Some Basic Concepts

Group 7
Phân công:
1.1+1.2: Huỳnh Tường Ly
1.3: Đỗ Quang Duy Khôi
1.4: Lê Thị Ngọc Như
1.5: Trần Nhựt Minh
1.6: Phạm Thái Quỳnh
1.1+1.2: formal, functional grammar and language teaching

Formal grammar Functional grammar

 Language : set of rules which specify
all the possible grammatical structures.

Grammatical =/= ungrammatical
sentence
 Language : system of
communication. The study of how
language is organized to make and
exchange meanings  appropriate vs
inappropriate forms for a communicative
purpose in a particular context.

 Main concern : the forms of the  Main concern : the functions of

grammatical structure and their structures and their constituents and with
relationship to one another rather than their meanings in contexts.
with their meanings or uses in different
contexts.
 Material used : authentic texts
 Material used : sentences made up to
illustrate different grammatical rules
1.3: Levels of analysis
There are four levels of analysis:
- Phonology: refers to the sound system of a particular language, roughly corresponding
to the more familiar term pronunciation.
- Lexis: refers to the words of a language, roughly corresponding to the more familiar
term vocabulary
- Grammar: includes teo aspects:
+ The arrangement of words (syntax)
+ The internal structure of words (morphology)
- Semantics: refers to the systems of meaning in a language, for example, how sentences
relate to the real world of people, actions, places, and so on
1.4: The organization of grammar
1.4.1 Rank
Rank indicates different levels of organization within grammar. Sentence and
Word are two ranks of grammatical organization. Sentence is the highest rank of
grammatical organization.

Besides word, group, and sentence, another rank within grammar is clause.
In sum, there are four ranks within grammar: word, group, clause, and sentence.

1.4.2 Class
There are four word classes ( traditionally known as parts of speech): Noun ( N) ,
Verb ( V) , adjective( adj), adverb (adv)

N V N
Ex: Students play tennis

1.4.3 Phrase
The term group is replaced by phrase. As a result, there are also noun phrase, verb
phrase, adjective phrase, and adverb phrase.
In this book the only phrase used is the prepositional phrase. It begins with a
preposition and after it exists an object.

VG NG/Object
Ex: The train approached the flatform

1.4.4 Embedding:

Embedding is a case where one unit is used as a constituent of another unit at the
same or a lower rank
1.5 Meaning in grammar
1/ Experiential meaning has to do with the ways language represents our experience of
the world as well as the inner world of our thoughts or feelings (actions, happenings,
feelings, beliefs, situations, states, etc., the people or things involved in them,
circumstances of time, place, manner, etc.) E.g. 1: Mary accepted the invitation.
2/ Interpersonal meaning has to do with the ways in which we act upon one another
through language (giving and requesting info., getting people to do things, offering to do
things, etc.) and the ways we express our judgments and attitudes.
E.g. 2: - Mary might have accepted the invitation.
[the likelihood of the event actually having taken place –speculation]
3/ Textual meaning has to do with the ways in which a stretch of language is organized
in relation to its context. (it is important in the creation of coherence in spoken and
written text)
E.g. 3: - She accepted the invitation.
- It was my invitation that Mary accepted.
1.6: Grammatical Function.
There are 6 grammatical functions: Subject, Finite, Object, Complement, Adjunct,
Predicator
1. Subject
 Pronouns
 Noun groups
Ex: He is handsome
The beautiful girl is standing there
2. Finites
 The first constituent of the verb group
Ex: Kathy has been learning Spanish for two years
 “Has” is a finite
John won the Viettlot
 “Won” is a finite
3. Object ( similar to Subject)
 Pronouns
  Noun groups
Ex: Lan gives Minh a book
“Minh”, “a book” are objects
Note: clauses with have linking verbs like be, look, have do not have Objects. They are
called complements
4. Complement
Ex: You look very pretty
 “Very pretty” is a complement
5. Adjuncts
 Prepositional phrases
 Adverb groups
Ex: I study math on Monday
 “on Monday” is the adjunct
6. Predicator
 The predicator is everything in a verb group except the finite
Ex: They have been learning English for two years
 “been learning” is a predicator
Note: In present or past simple, the verbs are both finites and predicators
Ex: He likes music
He bought books
 “likes”, “bought” are finites and predicators