Aim:

To introduce students to the word-classes (“parts of speech”) of English vocabulary, the distinction between grammatical (function) words and lexical words, the concept of “core vocabulary”, and to the derivation of the language from Old English, Old Norse, French and Latin.

Method:

The words of a classic story are used as data, both in its original form, and in a simplified version prepared for foreign learners of English.

Aim:

To introduce the grammatical category phrase, and the forms of noun phrases (NPs), prepositional phrases (PrepPs), possessive phrases (PossPs), verb phrases (VPs), adjective phrases (AdjPs) and adverb phrases (AdvPs).

Method:

The same texts are used as in Unit 1 to exemplify the categories, with additional examples where they do not occur in the texts.

Aim:

To introduce the grammatical category clause, clause elements subject, predicator, complement, direct and indirect objects, and adverbial, and the categories of theme, mood and voice.

Method:

Clauses taken from the texts used in Units 1 and 2 are used to illustrate common clause patterns.

Aim:

To introduce the grammatical category sentence, and the classification of sentences as simple, complex and compound, with the grammatical processes of coordination, subordination and the concept of nonfinite clause as a constituent of a sentence.

Method:

Sentences taken from the simplified and original versions of the texts used in Units 1, 2 and 3 are used to exemplify types of sentence construction.

Aim:

To practise the reading of a text whose creative use of language breaks many of the contemporary conventions and rules of spelling, punctuation, grammar and meaning.

Method:

Extracts from Russell Hoban's novel Riddley Walker are analysed for their use of language, and students are asked to re-write other extracts using Standard English. Some comment is sought on the purpose of the author's creation of a different form of language.

Aim:

To encourage students to think critically about choices of words and grammatical structures in their writing, and to recognise the effects of different choices of vocabulary and syntax in texts.

Method:

Some guidelines for good writing, taken from the Fowler brothers and George Orwell, are examined and discussed to see whether they can be easily applied to the process of writing, and whether they are likely to be effective.