Teacher(s)
Language
English
Content
The course provides a detailed study of English grammar for undergraduates and masters-level students specializing in English.
The reference book used will be A STUDENT'S INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR (second edition) - R. Huddleston, G. Pullum and B. Reynolds, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to some general issues relating to the linguistic study of English. Chapter 2 introduces some crucial concepts and provides a brief survey of the content of the entire book. Chapters 3, 5, 6 and 7 deal with the major lexical categories - verbs, nouns, determinatives, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions - and the structure of the phrases that they head. Chapter 4 describes the structure of simple, positive, active, declarative, non-coordinate clauses with no special stylistic reordering (in other words 'canonical clauses'). Chapter 8 focusses on adjuncts (modifiers and supplements). Chapters 9 to 16 present a step-by-step introduction to the ways in which clauses may diverge in structure from canonical ones : negation (Chapter 9), non-declarative clause types (Chapter 10), subordination (Chapter 11), relativization (Chapter 12), comparison (Chapter 13), non-finiteness (Chapter 14), coordination (Chapter 15), and discourse-sensitive 'information-packaging' constructions (Chapter 16).
Exercises are available for each chapter.
The reference book used will be A STUDENT'S INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR (second edition) - R. Huddleston, G. Pullum and B. Reynolds, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to some general issues relating to the linguistic study of English. Chapter 2 introduces some crucial concepts and provides a brief survey of the content of the entire book. Chapters 3, 5, 6 and 7 deal with the major lexical categories - verbs, nouns, determinatives, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions - and the structure of the phrases that they head. Chapter 4 describes the structure of simple, positive, active, declarative, non-coordinate clauses with no special stylistic reordering (in other words 'canonical clauses'). Chapter 8 focusses on adjuncts (modifiers and supplements). Chapters 9 to 16 present a step-by-step introduction to the ways in which clauses may diverge in structure from canonical ones : negation (Chapter 9), non-declarative clause types (Chapter 10), subordination (Chapter 11), relativization (Chapter 12), comparison (Chapter 13), non-finiteness (Chapter 14), coordination (Chapter 15), and discourse-sensitive 'information-packaging' constructions (Chapter 16).
Exercises are available for each chapter.
Teaching methods
Lectures on the various chapters of the book (30h) accompanied by exercises (15h). The exercise sessions can be a mix of in-class sessions and/or exercises to be done online. For the in-class exercise sessions, the format will be that of the 'question-answer' methodology and of the integration of the student's previous grammatical knowledge in the building of new knowledge.
Evaluation methods
Continuous assessment during the year (20% of the final grade) :
Weighted results of continuous assessment tests during the year (theory and exercises).
These tests are compulsory and will be announced at least two weeks in advance.
January session (40% of final grade):
Written exam on the material covered in the first semester (theory and exercises).
In case of failure, the student will have to repeat this part at the June session.
June session (40% of final grade):
Written examination on the material covered in the second semester (theory and exercises).
The final mark for the June session is the weighted average of the 3 parts. A failure in either the January or June written exam will automatically result in an overall failure and the student will have to retake the failed part.
As our aim is to train language specialists, we attach great importance to the correctness/precision of the answers given to the questions in each part of the course. A penalty may be applied for language errors inherent in the subject.
September session :
Written examination on:
- the subject covered in the first semester (if the exemption has not been obtained in January or June) for 50% of the final mark
- the subject covered in the second semester (if the exemption was not obtained in June) for 50% of the final mark.
The final mark for the September session is the weighted average of the two semesters. A failure in one of the two parts will automatically result in an overall failure.
As our aim is to train language specialists, we attach great importance to the correctness/precision of the language used in answering questions in each part of the course. A penalty may be applied for language errors inherent in the subject.
Weighted results of continuous assessment tests during the year (theory and exercises).
These tests are compulsory and will be announced at least two weeks in advance.
January session (40% of final grade):
Written exam on the material covered in the first semester (theory and exercises).
In case of failure, the student will have to repeat this part at the June session.
June session (40% of final grade):
Written examination on the material covered in the second semester (theory and exercises).
The final mark for the June session is the weighted average of the 3 parts. A failure in either the January or June written exam will automatically result in an overall failure and the student will have to retake the failed part.
As our aim is to train language specialists, we attach great importance to the correctness/precision of the answers given to the questions in each part of the course. A penalty may be applied for language errors inherent in the subject.
September session :
Written examination on:
- the subject covered in the first semester (if the exemption has not been obtained in January or June) for 50% of the final mark
- the subject covered in the second semester (if the exemption was not obtained in June) for 50% of the final mark.
The final mark for the September session is the weighted average of the two semesters. A failure in one of the two parts will automatically result in an overall failure.
As our aim is to train language specialists, we attach great importance to the correctness/precision of the language used in answering questions in each part of the course. A penalty may be applied for language errors inherent in the subject.
Bibliography
A STUDENT'S INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR (second edition)
R. Huddleston, G. Pullum and B. Reynolds
Cambridge University Press , 2022
https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/a-students-introduction-to-english-grammar/EB0ABC6005935012E5270C8470B2B740#overview
R. Huddleston, G. Pullum and B. Reynolds
Cambridge University Press , 2022
https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/a-students-introduction-to-english-grammar/EB0ABC6005935012E5270C8470B2B740#overview
Faculty or entity
Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)
Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Minor in English Studies (only available for reenrolment and ELAL Bachelor transitional programmes)
Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English
Bachelor in Ancient and Modern Languages and Literatures
Minor in Linguistics (only available for reenrolment)
Bachelor in French and Romance Languages and Literatures : General
Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures : General