Contents Preface to the Second Edition xi Acknowledgements xii 1. Rules and variation 1 1.1 What is grammar? 1 1.2 Grammar and other aspects of language 1 1.3 Grammars of English 2 1.4 National varieties 2 1.5 Standard and non-standard English 3 1.6 Variation according to use 4 1.7 Descriptive rules and prescriptive rules 5 1.8 Why study grammar? 5 Exercises 6 Part I: The Grammar 2. The sentence 13 2.1 What is a sentence? 13 2.2 Irregular sentences and non-sentences 14 2.3 Simple and multiple sentences 15 2.4 Sentence types 16 2.5 Positive and negative sentences 17 2.6 Active and passive sentences 17 Exercises 18 3. The parts of the simple sentence 20 3.1 Structure, form, function 20 3.2 Subject, predicate, verb 21 3.3 Operator 22 3.4 Do, Be, Have 23 3.5 Subject and verb 23 3.6 Subject 25 3.7 Transitive verbs and direct object 26 3.8 Linking verbs and subject complement 27 3.9 Intransitive verbs and adverbials 28...