Theoretical Grammar of English

Function Words - 1

Some words in English have no inflectional or derivational ending.
They are simply tools for putting other words together. They perform a function in the system – outside the system they have little or no meaning whatever. These words fall into categories determined only on the basis of their position in grammatical structures they enter into. They are referred to by the collective term function words. The categories of function words are often called closed classes because new ones are rarely, ever, added to them. The list of function words in English is firmly established.
The relationship of function words to form class is often linked to that of mortar and bricks.

Major Categories of Function Words – 1

1. 
   Determiners: Function words which signal nouns.
   

They never appear except when followed by a noun and invariably signal its coming: a, the, an, possessive pr-ns

2. 
   Auxiliary verbs: have and be. Modals are subcategories.
   
3. 
   Qualifiers: work with both adj. and adv.: more and most, very, quite, rather,
   

less (intensifiers)

Function Words – 2

4. 
   Prepositions
   

5. 
   
   equal value
   _{Conjunctions:} work as coordination of linguistic forms of syntactic units having
   
6. 
   Subordinators: Connect dependent clauses and include words like: because,
   

after, as well as relative pronouns

7. 
   Interrogatives: Operate in the formation of questions and include words like
   

when, where, why, how and so on: as well as – the interrogative pronouns which, what, who

Lecture 11

Syntax

Problems to be discussed:

• 
  subject - matter of syntax
  
• 
  syntax-minor and syntax-major
  
• 
  the types of syntactical relations
  

1. 
   coordination
   
2. 
   subordination
   
3. 
   predication: primary and secondary predication
   

• 
  the types of syntactical relations according to the form of the constituents
  

1. 
   agreement
   
2. 
   government
   
3. 
   collocation
   

• 
  word-combinations and their types