Intended primarily for undergraduate students of English, this book will also be useful for undergraduates in linguistics focusing on English. It shows how a restricted set of principles can account for a wide range of the phenomena of English syntax. While the main focus of the book is empirical, it introduces important theoretical concepts: theta theory, X-bar theory, case theory, locality, binding theory, economy, full interpretation and functional projections. In so doing it prepares the student for more advanced theoretical work. A wide range of diverse exercises are included, giving the student an opportunity for creative individual work on English.