When it comes to form vs. function, I teach the linguistic  
definitions for the various parts of speech (that is, dependent on  
whether or not a word takes certain suffixes or can appear in certain  
phrase slots). I teach phrases and sentences as consisting of  
function slots into which various categories of word, phrase, and  
clause can be "plugged." I draw boxes with various slot roles, such  
as "head" and "modifier" for phrases, and "subject", "predicate",  
"direct object," etc. for predicate- and sentence-level slots. Thus,  
a word, phrase, or clause can be plugged into the "subject" slot;  
many items, from nouns to prepositional phrases to clauses, can be  
plugged into the "adverbial" slot.  A book manuscript I have with  
such boxes is praised by students for being, in general, accessible  
and clear in its explanations.

I teach at the college level (but mostly to students who have had  
little to no grammar instruction), and this seems to work for most  
students. I would guess that it might work for well-prepared students  
from middle school on, but it is hard for me to judge. My friend in  
seventh grade is doing math I did in 11th grade ... she goes to an  
affluent school, though.

An obstacle for many students is the conflation of form and function  
that takes place in earlier grades. Even those who have had minimal  
grammar usually remember the rote definitions for noun, verb, and  
adjective, and many think that anything that modifies a noun is an  
adjective. This makes it harder for them to adjust to a new (but more  
accurate) system of definitions later.

Dr. Johanna Rubba, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Linguistics
Linguistics Minor Advisor
English Dept.
Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Ofc. tel. : 805-756-2184
Dept. tel.: 805-756-2596
Dept. fax: 805-756-6374
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba

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