It covers such core topics in syntax as phrase structure, constituency, the lexicon, inaudible elements, movement rules, and transformational constraints, while emphasizing scientific reasoning skills. The individual units are organized thematically into sections that highlight important components of this enterprise, including choosing between theories, constructing explicit arguments for hypotheses, and the conflicting demands that push us toward expanding the technical toolkit on the one hand and constraining it on the other.

This book is constructed as a “laboratory science” course in which students actively experiment with linguistic data.

It is intended for students majoring in linguistics as well as nonlinguistics majors who are taking the course to fulfill academic requirements.

“Grammar as Science is an excellent textbook for an introductory syntax course, serving both intended linguistics majors and the general education population equally well. There isn’t anything quite like it in the market. If I ever use a textbook, I would use this one.”

— Jorge Hankamer, Department of Linguistics, University of California, Santa Cruz

“Larson’s book is an engaging and delightfully lucid introduction to the scientific nature of linguistic argumentation. While thoroughly covering the basics of syntax, it also shows students explicitly how to ‘think like a linguist.’ Students who use this book will come away with an extraordinarily strong grasp of the real underpinnings of linguistics.”