Advanced Grammar: A Manual for Students
Dorothy Disterheft, University of South Carolina

ISBN-10: 0130488208
ISBN-13: 9780130488206

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
Copyright: 2004
Format: Cloth; 416 pp
Published: 07/22/2003

Suggested retail price: $119.80
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For undergraduate courses in English grammar; also appropriate for junior/senior level English grammar courses.

Advanced Grammar introduces basic concepts of English grammar by employing a transformational-generative approach; it utilizes tree-diagrams that reinforce the fact that the infinite variety of sentences produced by every speaker is governed by a small set of rather simple rules. The text provides great detail about a broad array of constructions (passive, negative, questions, tag questions, existentials, clefts, fronting, left and right dislocation, emphasis, contrast, subordination, and conjoined sentences) and gives more information about sentence structure (especially the auxiliary system) than any other book on the market. It combines all subfields of linguistics and presents them in an integrated manner so that students can easily see how all of language is an interconnecting system.

  • Transformations in different chapters—Separates the transformations that produce the various constructions into three chapters.

    • Allows students to concentrate on the transformations, with different functions, enabling easier understanding.

  • “Historical Notes” boxes—Contain facts about the history of certain grammatical and morphological features.

    • Gives students information for understanding peculiarities of contemporary English.

  • “Notes of Clarification” boxes—Based upon the author's twenty-four years' teaching experience.

    • Emphasizes for students details about grammar, which can typically cause them confusion.

  • Emphasis on English as a constantly changing language—Included in information about history.

    • Makes students aware of the change in progress, keeping them interested and intrigued.

  • Many exercises—Contained throughout each chapter; also includes review exercises at the end of each chapter and section.

    • Gives students hands-on experience in English grammar and sentence structure.



 1. Introduction.

I. BASIC SENTENCE STRUCTURE.

 2. The Sentence.

 3. The Noun Phrase.

 4. The Auxiliary: Tense, Aspect, and Modality.

II. VERB STRUCTURE AND SEMANTICS.

 5. Intransitive Verbs.

 6. Transitive Verbs.

 7. Stative Verbs.

III. TRANSFORMING BASIC SENTENCES.

 8. Negation and Questions.

 9. Embedded Sentences.

10. Transformations in Discourse.

IV. REFERENCE.

11. Word Classes.

12. Punctuation.

This text takes a very basic, transformational-generative approach to grammar theory. Using tree diagrams in keeping with contemporary linguistic theory, Advanced Grammar: A Manual for Students recognizes that the infinite variety of sentences produced by every speaker is governed by a small set of rather simple rules.

The author provides more detail about a broader array of constructions and about the sentence structure (especially the auxiliary system) than any other, textbook. In addition, Advanced Grammar: A Manual for Students emphasizes important ways in which semantics and discourse determine syntactic structure.

Other features include:

  • Two kinds of comments set aside in boxes:
    • HISTORICAL NOTES: facts about the history of certain grammatical and morphological features that add information for understanding peculiarities of contemporary English.
    • NOTES OF CLARIFICATION: emphasize details, already presented, which typically cause problems for some students.
  • Discourse considerations for structure whenever appropriate.
  • All subfields of linguistics are combined and presented in an integrated way so that students easily see how all of language is an interconnecting system.
  • Chapter 11 treats word classes (parts of speech) in detail for students who have little background in grammar.
  • Punctuation is presented in a separate chapter (Chapter 12), although it is also referred to throughout.
  • A Companion Website™ at www.prenhall.com/disterheft that will include more exercises that emphasize grammar theory.

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

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