Fundamentals of English Linguistics and Grammar
Core Concepts in English Linguistics
Phonetics, Phonology, and Morphology Defined
Phonetics: The Study of Speech Sounds
Phonetics is the study of speech sounds, focusing on:
- How they are produced (Articulatory Phonetics)
- Their physical properties (Acoustic Phonetics)
- How they are perceived (Auditory Phonetics)
Phonology: The Study of the Sound System
Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language: how the particular sounds used in each language form an integrated system for encoding information. Each system differs from one language to another.
Morphology: Analyzing Word Structure
Morphology is the study of word structure; how words are constructed of morphemes, which are the smallest indivisible linguistic units that have meaning or grammatical function.
Sentence Structure and Clause Analysis
Consider the following sentence:
“While I was waiting for the bus, a car bumped into a truck right in front of me because the road was wet and the car driver was going too fast, but luckily nobody got injured.”
True or False: Analyzing the Sentence
The above sentence is a multiple complex sentence. T
It is a multiple compound sentence. F
Explanation: It is a multiple complex sentence because it contains main and subordinate clauses. If it were a multiple compound sentence, it would contain two or more main clauses linked by coordinating conjunctions.
It contains 5 sentences because there are 5 subjects. F
Explanation: It consists of 1 sentence because there is only one full stop at the end. It consists of 5 clauses because there are 5 verb groups: was waiting, bumped, was, was going, and got.
It consists of 5 clauses because there are 5 verb groups. T
There are 2 main clauses and 3 subordinate clauses in it. T
- Main Clause 1: A car bumped into a truck right in front of me.
- Main Clause 2: Luckily nobody got injured.
- Subordinate Clause 1: While I was waiting for the bus.
- Subordinate Clause 2: Because the road was wet.
- Subordinate Clause 3: The car driver was going too fast. (Coordinated with Subordinate Clause 2)
The coordinating conjunctions in it are “because” and “but.” F
Correction: “Because” is a subordinate conjunction; “but” is a coordinate conjunction.
The coordinating conjunctions are “and” and “but.” T
The subordinate conjunctions are “while” and “because.” T
The subordinate conjunction is “while” and “and.” F
Correction: “While” is a subordinate conjunction; “and” is a coordinate conjunction.
Simple and multiple sentences are either compound or complex. F
Correction: Simple sentences are not compound or complex; multiple sentences are either compound or complex.
Grammar Rules and Word Classes
Main clauses can stand on their own as simple sentences. T
Coordinating conjunctions can link main clauses. T
Coordinating conjunctions can link subordinating clauses. T
A comma must separate a subordinate clause and a following main clause. T
All verbs belong to open word classes. F
Correction: Main (Lexical/Full) verbs belong to open word classes. Primary auxiliary and secondary (Modal) auxiliaries belong to closed word classes.
Determiners and adjectives belong to closed word classes. F
Correction: Determiners belong to closed word classes; adjectives belong to open word classes.
Nouns and Pronouns can be heads of a Noun Phrase. T
Adverb phrases can consist of more than one adverb. T
Example: They did it very slowly / more rapidly / quite amazingly fast.
Prepositional phrases can consist of only one preposition. F
Correction: Prepositions cannot stand on their own; a prepositional phrase must consist of a preposition followed by a Noun Phrase.
The minimum number of verb forms that a verb group can have is 1. T
The maximum number of verb forms that a verb group can have is 3. F
Correction: The maximum number of verb forms that a verb group can have is 5. Example: The criminal must have been being followed for a week now.
The word “fast” can be an adjective and an adverb. T
- Adjective: I am/was/have been/will be fast.
- Adverb: I walked/ran/worked fast.