本书在阐述英语词法和句法时，从传统语法和当代语法两个角度进行了对比。本书在论述传统语法的优点和存在的问题的同时，着重论述了英语理论语法及其在教学中的应用。

Introduction

 0.1 Development of Grammars

 0.2 Types of Grammar

 0.3 Grammar in Relation to Other Levels of Linguistic Structure

Chapter 1. Some Basic Concepts

 1.1 Linguistic Prescription

 1.2 Problems of Linguistic Prescription

 1.3 Prescription and Description in Conflict

 1.4 Synthesis

Chapter 2. Traditional Grammar

 2.1 Survey of Traditional Grammar

 2.2 Key Concepts of Traditional Grammar

Chapter 3. Transformational-Generative Grammar

 3.1 Generative Grammar

 3.2 Transformational grammar

Chapter 4. Systemic Functional Grammar

 4.1 Why is it Called Systemic Functional Linguistics?

 4.2 Register

 4.3 Individual Text and Language Systems

 4.4 Everyday and Academic Language

Chapter 5. The Clause in English

 5.1 Form and Function of the Clause in English

 5.2 Subject

 5.3 Verb

 5.4 Direct Object

 5.5 Indirect Object

 5.6 Object Complement

 5.7 The Subject Complement

 5.8 The Adverbial and Adverbial Complement

 5.9 Grammatical Ambiguity

Chapter 6. The Phrase in English

 6.1 The Noun Phrase

 6.2 The Verb Phrase

 6.3 The Adjective Phrase

 6.4 The Adverb Phrase

 6.5 The Prepositional Phrase

Chapter 7. The Structure of Words and Word Classes in English

 7.1 The Structure of Words

 7.2 Word Classes

Chapter 8. Coordination and Subordination

 8.1 On the Concept of Clause and Sentence

 8.2 Forms of the Subordinate Clause

 8.3 Functions of the Subordinate Clause

Chapter 9. The Grammatical Foundations of Style

 9.1 Metafunction

 9.2 Grammar around and beyond the Clause

 9.3 Grammatical Metaphor

Chapter 10. Functional Re-evaluation of Grammatical Forms in Context

 10.1 Potential Polysemy in Grammar

 10.2 Synonymy in Grammar

 10.3 Grammatical Doublets

Chapter 11. Pedagogic Granunar and Second Language Acquisition

 11.1 Language Teaching Methodology and Grammar Instruction

 11.2 Second Language Acquisition Theories and Teachability of Grammar

 11.3 Role of Explicit Grammar Instruction

 11.4 Target Structures of Explicit Grammarlnstruction

 11.5 Considerations in Grammar Books from the Learner" s Viewpoint

 11.6 Design of a Pedagogic Grammar

Bibliography