by Jasmin Cowin, Ed.D.
Conceptualization and Design Intent
The spark behind this design stems from my observation that conventional grammar instruction often creates artificial boundaries between grammatical elements rather than highlighting their interconnected functions. By reconceptualizing grammar as a system of terminal elements, auxiliary elements, modifiers, and connectors, I sought to create a visual metalinguistic tool that would facilitate deeper cognitive engagement with language structures across varying proficiency levels.
Theoretical Foundations: An Integrated Approach
The four-component model deliberately integrates complementary theoretical perspectives:
The Dependency Perspective: Drawing from Tesnière’s (1959) seminal work, this framework emphasizes relational characteristics over categorical classifications. Terminal elements establish semantic foundations upon which auxiliary elements construct grammatical meaning, modifiers refine conceptual boundaries, and connectors create hierarchical relationships—mirroring the valency patterns and dependency structures that Tesnière identified as fundamental to syntactic organization.
The Functional Perspective: Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar provides the theoretical underpinning for examining how each component serves specific communicative purposes. Terminal elements primarily fulfill ideational functions; auxiliary elements negotiate interpersonal dimensions through tense, mood, and aspect; modifiers enhance textual richness; and connectors organize logical coherence between propositions—all operating simultaneously across what Halliday termed the “metafunctions” of language.
The Structural Perspective: From Chomskyan X-bar theory, this model adapts the concept of hierarchical constituency. The classification systematically maps onto phrase structure configurations where terminal elements function as heads, auxiliary elements as functional projections, modifiers as adjuncts, and connectors as complementizers and relational markers—creating a bridge between transformational grammar and functional applications.
1. Enhanced Sentence Analysis Teachers can guide students in breaking down sentences by identifying:
- Terminal elements (primary content words)
- Auxiliary elements (grammatical markers for tense, aspect, etc.)
- Modifiers (descriptive elements that refine meaning)
- Connectors (elements that establish relationships)
2. Comparative Language Analysis The focus on function rather than form makes this approach useful for:
- Comparing how grammatical functions manifest across different languages
- Helping multilingual students connect new structures to familiar concepts
- Discussing similarities and differences between L1 and English grammar
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