❶ 高二英语重点语法有哪些
高二英语语法重点之一：定语从句
1. 定语从句的基本概念
定语从句在复合句中起定语作用，修饰主句中的名词或代词。被定语从句所修饰的词叫先行词。定语从句一般在先行词之后。引导定语从句的词叫关系词。关系词在先行词与定语从句之间起纽带作用。关系词代表着先行词并在定语从句中充当一个句子成分。如：
He is the man who lives next door. 他就是住在隔壁的那个人。
分析：the man就是先行词；修饰the man的who lives next door就是定语从句；who是关系词，它代表先行词the man，在定语从句中作主语。
2. 关系词代词和关系副词的用法
依照关系词在从句中的用法差异，可分为关系代词和关系副词。关系代词有who, whom, which, that, whose等，在定语从句中作主语、宾语、定语等，关系副词有when, where, why等，在定语从句中作状语。具体用法如下：
(1)关系代词的用法：先行词是人，在从句中作主语用who，作宾语用whom或who，作定语用whose；先行词是物，在定语从句中作主语或宾语都用which，作定语用of which或whose均可。在限制性定语从句中which, who, whom都可用that代替。关系代词作宾语时，关系代词常被省略。如：
A man who sells books in a shop is called a bookseller。开店售书的人叫做书商。
He is the man whom you have been looking for. 他就是你要找的那个人。
You are the only one whose advice he might listen to. 你是唯一可能使他听从劝告的人。
he was not on the train which arrived just now. 她不在刚才到达的那列火车上。
(2)关系副词的用法：关系副词有when, where, why等，在定语从句中作状语，分别表示时间、在点和原因。When通常放在time, day, season, age, occasion等时间的名词后；where通常放在place, city, town, village, house, case, point, situation等地点名词后；why通常只放在reason后。如：
Have you set the day when you will move? 你搬迁的日子定了吗?
The book is on the table where you left it. 书在桌子上，你放在那里的。
We don’t know the reason why he didn’t show up. 我们不知道他为什么没有来。
3. 限制性和非限制性定语从句的比较
限制性定语从句对先行词起修饰、限制或确定的作用，若去掉，先行词的意思就不明确，它是不可缺少的一部分，它与先行词的关系密不可分，不可用逗号将其分开。而非限制性定语从句只是对先行词起补充说明作用，它可有可无，与先行词关系松散，通常用逗号将其分开。因此，有无逗号是区分限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句的重要标志。在限制性定语从句中that可以代替who, whom和which等；但在非限制性定语从句中不能用that。如：
He said that he had never seen her before, which was not true. 他说他以前未见过她，这不是事实。
Then he met Mary, who invited him to a party. 后来他遇到玛丽，玛丽邀请他去参加晚会。
We’ll put off the picnic until next week, when the weather may be better. 我们将把野餐推迟到下星期，那时天气可能会好一点。
Barbary was working in Aubury, where she went daily in a bus. 巴巴拉在奥伯里工作，每天得坐公共汽车去上班。
注意：关系副词when, where可引导非限制性定语从句，但关系副词why只能引导限制性定语从句，不能引导非限制性定语从句。如：
4. 习惯上要用that引导的定语从句
指事物时，在下列情况下，人们通常用that，而不用which。
(1)当先行词为不定代词时：当先行词是指物的all, little, few, much, any, anything, everything, nothing, none, the one时，或先行词被all, little, few, much, any, every, no等修饰时，通常用that。如：
All [Everything] that can be done must be done. 凡能做的事都必须做。
There was little that the enemy could do but surrender. 敌人无法,只有投降了。
(2)当涉及序数词或最高级时：当先行词是序数词或最高级形容词时，或者先行词被序数词(包括last, next)、最高级形容词及the only, the very等修饰时，通常用that。如：
This is the best dictionary that I’ve ever used. 这是我用过的最好的词典。
The first thing that you should do is to work out a plan. 你应该做的第一件事是订个计划。
(3)当涉及the very, the only, the same时：当先行词有the very, the only, the same 等修饰时，通常用that。如：
This is the only example that I know. 我知道的例子只有这一个。
Those are the very words that he used. 那是他的原话。
(3)当先行词包括人和物时：此时通常用that。如：
They talked about the persons and things that most impressed them. 他们谈论了使他们印象最深的人和事。
5. 通常要用that引导的定语从句
在下列情况下，通常不用that引导定语从句：
(1)引导非限制性定语从句时：此时不能用that，而要根据情况选用who, whom或which等。如：
Yesterday I met Mary, who seemed very excited. 我昨天碰到了玛丽，她显得很兴奋。
(2)直接在介词后用作宾语时：此时不用that，而要用whom或which。如：
This is the person to whom your father spoke just now. 这是刚才你父亲和他说话的那个人。
(3)当定语从句被分隔时：当先行词与关系代词之间有较复杂的短语或从句隔开时，不宜用that，而用who, whom或which。如：
I was the only person in my office who was invited. 我是我们办公室里唯一受到邀请的人。
6. 关系代词who与whom的区别
两者均只用于人，从理论上说，who 为主格，whom为宾格，但实际上，除非在正式文体中，宾格关系代词 whom 往往省略不用，或用who或that代之。如：
The man (that, who, whom) you met just now is called Jim. 你刚遇见的那个人叫吉姆。
不过，值得注意的是，直接跟在介词后面作宾语时，只能用 whom，而且不能省略。如：
She brought with her three friends, none of whom I had ever met before. 她带了3个朋友来，我以前都没见过。
另外，引导非限制性定语从句且作宾语时，who 和 whom均可用，但以用 whom 为佳，此时也不能省略。如：
This is Jack, who [whom] you haven’t met before. 这是杰克，你以前没见过。
7. 关系代词as和which的区别
(1)互换的情况：两者有时可互换。如：
I live a long way from work, as [which] you know. 我住得离工作单位很远，这你是知道的。
(2)只有as的情况：以下两种情况，习惯只用as，不用which。
①在such, as, the same后引导定语从句时只能用ash。如：
I never heard such stories as he tells. 我从未听过他讲那样的故事。
It’s the same story as I heard yesterday. 这故事跟我昨天听到的一样。
This is the photo which shows my house. 这张照片拍的是我的住宅。
② 当从句位于主句前面时，只用 as。如：
As is known to everybody, the moon travels round the earth once every month. 月球每月绕地球转一周，这是每个人都清楚的。
(3)值得注意的情况：以下三种情况值得注意。
①as 引导的非限制性定语从句应与主句在意义上和谐一致，但which无此限制。比较：
He went abroad, as [which] was expected. 他出国了，这是大家预料到的。
He went abroad, which was unexpected. 他出国了，这让大家感到很意外。(不用as)
②as 引导非限制性定语从句时，先行词通常不能是主句中某个具体的词，而应是整个句子、整个短语或某个短语推断出来的概念，而which 则无此限制。如：
The river, which flows through London, is called the Thames. 这条流经伦敦的河叫泰晤士河。(不用as)
③当as 引导非限制性定语从句作主语时，其谓语通常应是连系动词，而不宜是其他动词，而 which则无此限制：
She has married again, as [which] seemed natural. 她又结婚了，这似乎很自常。
She has married again, which delighted us. 她又结婚了，这使我们很高兴。(不用as)
8. 先行词是时间或地点的定语从句
先行词是表示时间或地点的名词时，代表先行词的关系词若在定语从句中作状语，用关系副词when或where引导，when和which相当于“介词＋which”；若在定语从句中作主语或宾语，就用关系代词which或that来引导。
确定用关系代词还是用关系副词的简便方法是：看定语从句中是否缺少主语或宾语，若缺，用关系代词；若不缺，用关系副词。如：
That’s the reason why he dislikes me. 这就是他不喜欢我的原因。
Sunday is the day when very few people go to work. 星期日是没什么人上班的日子。
Do you know a shop where I can find sandals? 你知道哪家商店我能找到凉鞋吗？
9. 介词加关系代词引导的定语从句
“介词+关系代词”引导的定语从句，若关系代词紧靠在介词后，先行词是人时，用whom，先行词是物时，用which，不用who或that，关系代词whom和which不能省略。至于用什么介词，一般可由定语从句的谓语与先行词之间需要加是什么介词来搭配才讲得通来确定。如：
I called him by the wrong name, for which mistake I apologize. 我把他名字称呼错了，为此我表示歉意。
10. 关系代词作定语的定语从句
关系代词在从句中作定语表示所属关系，先行词是人，表示“先行词这个人的…”，用whose；先行词是事物，表示“先行词这个事物的…”，用whose…或the…of which或of which…都可以。如：
In 1980 he caught a serious illness from whose effects he still. suffers. 1980年他患了到现在对他仍有影响的重病。
The treasure some of which has been recovered, has been sent to the British Museum. 这些宝藏已送往大英博物馆，其中有一些是失而复得的。
另外，还要注意以下这类定语从句，which也是用作定语：
She may be late, in which case we ought to wait for her. 她可能迟到，因此我们应该等她。
He lost his temper, at which point I decided to go home. 他发脾气了，这时我就决定回家了。
He was appointed Lord Chancellor, in which post he spent the rest of his life. 他被任命为大法官，在这个职位上度过了他的后半生。
11. of whom / which引导的定语从句
在非限制性定语从句中，先行词作为一个整体，表示整体中的一部分，即表示“部分与整体”的关系时，用…of which / whom或者of which / whom…都可以。但与表示所属关系不同，这里不能用whose来代替of which。如：
The buses, most of which were already full, were surrounded by an angry crowd. 公共汽车大多数都已经挤满了人，它们被愤怒的人群包围着。
I picked up the apples, some of which were badly bruised. 我拣起那些苹果，其中有一些伤得很厉害。
I bought a dozen eggs, six of which broke when I dropped the box. 我买了一打鸡蛋，六个在我失手掉了盒子时摔碎了。
12. the way后面的定语从句
the way后面的定语从句，关系词若在从句中作状语，相当于“用这种方式 / 方法(=in this way)”时，通常不用关系词，偶尔用that，在较正式的文体里才用in which来引导。如：
Do it the way you were taught. 要照教你的那样做。
I was impressed by the way in which she did it. 她干成这件事的方式给我留下了深刻的印象。
注意：way后不能用how引导定语从句，但也可以不用way，而直接用how引导的名词性从句来表达这类意思。如：
That’s the way he did it.= That’s how he did it. 他就是这样做的。
另外，当先行词way表示方向时，不用任何关系词。如：
Was that the way she went? 她是往那个方向走的吗？
13. 分隔定语从句
定语从句一般紧靠在先行词之后，但有时它与先行词之间被一个定语、状语或谓语分隔开来，这种定语从句就叫分隔定语从句。如：
A new teacher will come tomorrow who will teach you English. 教你们英语的新老师明天来。（先行词与定语从句被will come tomorrow分开了）
❷ 人教版高二下学期英语语法
http://www..com/s?wd=%C8%CB%BD%CC%B0%E6%B8%DF%B6%FE%D3%A2%D3%EF%D3%EF%B7%A8&rsp=0&oq=%C8%CB%BD%CC%B0%E6%B8%DF%B6%FE%CF%C2%D1%A7%C6%DA%D3%A2%D3%EF%D3%EF%B7%A8&f=1
自己找找吧，不知道你要什么专类型属的
❸ 人教版高二下学期英语语法
5分.....还真少，不过发给你好了，请验收
❹ 高一、高二英语下学期学习那些语法
定语从句...
❺ 高二英语（详细解释一下，主要讲下语法）
1.C.having fnished
这里是想强调在他“已经”完成工作后......., 用完成时 had done
after是介词，后面是Ing 形式，内 after doing sth.
把这两种情况加在一起容，就成了after having done sth. after having finished
2. C.informed
keep sb. informed of/ about sth. 让某人了解，知道某事
keep sb. doing sth. 让某人一直做某事
keep sb. from doing sth. 让某人不做某事
❻ 高二下学期英语需要上哪些内容重点是什么请给点指导和建议！
听，复没事的时候多听听，看看制英文的电影
说，没条件和别人聊天的话，背单词的时候自己练习造句
读，阅读很重要，多看了就会有语感的
写，多练习写作文，多用些高分的语法，句式，单词
辅导班的话，外面很多啦，但还是一对一的比较有正对性
http://hi..com/0oo%B0%B2%C8%BB%C8%F4%CB%D8o0/blog/item/83b29d2e8f7c05ec98250a35.htm?218340823
❼ 高二下英语语法~~~~
给我你的邮箱，我发给你
❽ 高二英语知识点
高二知识讲解
Unit 1 Disneyland
1. in the hope of... (怀着......的希望)
in the hope of ... =in hopes of...
2. take along (随身带着)
3. lose heart (失去信心; 灰心)
lose heart → to lose one's courage or confidence.
4. day after day (日复一日地)
[名词 + after + 名词]的句型表示"连续; 许多":
5. in this way (用这种方式)
in... way 用某种方式; 用作状语。
6. bring ... on (使前进)
7. go through (仔细查看)
go through (=search, examine) 侧重查找(错误、要点等)
8. go (straight) ahead (一直)往前走
ahead 为副词; ahead of 后接用名词。
9. anything of interest (任何有趣的事)
10. be well-known as an artist (以身为艺术家著称)
as 表"充作、作为" → as a teacher/doctor/actor
11. be pleased with (对......感到满意) 介词with与表"满、充满"之意的词连用的用法:
Unit 2 No smoking, please
1. go ahead (用吧, 有较活的译法)
2. burn down (烧毁)
3. compare A to B (把A比喻作B)
4. give up (放弃)
5. be used to (doing) sth. 已习惯于(做)某事
6. get into the habit of... (养成做某事的习惯)
7. compare A with B (A和B加以比较)
8. next door (to us) 在(我们)的隔壁; 与(我们)相邻
9. fall asleep (睡着)
10. one third (三分之一)
11. die from smoking (死于吸烟)
die from/of辨异请见Unit 15 (Senior 1)。
12. fall by 25% 下降25%
介词by表示相差的程度:
13. [mind + 名词/doing something]的用法
14. [介词 + whom/which + 不定式]相当于一个形容词短语的用法
15. habit的用法
Unit 3 Body language
1. a dining room (餐厅)
2. one another (彼此)
3. make oneself understood (让别人明白自己)
4. take ... for example (以......为例)
5. an English-spoken country (讲英语的国家)
6. at all (确实; 究竟)
7. the same as (与......一样)
8. 不定式的一些常用句式:
Unit 4 Newspapers
1. fix a time for something (确定时间做某事)
2. get down to work (开始认真做某事)
3. a face-to-face interview (面对面的采访)
4. be popular with sb. (受到某人欢迎)
5. go with (开始; 向前走)
6. What's on? (上演什么?)
7. hold a meeting (开会)
8. do a telephone interview (进行电视采访)
9. look up (查找, 抬头看)
10. work on a newspaper (在报业工作)
11. stop working on... (停止编写......)
12. take photos (照相)
13. make changes (使发生变化)
14. by lorry (用卡车)
15. a latest newspaper 最新出版的报纸
16. report new plays (报导新剧)
17. learn about (学到, 得知)
18. a good way of doing something (一种做某事的好办法)
19. as well (也; 又)
20. care for (喜欢; 想要)
21. late in the day; later in the day (在那天稍晚些时候)
Unit 5 Charlie Chaplin
1. uncertain 的用法
2. set off/out (出发)
3. in the air (在空中)
4. in a short while (过了一小会儿)
5. be uncertain about/of (对...不确定)
6. in (one's) search of (寻求)
7. in a hurry (匆忙)
8. bring up (抚育; 呕吐)
9. play the piano (演奏钢琴)
10. at the very beginning (就在刚刚开始)
11. a period of several weeks (在好几周期间)
12. put on a play (上演戏剧等)
13. at the age of 15 (在15岁)
14. A is recognized as B. (A 被认作B。)
75. A is known as B. (A以B闻名。) → as作'当作, 担任, 以......解。
16. of this kind (此类) [of this kind =this kind of]
17. the contributions to ... (对...的贡献)
18. as if 的用法
Unit 6 Mainly revision
1. whatever等的用法:
2. look round (仔细查看、环顾四周)
3. sooner or later (迟早)
4. add to (增添)
5. a certain kind of stamp (某种邮票)
Unit 7 Canada
1. all the year round (一年到头)
2. be famous for (因...而著名)
3. a great deal of (大量)
4. natural gas (天然气)
5. make use of =to use (利用)
6. refer to (谈到、提及、有关)
7. a type of (一种类型的...)
8. clear up (整理、 收拾)
9. from time to time (有时、不时)
10. at the end (of...) (在...)尽头
11. drive away (把车)开走
12. generally speaking (一般地说)
13. struggle against (开展斗争反对...)
14. one third of (...的三分之一)
15. speak the same way (用相同的方式说话)
Unit 8 First aid
1. don't have to (do sth.) (不必干某事)
2. lay, lie的用法
3. fall off (跌倒; 减少)
4. knock off (one's feet) (把...击倒)
5. deal with (对付; 处理)
6. throw up (呕吐)
7. mouth-to-mouth (嘴对嘴)
8. out of one's reach (够不着)
9. ought to (应该)
10. pay attention to (注意)
11. take it easy (别紧张)
12. by mistake (弄误会)
13. hold up (举起)
Unit 9 Saving the earth
1. so that → 以便、 为了
2. turn A into B (把A变成B)
3. in place (在适当的位置)
4. be fit for (适合于)
5. blow away (刮走)
6. a power station (发电站)
7. lose one's sight (失去视力)
8. die out (消失)
9. go off (走开)
10. point to (指着)
11. to one's joy (使某人高兴的是)
12. a cloud of... (一层...)
13. the injured (受伤的人)
14. a well-kept secret (严守的秘密)
15. be/keep busy doing sth. (忙于做某事)
Unit 10 At the shop
1. 名词短语/祈使句 + and结构的用法
2. at a tailor's shop (在裁缝店)
3. or else (否则; 要不然)
4. change A for B (用A交换B)
5. be after A (追求A; 想得到A)
6. do someone a favour (to do sth.)(帮某人一个忙)
7. make ... to one's own measure (根据或适合某人的尺寸做...)
8. put down (抄下, 记下)
9. drop in (有不速之客来访)
10. show sb. out (送某人出去)
11. depend on/upon (依靠)
12. once upon a time (从前)
13. at the bottom (在底部)
14. come off (从...离开; 脱落)
15. try something on (试穿)
16. have...on sh.(身上带着...)
17. judge someone by his looks (以貌取人)
18. put sb. to the trouble of doing sth. (给某人增加做某事的麻烦)
19. just a moment (稍等一下)
20. just the thing (正是此物)
21. do some research about A (对A展开研究工作)
22. do up the buttons (扣上扣子)
23. laugh at (嘲笑, 不认真对待)
24. A is suitable for B. (A适合B。)
Unit 11 Hurricane!
1. There's no need to do ...(没必要做...)
2.不把before译成"在......以前"的用法
3. be anxious about (为A而忧虑)
4. push over (推倒)
5. blow down (刮倒)
6. as well as (也; 和; 此外)
7. cut off (切断)
8. cut down (削减、放倒)
9. call in (召来)
10. blow over (吹倒)
11. take the place of (取代、代替某人职务)
12. clear away (把...清理)
13. once again (再次)
14. long hours (长时间)
15. add A to B (把A加在B上)
16. see to (处理、照料)
17. bring down (取下)
18. something the matter (出错)
19. offer sth. to sb. (向某人提供某物)
20. later on (随后)
Unit 12 Mainly revision
1. the other day (几天前)
2. for one thing 首先(用于说明理由)
3. stare at (凝视)
4. hold one's breath (屏住呼吸)
5. carry off (夺走)
6. throw at (向...投去)
7. so as to (以便、 为了)
8. struggle to one's feet (挣扎着站起来)
9. fall over (跌倒、倒下)
10. speed up (加速)
11. put something in order (把某物摆放整齐)
（从别人的回答里找来的，楼主不介意吧）
❾ 高二下英语12单元语法
rules of a language governing the sounds, words, sentences, and other elements, as well as their combination and interpretation. The word grammar also denotes the study of these abstract features or a book presenting these rules. In a restricted sense, the term refers only to the study of sentence and word structure (syntax and morphology), excluding vocabulary and pronunciation.
A common contemporary definition of grammar is the underlying structure of a language that any native speaker of that language knows intuitively. The systematic description of the features of a language is also a grammar. These features are the phonology (sound), morphology (system of word formation), syntax (patterns of word arrangement), and semantics (meaning). Depending on the grammarian's approach, a grammar can be prescriptive (i.e., provide rules for correct usage), descriptive (i.e., describe how a language is actually used), or generative (i.e., provide instructions for the proction of an infinite number of sentences in a language). The traditional focus of inquiry has been on morphology and syntax, and for some contemporary linguists (and many traditional grammarians) this is the only proper domain of the subject.
In Europe the Greeks were the first to write grammars. To them, grammar was a tool that could be used in the study of Greek literature; hence their focus on the literary language. The Alexandrians of the 1st century BC further developed Greek grammar in order to preserve the purity of the language. Dionysus Thrax of Alexandria later wrote an influential treatise called The Art of Grammar, in which he analyzed literary texts in terms of letters, syllables, and eight parts of speech.
The Romans adopted the grammatical system of the Greeks and applied it to Latin. Except for Varro, of the 1st century BC, who believed that grammarians should discover structures, not dictate them, most Latin grammarians did not attempt to alter the Greek system and also sought to protect their language from decay. Whereas the model for the Greeks and Alexandrians was the language of Homer, the works of Cicero and Virgil set the Latin standard. The works of Donatus (4th century AD) and Priscian (6th century AD), the most important Latin grammarians, were widely used to teach Latin grammar ring the European Middle Ages. In medieval Europe, ecation was concted in Latin, and Latin grammar became the foundation of the liberal arts curriculum. Many grammars were composed for students ring this time. Aelfric, the abbot of Eynsham (11th century), who wrote the first Latin grammar in Anglo-Saxon, proposed that this work serve as an introction to English grammar as well. Thus began the tradition of analyzing English grammar according to a Latin model.
The modistae, grammarians of the mid-13th to mid-14th century who viewed language as a reflection of reality, looked to philosophy for explanations of grammatical rules. The modistae sought one “universal” grammar that would serve as a means of understanding the nature of being. In 17th-century France a group of grammarians from Port-Royal were also interested in the idea of universal grammar. They claimed that common elements of thought could be discerned in grammatical categories of all languages. Unlike their Greek and Latin counterparts, the Port-Royal grammarians did not study literary language but claimed instead that usage should be dictated by the actual speech of living languages. Noting their emphasis on linguistic universals, the contemporary linguist Noam Chomsky called the Port-Royal group the first transformational grammarians.
Structural description of the sentence “The man will hit the ball,” assigned by the …
By 1700 grammars of 61 vernacular languages had been printed. These were written primarily for purposes of reforming, purifying, or standardizing language and were put to pedagogical use. Rules of grammar usually accounted for formal, written, literary language only and did not apply to all the varieties of actual, spoken language. This prescriptive approach long dominated the schools, where the study of grammar came to be associated with “parsing” and sentence diagramming. Opposition to teaching solely in terms of prescriptive and proscriptive (i.e., what must not be done) rules grew ring the middle decades of the 20th century.
The simplification of grammar for classroom use contrasted sharply with the complex studies that scholars of linguistics were concting about languages. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the historical point of view flourished. Scholars who realized that every living language was in a constant state of flux studied all types of written records of modern European languages to determine the courses of their evolution. They did not limit their inquiry to literary languages but included dialects and contemporary spoken languages as well. Historical grammarians did not follow earlier prescriptive approaches but were interested, instead, in discovering where the language under study came from.
As a result of the work of historical grammarians, scholars came to see that the study of language can be either diachronic (its development through time) or synchronic (its state at a particular time). The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure and other descriptive linguists began studying the spoken language. They collected a large sample of sentences proced by native speakers of a language and classified their material starting with phonology and working their way to syntax.
Generative, or transformational, grammarians of the second half of the 20th century, such as Noam Chomsky, studied the knowledge that native speakers possess which enables them to proce and understand an infinite number of sentences. Whereas descriptivists like Saussure examined samples of indivial speech to arrive at a description of a language, transformationalists first studied the underlying structure of a language. They attempted to describe the “rules” that define a native speaker's “competence” (unconscious knowledge of the language) and account for all instances of the speaker's “performance” (strategies the indivial uses in actual sentence proction). See generative grammar; transformational grammar.
The study of grammatical theory has been of interest to philosophers, anthropologists, psychologists, and literary critics over the centuries. Today, grammar exists as a field within linguistics but still retains a relationship with these other disciplines. For many people, grammar still refers to the body of rules one must know in order to speak or write “correctly.” However, from the last quarter of the 20th century a more sophisticated awareness of grammatical issues has taken root, especially in schools. In some countries, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, new English curricula have been devised in which grammar is a focus of investigation, avoiding the prescriptivism of former times and using techniques that promote a lively and thoughtful spirit of inquiry.