LG212-5-AU-CO:
Syntax: The Structure of Sentences
2025/26
Language and Linguistics
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
15
29 September 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA QQ13 English Language and Linguistics,
BA QQ15 English Language and Linguistics (Including Placement Year),
BA QQ16 English Language and Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA QQ3D English Language and Linguistics (Including Year Abroad),
MLINQA15 English Language and Lingistics (Including Placement Year),
MLINQA16 English Language and Linguistics (Including Year Abroad),
MLINQQ14 English Language and Linguistics,
BA QQ23 English Language and Literature,
BA QQ24 English Language and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA QQ32 English Language and Literature (Including Year Abroad),
BA QQ35 English Language and Literature (Including Placement Year),
BA Q100 Linguistics,
BA Q101 Linguistics (Including Year Abroad),
BA Q102 Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA Q103 Linguistics (Including Placement Year),
BA RQ91 Modern Languages and Linguistics,
BA RQ98 Modern Languages and Linguistics (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA R114 Language Studies and Linguistics,
BA R115 Language Studies and Linguistics (Including Foundation Year)
This course is an introduction to theoretical syntax, aiming to understand the ways that
we can understand syntactic variation in the languages of the world. For example, we will explore questions like what determines why objects come before a verb in Japanese, but after the verb in English? Why do languages like Spanish and French put their question words at the beginning of a sentence, while others like Swahili leave them at the end? What makes sentences like "herself likes pizza" sound strange in English? This module uncovers the rules that underlie grammar and discusses different theoretical approaches to different phenomena.
To provide an overview to syntactic phenomena and introduce students to engaging with syntactic analysis by comparing different approaches to the analysis of syntactic data.
On successful completion of this module, students should
a. Be familiar with the syntactic structures that exist in the world’s languages
b. Engage with the similarities and differences between theoretical frameworks to syntax
c. Construct a syntactic analysis for linguistic data
No additional information available.
10 x 2hour teaching sessions
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Data Analysis |
14/11/2025 |
40% |
| Coursework |
Assignment 2 |
12/12/2025 |
60% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Joseph Lovestrand, email: joseph.lovestrand@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Joey Lovestrand
jl24193@essex.ac.uk, Room: 4.125
Yes
No
No
Dr Roxanne Taylor
University of Huddersfield
Lecturer in English
Available via Moodle
Of 9 hours, 7 (77.8%) hours available to students:
2 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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