Prepositional phrases (PP) / 153

Chapter 4 Sentence Types and Structure
4.1 Sentences / 161
4.2 Types of sentences / 163
4.3 Positive and negative sentences / 168
4.4 Speech acts (Illocution) / 169
4.5 Clauses / 170
4.6 Non-finite and verbless clauses / 174
4.7 Existential there-constructions / 176
4.8 Cleft and pseudo-cleft sentences / 177
4.9 Anticipatory it-constructions / 178

Chapter 5 Major Grammatical Usages
5.1 Number agreement / 183
5.2 Case / 193
5.3 Multiple negation / 197
5.4 Adjectives and adverbs / 199
5.5 Specific types of adverbial clauses / 204
5.6 Special constructions / 207

Chapter 6 Information Packaging
6.1 Emphasis / 214
6.2 Comprehensibility / 215
References / 221
Index / 224