English Grammar: Language as Human Behavior

By Anita K. Barry

Book Overview

For undergraduate and graduate level courses in English grammar, syntax, and writing; also appropriate for a course in teaching English at the secondary level. Approaching grammar as a process and not a product, this text engages students in a conversation about English that will help them reflect on how their language works and understand the social judgments that accompany language use-making them feel they are active participants in shaping their language rather than passive victims of grammar rules that someone imposes on them. Employing the terminology of traditional grammar combined with the insights gained by modern linguistic analysis, it describes English as an instrument of communication, and lays the necessary groundwork for thinking about language so that students can extend what they learn to new situations and apply their knowledge of language in ways most useful to them. Three different types of exercises support the learning and review processes and motivate students to think, talk, and write about English with increasing confidence and sophistication as the term progresses.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0205238467
• ISBN13: 9780205238460
• Release Date: January 2012
• Publisher: Pearson
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Good book and service

The service was as promised, condition as promised and prompt mailing. Book is very detailed - more than necessary but excercises are good. Recommend this seller

English grammar: language as human behavior

This is a very good survey of English grammar. Its outstanding features are reader-friendliness and the interactive approach manifested in discussion exercises intertwined with the text and practice exercises after each chapter. The student is invited to be an active participant in the learning process. The book is transparently organized and very beautifully produced, with charts and other typographic devices enhancing the structure of the text.

The best out there so far

In 2005-2006 I taught a grammar class both semesters at a university. The class was made up of English majors (and people from other disciplines) who wanted to improve their writing and pre-service ESL teachers who needed to know about the structure of English. Due to the high cost of this book I undertook a search to find if there was any other book out there I'd rather that my students have. I didn't find one. This book is the best combination of the prescriptive and descriptive grammar I wanted that I was able to find. If you are a linguist and you are looking purely for descriptive grammar, you could definitely start with this book, but you might want to go on to The Grammar Book (by Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman) or the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English (by Biber, et al.) If I were teaching a descriptive-grammar class at the undergraduate level, I might consider the Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English.