English Text Analysis

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/L_ETMAEDU003

Course Objective

After successfully completing this course students will have extensive knowledge of some of the major grammatical areas of written contemporary English and be able to apply that knowledge in the analysis of the main characteristics of specific text types and the translation and production thereof.

Course Content

The course has two components. The first component involves discussion and translation of a series of texts belonging to different genres. The focus here is in the first instance on determining how specific linguistic/grammatical choices have an effect on the coherence and readability of the text. However, equally important is to consider how specific linguistic/grammatical features of a text can be explained in terms of broader features of the genre in question. The second component involves a grammatical analysis of grammatical features in the texts. We will consider these features from the perspective of a functional-oriented approach to grammar.

Teaching Methods

One seminar/tutorial per week (1,5 hours)

Method of Assessment

A presentation (30%) and a written exam (70%). The exam will consist of two parts: 1) a timed translation of a number of texts and 2) a grammatical analysis of aspects of the texts.

Literature

Assigned chapters from:Downing, A. (2015). English grammar: A university course. 3rd edition. Abingdon: Routledge. This book is available as an e-book in UBVU (the VU library).Dorst, A., Weltens B., & Hannay, M. (2014). Van tekst naar text. Bussum: Coutinho.Other reading and the translation texts will be announced at the beginning of the course and made available in Canvas.

Target Audience

First year students of the MA programme Educatie in Taal
- en Cultuurwetenschappen, English Language and Culture.

Additional Information

Course attendance and submission of all of the course work by the set deadlines is conditional for being awarded a grade for the course. 1 absence from the seminars/tutorials is allowed.