1. Descriptive Grammar of English Ed McCorduck English 402--Grammar SUNY Cortland http://mccorduck.cortland.edu

2. main units of analysis in descriptive grammar o word o phrase – made up of words or at least one word o sentence – made up of phrases slide 2: main units of analysis English 402: Grammar

3. two main classes of words in descriptive grammar o form classes o structure classes slide 3: main classes of words English 402: Grammar

4. o form classes  can change their form by adding an ending (a.k.a. an inflection) slide 4: properties of form class words English 402: Grammar

5. examples  nouns dog – dogs sissy – sissies  verbs take – taking hurry – hurried  adjectives hard – harder – hardest fat – fatter – fattest slide 5: examples of form class endings English 402: Grammar

6.  generally have a clear reference to something in the “real” world  occur in characteristic positions (a.k.a. slots) in sentences example I saw the ______. noun slide 6: more features of form classes English 402: Grammar

7. o structure classes  cannot change their form  are closed classes (more words can’t be added to them) (the form classes are open) slide 7: properties of structure class words English 402: Grammar

8. some structure classes:  prepositions exx inthroughbeside  determiners exx a(n), the, this, those, my, their, many, each slide 8: examples of structure classes and words English 402: Grammar