The Form-Function Method for Teaching Grammar

Learning English Grammar by Studying Grammatical Form and Function

Apr 16, 2009

The following article describes the Form-Function Method for teaching grammar with English grammar as an example.

Grammar is an area of the language arts that teachers find difficult to teach and students find difficult to learn. The Form-Function Method for teaching grammar, however, simplifies the subject by breaking down grammar into the two most basic linguistic elements: grammatical form and grammatical function. The grammar teacher can use the Form-Function method to easily and successfully teach the grammar of any language to students.

Tenets of the Form-Function Method

The Form-Function Method for teaching grammar is based on four principal tenets:

The grammar teacher should begin teaching grammar using the Form-Function Method by explaining to the students the four tenets of the method. Teachers will elaborate on each tenet during subsequent grammar lessons.

Grammatical Form

All languages contain a finite number of language-specific grammatical forms. Grammatical form can be described as "what a word, phrase, or clause looks like." Traditional grammars refer to grammatical forms as "parts of speech." For example, the grammatical form of the word dog is noun, of the word bite is verb, and of the word tiny is adjective.

Grammatical form also includes the internal structure of words, phrases, and clauses. Internal structure can be described as the possible inflections of words and the possible syntax of phrases and clauses. For example, prototypical nouns can be marked as singular (dog) or plural (dogs) and marked for the possessive (dog's and dogs'). Prototypical adjective phrases consist of an adjective (small), an adjective and an adverb phrase (very small), or an adjective and a prepositional phrase (small at the waist).

After describing the theory behind the Form-Function Method for teaching grammar, the grammar teacher should secondly define and explain grammatical form. Teachers should take caution not to introduce grammatical function while discussing grammatical form.

Grammatical Forms in English

After introducing the concept of grammatical form, the grammar teacher should explain the eight grammatical forms in English. Each grammatical form can be the topic of an individual lesson. For example, the form of the adjective in English includes taking comparative (bigger and more beautiful) and superlative (biggest and most beautiful).

Grammatical Function

All languages contain a finite number of language-specific grammatical functions. Grammatical function can be described as "what a word, phrase, or clause does." For example, the noun phrase the kitten in the clause the kitten is drinking the milk functions as the subject and the noun phrase the milk functions as the direct object.

After discussing the eight grammatical forms in the English language, the grammar teacher can then introduce the concept of grammatical function. Teachers should again take caution not to discuss grammatical form while introducing grammatical function. Teachers must maintain the separation between the two linguistic concepts so as not to confuse students.

Grammatical Functions in English

Note that different grammars give the same grammatical functions different names. For example, the subject complement in English is often divided into two categories (predicate nominative and predicate adjective) depending on the form of the word or phrase performing the function.

After introducing the concept of grammatical function, the grammar teacher should explain the grammatical functions specific to English. Each grammatical function can be the topic of an individual lesson, or similar functions can be included in the same lesson. For example, the function of grammatical subject in English can be performed by noun phrases, prepositional phrases, verb phrases, and noun clauses.

Using Form-Function Diagrams to Visualize Grammar

Also called grammar trees, form-function diagrams are useful tools for helping students visualize grammar. The form-function grammar diagram is particularly useful in helping students separate grammatical form from grammatical function. To create a form-function tree, write a sentence on a piece of paper. Then, label all of the grammatical forms above the sentence using vertical lines as connectors. Finally, label all of the grammatical functions below the sentence using horizontal lines as connectors. Form-function grammar trees can also be used to diagram words and phrases.

The Form-Function Method is a pedagogical strategy that simplifies the teaching of grammar for teachers and the learning of grammar for students.

Huddleston, Rodney. Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1984.

O'Dwyer, Bernard. Modern English Structures: Form, Function, and Position. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2000.

The copyright of the article The Form-Function Method for Teaching Grammar in Language Study is owned by Heather Marie Kosur. Permission to republish The Form-Function Method for Teaching Grammar in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.