This is an introduction to the structure of sentences in human languages. It assumes no prior knowledge of linguistic theory and little of elementary grammar. It will suit students coming to syntactic theory for the first time either as graduates or undergraduates. It will also be useful for those in fields such as computational science,artificial intelligence, or cognitive psychology who need a sound knowledge of current syntactic theory.Exercises are provided at key points through the book. The book may be used as part of a course or for self-tuition. It offers a sound basis for advanced work in linguistics and related fields.KEY FEATURES*Concise and accessible introduction to core syntax requiring no prior knowledge of linguistic theory*Provides a fully up to date theoretical framework for the study of syntax within the Chomskyan Minimalist mode*Emphasis on structure of syntactic arguments and on the interaction between theory, analysis, and data clearly illustrates how syntactic arguments are developed