This book introduces major areas of debate within the field of syntax: constructions, grammar and semantics, configurationality, usage-based grammar, complexity, language acquisition. It highlights the application of the same concepts across different models of grammar. Real examples from spoken and written language and standard and non-standard language demonstrate how difficult it is to apply the concept of grammaticality and to provide reliable analyses, especially for spoken language.

Comprehensive, accessible and challenging, this book is essential reading for students taking introductory courses in syntax and syntactic theory, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.