Functional Grammar Overview

A way to view language as a tool for communication, focusing on how we use language in different contexts to achieve purposes.

How our language use depends on the situation, culture, relationships, and intended outcome.

Describing experiences, actions, and ideas (what's happening).

Language used for communication and establishing relationships, expressing opinions, influencing others.

Organizing information for clarity and meaning across an entire text.

A grammatical approach focusing heavily on grammar rules.

Functional Grammar looks at language as a way of communicating in a structured manner, dependent on context.

A piece of writing or conversation, including, but not limited to, an email, letter, story.

The topic or subject matter being discussed. It determines the vocabulary and style of the message.

The relationship between the speaker and listener. This influences the formality and tone of the message.

The way a message is delivered, whether spoken or written, formal or informal.

The combination of Field, Tenor, and Mode that shapes how we communicate in different situations.

A grammatical approach that focuses on how language is used in real-world contexts to achieve specific purposes.

An approach to grammar that emphasizes rules and structures of written language, often through drills and exercises.

Analyzing language within the broader context of the entire piece of communication (paragraph, article, conversation).

Verbs that describe what someone said or wrote, like 'said,' 'told,' 'explained,' 'wrote.'

The topic or subject matter being discussed in a text.

The medium or channel of communication.

Active voice emphasizes the doer of the action. Passive voice highlights the action or object.

Functional Grammar helps us adjust our language based on the situation, like using formal language for an email and informal language for a friend.

Functional Grammar allows us to analyze texts for meaning and tone, helping us understand communication.

Traditional focuses on rules and sentence structure, while FG emphasizes function and context.

Viewing a text as something to be analyzed for its meaning and purpose. Asking questions like 'Why does this text mean what it does?' or 'Why is it valued as it is?'

Treating a text as a product of human creation, reflecting cultural or historical context. It carries meaning beyond its words.

Analyzing a speech like 'I Have a Dream' focuses on its rhythm, repetition, and how it connects with emotions and beliefs. It's powerful beyond the words themselves.

Viewing text as a tool used to communicate and achieve a specific purpose. Asking questions like 'How is this text used?' or 'What does it achieve?'

Social media posts, like tweets or Instagram captions, can reveal current trends, slang, and events. They reflect the culture of our times.

Examining how words are arranged in a sentence to understand meaning and purpose. For example, analyzing the structure of 'The government announced new measures...' reveals a formal tone.

Functional Grammar helps us understand how verbs are used effectively. Analyzing 'announced' as past tense in a news article reveals a specific communicative purpose.

Using formal words like 'measures' in a news article conveys a sense of seriousness and authority. This is about choosing the right language for the context.

The level of formality or informality of language used in a text, depending on the context and purpose.

The level of formality in language changes depending on who we're speaking to, what we're talking about, and how we're communicating.

Focusing on the text's meaning and impact on the audience, considering its overall purpose.

Examining how language choices adapt to the specific context of the text (Field, Tenor, Mode).

A set of rules that dictate how language should be used, especially in formal contexts.

To ensure clarity, professionalism, and uniformity in communication.

Using two negative words in a sentence that cancel each other out, making the meaning unclear.

Using the correct pronoun (I, me, he, she, etc.) depending on its role in the sentence.

Separating the 'to' from the verb in an infinitive phrase.

Establishing consistent rules for language use, especially in formal settings.

The inflexible nature of prescriptive rules, sometimes failing to adapt to changing language trends or informal contexts.

Arguments that prescriptive grammar can be overly rigid, ignoring language evolution and informal contexts.