COURSE SPECIFICATION

SYNTAX

1. Course name and course code: 2111464- Syntax

2. Number of credits:
Total: 2 Theory: 2 Practice: 0 Self-study: 4

3. Instructors:
Lê Thị Thiên Phước, M.A.
Trần Thị Xuân Thủy, M.A.
Hoàng Thị Phong Linh, M.A.

4. Materials :

Coursebook
[1] Tô Minh Thanh (2013) English Syntax, Publisher of National University of HCM City

Reference
[1]Jong-Bok Kim and Peter Sells (2008) English Syntax: An Introduction, Standford
University

5. Course information:

a. Course objectives
The course is designed to:
- provide students with the knowledge of word classes, phrases, clauses, and sentences
- help students to distinguish types of word classes, phrases, clauses, and sentences in
English, analyze phrases and sentences by drawing tree-diagrams
- increase students’ awareness of writing syntactically and semantically correct sentences

b. Course descriptions
This course helps students to get the knowledge of English Syntax at a basic-to-extensive
level. It covers 2 sections: (1) word classes, and (2) phrases, clauses, and sentences so that
students can identify word classes, phrases, clauses, and sentences, analyze phrases and
sentences, and improve students’ writing skills.

c. Prerequisites: 2111463- Grammar

d. Other requirements
- Good knowledge of grammar
- Good preparation for each class meeting
- Students have to comply with the university’s credit regulation on studying and
examination
6. Course learning outcomes:
a. CLOs
Upon completing the course, learners will be able to:

No. CLOs ELOs/PIs

1 Identifying English word classes by forms and by 2A
positions

2 Distinguish types of phrases, clauses, and 2A

sentences

3 Analyze types of phrases and sentences by drawing 2B, 2C

tree-diagrams

4 Write syntactically and semantically correct 5B

sentences

b. Integrated Matrix between CLOs and ELOs

14 ELO1 ELO2 ELO3 ELO4 ELO5 ELO6 ELO7

1 R(2A)
2 R(2A)
3 R(2B,2C)
4 R(5B)

7. Course Details

Number of periods Teaching

No. Contents CLOs
(Theory/Practice) techniques
1 SECTION 1: WORD 9 1 Lecture
CLASS Discussion
1.1 Parts of speech, word classes Group work
and
grammatical categories
1.2 Classification of word
classes
1.2.1 Major classes vs. minor
classes
1.2.2 English major classes
1.2.2.1 English form classes
1.2.2.2 English positional
classes
1.2.3 English minor classes
1.2.4 Word-class exercises
1.2.4.1 Exercises for form
classes
1.2.4.2 Exercises for
positional classes
2 SECTION 2: TYPES OF 21 2,3,4 Lecture
 PHRASES, Discussion
CLAUSES Group work
AND SENTENCES Presentation
2.3 Phrases vs. clauses Homework
2.4 Adjective phrases vs. adverb
phrases
2.5 Attributive vs. predicative
adjectives/adjective
phrases
2.6 Noun phrases vs. verb
phrases
2.7 The N-bar (N’) as a level of
NP-structure that is
intermediate between the
phrasal (NP) level and the
lexical (N) level
2.8 Types of pre-nominal
modifiers
2.8.1 Determiners
2.8.2 Quantifying adjectives
2.8.3 Adjective phrases
2.8.4 Pre-modifying nouns
2.8.5 Possessive common
nouns
2.8.6 Verb participles
2.8.7 Gerunds
2.8.8 Restricters
2.9 Types of post-nominal
modifiers
2.9.1 Prepositional phrases
2.9.2 Adjective phrases
2.9.3 Participial phrases
2.9.4 Infinitive phrases
2.9.5 Subordinate adjective
clauses
2.10 Noun complements vs.
optional post-nominal modifiers
2.11 Classification of English
verbs/verb phrases
2.11.1 Intensive verbs/verb
phrases
2.11.2 Complex transitive
verbs/verb phrases
2.11.3 Ditransitive verbs/verb
phrases
2.11.4 Monotransitive
verbs/verb phrases
2.11.5 Prepositional
verbs/verb
phrases
2.11.6 Intransitive verbs/verb
phrases
 2.11.7 Summary of the
classification of English
verbs/verb phrases
2.11.8 Troublesome verbs
2.13. Types of clauses
2.11.1 Finite clauses vs.
non-finite clauses
2.11.2 Independent clauses
vs.
dependent clauses
2.11.3 Subordinate clauses
vs.
embedded clauses
2.14. Covert subjects vs. overt
subjects
2.17 Classification of sentences
according to their structures
2.17.1 Simple sentences
2.17.2 Compound sentences
2.17.3 Complex sentences
2.17.3.1 Embedded
nominal clauses
2.17.3.1.1 As the
subject
2.17.3.1.2 As the
direct object/the
predicator
complement
2.17.3.1.3 As the
indirect object
2.17.3.1.4 As the
subject(ive)
complement
2.17.3.1.5 As the
object(ive)
complement
2.17.3.1.6 As the
complement of a
preposition
2.17.3.2 Subordinate
/embedded
adjectival clauses
2.17.3.3 Subordinate
/embedded
adverbial clauses
2.17.4 Compound-Complex
sentences

8. Assessment Methods (AMs)

a. Integrated Matrix among CLOs, ELOs and AMs
 AMs and Percentage Expected
Learning
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Percentage
AMs Outcomes
(%) (ELOs)
1.Identifying English word classes by forms and Midterm test 100 2
by positions

2.Distinguish types of phrases, clauses, and Final test 100 2

sentences

3.Analyze types of phrases and sentences by Mini-test 1 50 2

drawing tree-diagrams Mini-test 2 50

4. Write syntactically and semantically correct Final test 100 5

sentences

b. Course assessment

Assessment Methods Percentage (%)

Mini-test 1: 10
Written test (in groups)

Mini-test 2: 10
Written test (individually)
Theory
Midterm test: 30
Multiple choice + Written test

Final test: 50
Multiple choice + Written test

Prepared by Hoàng Thị Phong Linh, M.A.

Lê Thị Thiên Phước, M.A.
Head of the Division: