Structure and Meaning in English: A Guide for Teachers

Structure and Meaning in English

is designed to help teachers of English develop an understanding of those aspects of English which are especially relevant for learners who speak other languages.

Using corpus research, Graeme Kennedy cuts to the heart of what is important in the teaching of English. The book provides pedagogically- relevant information about English at the levels of sounds, words, sentences and texts. It draws attention to those linguistic items and processes which research has shown are typically hard for learners and which lead to errors.

Each chapter contains:

• a description of one or more aspects of English
• an outline of typical errors or problems for learners
• specific learning objectives listed at the beginning of each chapter
• exercises or tasks based on ¿real English¿ taken from newspapers and other sources.
• discussion topics which can be worked through independently either as part of a course, or self study

With answers to many of the tasks given at the back of the book, this groundbreaking work provides a comprehensive and accessible textbook on the structure and use of the language for teachers of English.

 

Graeme Kennedy is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His previous publications include the book An Introduction to Corpus Linguistics (Longman).

'As a grammar, the book is laid out in a logical sequence of readable sections.'

The Times Higher, November 2004

An essential guide to grammar specifically designed for teachers of English which can be used as a course book, or a reference work. This practical volume focuses on the topics which are essential skills for language learners and which teachers need to understand to be professionally competent. It gives exercises, and learner error information to guide teachers in teaching and assessing grammar learning.

This book is designed to help teachers of English develop an understanding of the aspects of English which are essentially relevant for learners who speak other languages. Using corpus research, Kennedy cuts to the heart of what is important in the teaching of English grammar.

Structure and Meaning in English

is designed to help teachers of English develop an understanding of those aspects of English which are especially relevant for learners who speak other languages.

Using corpus research, Graeme Kennedy cuts to the heart of what is important in the teaching of English. The book provides pedagogically- relevant information about English at the levels of sounds, words, sentences and texts. It draws attention to those linguistic items and processes which research has shown are typically hard for learners and which lead to errors.

Each chapter contains:

• a description of one or more aspects of English
• an outline of typical errors or problems for learners
• specific learning objectives listed at the beginning of each chapter
• exercises or tasks based on ¿real English¿ taken from newspapers and other sources.
• discussion topics which can be worked through independently either as part of a course, or self study

With answers to many of the tasks given at the back of the book, this groundbreaking work provides a comprehensive and accessible textbook on the structure and use of the language for teachers of English.

 

Graeme Kennedy is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His previous publications include the book An Introduction to Corpus Linguistics (Longman).

Graeme Kennedy

is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Preface

INTRODUCTION

Grammar and grammars

Studying grammar

1. THE SOUNDS OF ENGLISH

2. WORDS AND THEIR MEANINGS

3. SIMPLE SENTENCE PARTS, STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

4. NOUNS AND NOUN PHRASES

5. VERBS AND VERB PHRASES

6. MODIFICATION OF NOUN PHRASES, VERB PHRASES AND SENTENCES

7. BEYOND THE SIMPLE SENTENCE

USEFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT ENGLISH

REFERENCES

KEY TO TASKS

INDEX