Customer Reviews

Introducing Functional Grammar

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For any of you who have read Halliday and Matthiessen on Functional Grammar, you know that it is a good and necessary book. But you also know that it is very often frustrating to follow and comprehend. If that is your experience, then you need to purchase Thompson's text. Thompson's work is very closely based on Halliday and Matthiessen (3rd ed), but makes the theory so much easier to grasp!

First, Thompson's book is engaging. I read the first 3 chapters (introductory matters: purpose of linguistic analysis, recognizing clauses and learning terminology, and an overview of functional grammar along with terms) so quickly I was surprised. Thompson's use of illustrations and embedded exercises drew me into the text and the theory (and gave me that ever-so-important "I'm getting this" feeling).

Second, though Halliday and Matthiessen organize their book around the metafunctions of grammar, they often "jumped ahead" to introduce or cover material that should have been left until its time had come, which would have created less confusion. Thompson, though organizing his book around the metafunctions, does not jump around too much. He is very patient. I got the sense that he is a teacher and knows his "students" very well. There is a lot less confusion in Thompson's book as a result.

Third, Thompson has filtered the material and has given what is truly needed for introduction to the theory. There are only 250 pages (not including front or back matter) in this book. The author is concise and to the point, and he demonstrates the principles of the theory in ways that make it accessible.

Finally, the book uses an appropriate number of charts and tables for demonstrating the materials, a fact that visual learners like me will appreciate.

If you are learning Hallidayan Functional Grammar, you must get Halliday and Matthiessen--and you must to get Thompson to supplement.

If your set text is Halliday and Matthiessen's "An Introduction to Functional Grammar" you'd better buy the Thompson book. It's an easy-to-process supplement to IFG that clarifies many its more complex ideas. It's also compact so it's easy to lug around.

Exactly what I hoped for and needed. Writing style allows me to get it, layout allows me to find what I need. I will keep this.