Syntax - LAN00089M

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2025-26

Module summary

This module introduces you to the study of the structure of words and sentences. You will learn how to analyse structure using syntactic tests and how to represent structure by drawing labelled trees. You will also engage with the core areas of research in syntax and be able to formulate broad research questions in each area.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2025-26

Module aims

This module introduces you to the study of the syntactic subcomponent of the language faculty. Specifically, you will study the general principles underlying word and sentence structure. You will work towards learning a theory of grammar, which represents the knowledge that native speakers have about the structure of their language. You will learn how to analyse structure through the use of syntactic tests and diagnostics and how to represent structure by drawing labelled trees. You will develop core analytical skills in solving linguistic problems and learn to communicate your solutions effectively and succinctly.

Module learning outcomes

  • Select and apply appropriate syntactic diagnostics to a wide range of novel constructions

  • Identify core areas of syntactic research and be able to articulate broad research questions for each area

  • Synthesise different aspects of your knowledge about structural properties to propose basic analyses for syntactic constructions

  • Identify key patterns in data sets and express their distribution in terms of key syntactic concepts

  • Formulate and explicitly state theoretical generalisations about syntactic phenomena

  • Identify the lexical category of English words

  • Apply syntactic tests for constituency

  • Identify clause boundaries in complex sentences

  • Identify different types of verbal category

  • Identify grammatical functions, such as subjects and objects

  • Draw trees and labelled brackets for basic English sentences

  • Identify major clause types: passive, relatives, interrogatives etc.

Module content

We aim to cover the following topics in this module:

  • The scientific study of linguistic structure

  • Hierarchical structure

  • Constituency tests

  • Heads and phrases

  • Lexical vs functional categories

  • Functional categories within TP, VP, DP

  • Syntactic movement

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Every week, you will do exercises and receive in-class oral feedback

For submitted assessments, you will receive individual written feedback within 25 working days of your submission.

Indicative reading

TBA