Doing English Grammar: Theory, Description and Practice

Description

Grammar is integral to teaching English as a second language, and yet there is often a disconnect between theory and practice. This book bridges that gap by introducing key theories of English grammar and showing how they can be applied in teaching. By drawing on an eclectic range of sources, and using a multidisciplinary approach, Berry links advances in our knowledge of grammar, from theoretical and descriptive viewpoints, with developments in pedagogical practices, to provide a comprehensive overview of the whole process of grammar. The second part of the book contains four case studies of key areas of English grammar in which the insights of the earlier chapters are applied, illustrating how grammar theory is used in practice. Offering new insights into the way English grammar works, this book is invaluable for all professionals who 'do' English grammar: teachers, grammarians, textbook writers and syllabus designers, testers and researchers. Frontmatter Contents Figure Tables Editors’ Preface Introduction 1 The Place of Grammar 2 What Is Grammar? 3 The Need for New Descriptions 4 Working with Terminology 5 Issues in Grammatical Description 6 Grammar in Operation 7 Case Study 1: The Articles 8 Case Study 2: The Comparison of Adjectives 9 Case Study 3: The Personal Pronouns 10 Case Study 4: Reported Speech Conclusion Appendix 1 (from Chapter 3): Results from Berry (2014) Appendix 2 (from Chapter 5): Texts Used in METALANG 1 Appendix 3 (from Chapter 5): Results from Berry (2009a) Index