This grammar is laid out as a comprehensive yet user-friendly reference for beginning to intermediate English learners. The basic grammar text gives rules in a form of DECISION-TREES, tables and figures. Longer lists of exceptions are provided in the appendices. Most sections are divided into a STRUCTURAL DESCRIPTION and a CONTRASTIVE SECTION. Features that contrast with English are elaborated in detail. Along with the sections containing grammatical information in a narrower sense (PHONOLOGY with PROSODY, INFLECTIONAL and LEXICAL MORPHOLOGY, SYNTAX), the grammar contains practical META-GRAMMATICAL information such as that on the ORTHOGRAPHY and the use of PRAGMATIC OPERATORS, which the learner will need in everyday communication. Main differences between standard and substandard grammatical forms are also provided.
Three principal theoretical approaches deployed in the grammar include MINIMAL INFORMATION GRAMMAR, the application of DECISION THEORY in modeling language structures, and COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS. They were used in the first stage of preparing the text, followed by the application of a user friendly interface.
An overarching goal of this grammar is to equip its users with the heuristics which will enable a swift learning process and easy solutions to any problem in the use of the language.
