1

theoretical grammar serves to describe the grammatical structure of the English language as a system where all parts are interconnected. The difference between theoretical and practical grammar lies in the fact that practical grammar prescribes certain rules of usage and teaches to speak (or write) correctly whereas theoretical grammar presents facts of language, while analyzing them, and gives no prescriptions.

The subject of theoretical grammar is a systematic study of the grammatical structure of Modern English. The difference between practical and theoretical grammar is that grammar theory makes it possible to understand the laws according to which any language functions. Practical grammar gives the rules of using the laws of the language in speech.

There are two branches of grammar: morphology and syntax. Morphology treats of the forms of words; syntax treats of phrases and sentences. The problem of distinguishing between a word and a phrase: word is a nominative unit of language, it enters the lexicon of language as its elementary component (indivisible into smaller segments as regards its nominative function, the function to name things, properties, actions, etc). Phrases consist of separate words, though analytical forms of words (has been found), which historically were phrases, lost syntactical connections between their parts. There can also be a word between these parts (has often been found), which is one of the cases of overlapping syntax and morphology. Another case is analytical word – take off, put on . Thus, the polar approach to the definition of a word is “minimal unit of a language possessing the positional independence in the sentence. It is the smallest discrete unit, the smallest unit capable of syntactic functioning and the largest unit of morphology”.

Theoretical Grammar is a section of linguistics that studies grammar system of language.

Grammar system of language refers to the whole complex of conformities to natural laws where the latter defines ways of words’ alterations and also ways of word combinations in phrases and sentences.

As any complex object Grammar is a complex system that is presented by elements and structure in their mutually dependent organization.

Grammar elements refer to morphemes, words, word-combinations and sentences.

Grammar structure implies relations and connections among grammar elements or inner organization of the language grammar system.

The subject of English Theoretical Grammar refers to the study of the English Language grammar organization as a system parts of which are mutually connected with definite relations of different types of complexity (complication, complicacy).

The main task of Theoretical Grammar is an adequate systematic (methodic) description of language facts and also their theoretical interpretation.

The difference between Practical and Theoretical Grammar refers to the following peculiarities:

1. Practical Grammar prescribes definite rules for the use of a language (gives instructions for the use of language data, teaches how to speak and write);

2. Theoretical Grammar analyzes language data, interprets that, expounds the data but does not give instructions as for the use of them.

The term “grammar” goes back to a Greek word that may be translated as the “art of writing”. But later this word acquired a much wider sense and came to embrace the whole study of language. Now it is often used as the synonym of linguistics. A question comes immediately to mind: what does this study involve?

The grammatical system includes the rules and regularities of using lingual units in the construction of utterances in the process of human communication. The grammatical system is described by grammar as a branch of linguistics.

The study of grammar may be either practical (practical grammar), which describes grammar as a set of rules and regulations to follow, or theoretical (theoretical grammar), aiming at the explanation of how and why the grammatical system works.

.j Grammar is one of the main linguistic disciplines which studies the grammatical structure of language. The principles and methods of General grammar which are in full accord with the systemic metho­dology of modern science, provide foundations for the theory and practice of the grammars of concrete languages. That is why Modern English grammar is based in its theoretical assumptions on the fun­damental principles of the scientifically consistent theories of General grammar.

Grammar is a branching discipline. It means that this discipline is represented by a number of concrete grammatical studies which have particular grammatical facts in view, proceed from the assumptions of concrete linguistic theories and implement appropriate methods in their practical analysis of grammatical facts.