English Syntax and Argumentation

Palgrave Modern Linguistics

by Bas Aarts

Written by a leading authority on the subject, the fifth edition of this bestselling book provides students with a thorough grounding in the essentials of sentence structure and the fundamentals of syntactic argumentation.

Divided into four parts, it begins by examining the basic concepts that underpin the study of syntax, before moving on to more complex issues. The first part introduces the foundations of syntax, namely clauses and sentences; the second looks at the internal structure of phrases and the bridge between syntax and semantics; the third deals with syntactic argumentation; and the fourth focuses on argumentation and its application. Chapters feature clear explanations of technical terms, easy-to-follow examples and interactive exercises to illustrate key ideas.

This theoretically-neutral text will be core reading for all students of English, Linguistics and Applied Linguistics who are encountering the study of syntax for the first time.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction

424 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1997

About the author

Bas Aarts is Professor of English Linguistics and Director of the Survey of English Usage at University College London, UK. His research interest is in the field of syntax, more specifically verbal syntax. He has published widely in the field and is one of the founding editors of the journal English Language and Linguistics.

Reviews

[Kyo]

2.5 stars.

Sometimes unnecessarily complicated, especially concerning the linguistic jargon was a bit excessive at times. I had already covered almost all of the content for another class, but this was a strange mix of very basic stuff ('what is a verb?') and complicated stuff.

The added chapters about discourse were interesting and clear though, and throughout the book most examples are well-given and well-explained.

[Suzi]

Yeah okay, so I didn't finish this book (it's not my fault that I didn't have to learn everything from this book!!), BUT I still think it was quite interesting (especially the part about the tree diagrams). The only downside of this book is that it can be a little inconsistent sometimes.

[Ruby]

We use a different method to draw the three at my university and I prefer that; it is much more consistent and logical. Apart from that, Aarts' book is clear and fairly easy to follow. I liked syntax much better than I thought I would. We did not really delve into the argumentation part, though, so I can't say much about that.

[Nikola Janevski]

This is a book I come to over and over again. It is the first book that helped me understand English Grammar instead of memorizing grammar rule. It focuses a lot on Function which I love. I highly recommend it but be prepared it is not for a serious learner of the English syntax.

[Ana]

I read this book for Grammar 1 during my teacher training course. I didn't find it difficult to read but I think it can be repetitive at times. Despite that, it helped me understand English grammar a lot better. It covers many different concepts so I know it can be a little overwhelming at first, but it's best to start with the basics (what's a noun, what's a verb, etc.) in order to understand bigger concepts.

[and]

read only chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4 for my english language exam.

[nacpanatlenem]

zdałam sesję więc kocham tą książkę MAY I NEVER LOOK AT THIS EVER AGAIN, RESPECTFULLY

[Dave Wiz]

This book helped me understand clauses easier