Portal:Grammar

Grammar is not a set of rules and exceptions to be memorized. But sadly, it has come be viewed that way, by traditional language teachers, and by students who have suffered under such teaching. Instead, grammar is a set of patterns, and each pattern conveys a particular meaning. When one sees an apparent exception, it is merely a different pattern with a different meaning.

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1 Grammar Portal

(General materials are forthcoming.)

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2 Syntax

Linguistic explanations of grammar terms & forms.

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3 Morphology

Morphology refers to word formation, via (1) grammatical suffixes to words (e.g., -ing and -ed verb forms, and (2) new words from prefixes of suffixes (e.g. nation+al, itner+nation+al+ism).

▼ Morphology

Colloquial contractions

Consonant phonemes /θ/ and /ð/ in spelling

Consonant spelling patterns

English morphemes

Future tense

Latin elements in English word formation

Lexical categories

Morphology

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4 Cognitive Grammar

Cognitive grammar is an approach to grammar based on schema theory in cognitive psychology, and work within psycholinguistics. A major assumption is that grammar developed from, and is related to, other cognitive abilities and perceptions. A second assumption is that each grammar form conveys a particular meaning, or a group of related meanings. Thus, grammar forms and structures can be explained in terms of their meaning and how we perceive the world. This allows for more intuitive explanations of grammar forms, which can be included in communicative language teaching and the cognitively flavored CCLT that I am advocating.

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