Thornbury Forms: Text sentences words rounds The study of grammar consists, in part, of looking at the way these

ese forms are arranged and patterned. Grammar is partly the study of what forms (or structures) are possible in a language. Grammar is a description of the rules that govern how a languages sentences are formed. The system of rules that cover the order of words in a sentence is called syntax. The system of rules that cover the formation of words is called morph ology. Grammar is conventionally seen as the study of the syntax and morphology of sentences. Put another way, it is the study of linguistic chains and slots. Grammar and meaning Grammar is a process for making a speakers or writers meaning clear when contextual information is lacking. Grammar is a tool for making meaning. Two kinds of meaning The first is to represent the world as we experience it, and the second is to influence how things happen in the world (representation al ), specifically in our relations with other (interpersonal ) people. In its representational role language reflects the way we perceive the world. The second main role of language its interpersonal role is typically reflected in the way we use grammar to ease the task of getting things done. Modality is a grammatical means by which interpersonal meaning can be conveyed. Grammar and function When we process language we are not only trying to make sense of the words and the grammar; we are also trying to infer the speakers (or writers) intention, or, to put it in another way, the function of what they are saying or writing. One function can be expressed by several different forms; one form can express a variety of functions. Spoken grammar and written grammar Grammar syllabuses It is a pre-planned, itemized, account of the route. It is informed by two sets of decisions: selection: what is to be included? Grading in what order are the selected items to be dealt with? The criteria for selecting which is going to be taught are: usefulness and frequency. Criteria for grading the syllabus: Complexity Learnability Teachability An item is complex if it has a number of elements: the more elements, the more complex it is.

The learnability if an item was traditionally measured by its complexity: the more simple, the more learnable. It seems that all learners acquire grammatical items in a fairly predictable order, and this happens irrespective of either their mother tongue or the order in which they are actually taught these structures. Teach ability: despite some things being among the most frequently used words in the language, their formal presentation is usually delayed until a relatively advanced level. Not all syllabuses are designed on a grammatical basis (in the mid 1970s it was organized according categories of meaning). Functional syllabuses were organized around the communicative purposes for which language is used. Other organizations of syllabuses: tasks topics genres Grammar rules Prescriptive rules Descriptive rules Pedagogic rules: rules that make sense to learners while at the same time providing them with the means and confidence to generate language with a reasonable chance of success. Rules of form Rules of use