Pronouns, anaphors, and R-expressions. Radford’s three principles (A, B, and C) are laid out in a table so clean you could frame it. The exercises here are legendary: sentences like “John likes himself” vs. “John likes him” become strategic puzzles.
This is the heart of the book. Why is “What did you see?” not derived from the same rules as “You saw what?” Radford introduces Move α (Move Alpha) —the single transformational rule that moves constituents around the tree. Pronouns, anaphors, and R-expressions
Andrew Radford’s Transformational Grammar: A First Course (1988) is widely regarded as one of the most pedagogically effective introductions to transformational syntax ever published. While some technical aspects are dated compared to contemporary Minimalist frameworks, it remains a "gold standard" for its clarity and step-by-step approach. Amazon.com Core Content & Structure “John likes him” become strategic puzzles
Why do we even study grammar? Radford dives into the "why" behind the rules. and R-expressions. Radford’s three principles (A