This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the major issues in syntactic theory, including phrase structure, the lexicon, case theory, movement, and locality conditions. Written primarily in the Principles and Parameters framework, the text also includes an introduction to Minimalism and gives a brief survey of both Lexical-Functional Grammar and Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar. It contains numerous exercises, including foreign language problem sets, designed both to cement foundational knowledge and to take the student to the next level. The balanced presentation guides the student through complicated analyses, pointing out common mistakes and how to avoid them. Syntax provides a thorough grounding in all areas of generative syntax and prepares the reader for more advanced study. It is supported by an instructor's manual and online resources for students and instructors: http://www.blackwellpublishers.co.uk/carnie

Contents:

Part I: Preliminaries: 1. Generative grammar: 2. Fundamentals: Rules, Trees, and Parts of Speech: 3. Structural Relations: 4. Binding Theory:

Part II: The Base: 5. X-bar Theory: 6. Extending the Proposal: TP, CP, and DP: 7. Constraining X-bar Theory: Theta Roles and the Lexicon:

Part III: Transformations: 8. Head to Head Movement: 9. NP/DP Movement: 10. Raising, Control, and Empty Categories: 11. Wh-movement: 12. Towards Minimalism:

Part IV: Alternatives: 13. Alternative Approaches: Lexical-Functional Grammar: 14. Alternative Approaches: Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar