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HET 213 STRUCTURE AND GRAMMAR IN ENGLISH

Objectives
This course focuses on the study of English grammar and its usage in language and deals with
a functional method of describing the grammatical structure of English words and sentences.
The main purpose of the course is to make students aware of different levels of analysis at the
sentence, clause, phrase and word levels. It is also meant to familiarise students with
traditional terminology for sentence constituents such as subject, predicate and direct object;
word classes such as noun and verb; and phrase constituents such as head, premodifier and
postmodifier.

Course Outline
Week Topic
1 Course introduction
2 Introduction to words
3 Diagramming word structure
4 Types of word formation
Assignment
5 Word classes: criteria for identifying word classes
6 Word classes: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs
7 Mid semester break
8 Word classes: Prepositions, Pronouns, Determiners, Conjunctions
9 Phrases
10 Phrases
11 Clauses
12 Clauses
13 Communicative functions and typical sentence patterns
14 Sentence types: simple, compound and complex sentences
15 Review

Evaluation
The course evaluation comprises two parts: coursework and final examination. The
coursework is 40% of the total course marks and comprises two components, test (20%) and
assignment (20%).
The assignment is a written essay of not less than 1500 words which involves to some extent
an analytical study of an aspect of English structure. The essay should be type-written using
clear, error-free English and has proper referencing. Students are cautioned against
plagiarism. An essay that contains plagiarised material will be failed.
References
Biber, D., Conrad, S and Leech, G (2002) Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written
English. Longman:England. *
Biber, D., Conrad, S and Leech, G (2002) Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written
English Workbook. Longman:England
Kuiper ,K. and Scot Allan, W. (1996) An Introduction to English Language. Macmillan:
England*
Morenberg, M. (1997) Doing Grammar. Oxford University Press:Oxford.
O’Grady, W. Dobrovolsky, M. and Katamba, F. (1998) Contemporary Linguistics. Longman:
London.
Quirk, R. (1985) A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman:
London.
Tallerman, M. (1998) Understanding Syntax. Arnold: London.
Verspoor, M. and Sauter, K. (2000) English Sentence Analysis. Benjamins: Amsterdam *

TUTORIAL 1
Define...
(a) Stem
(b) Base
(c) Affixes
(d) derivational affixes
(e) inflectional affixes

2. Each of the words below contains two or more morphemes: a stem and at least one
prefix or suffix.
A) Write each word, putting a hyphen between its morphemes (eg. Dis- agree –d) and
underlining the stem (e.g. dis-agree-d).
B) Circle derivational affixes and mark inflectional affixes with a wavy line underneath
(where applicable).
1. Reconsideration
2. Unemployment
3. Healthier
4. Disrespectful
5. Overcarefulness
6. Centralized
7. Livewire
8. Industry