Difference between Traditional and Functional grammar
What does traditional grammar mainly focus on?
On the structure and rules of sentences.
How many metafunctions of language does Halliday propose? Name them.
Three. Ideational, Interpersonal and Textual.
What is a noun?
A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
¿Qué diferencia básica hay entre lengua escrita y hablada?
La escrita es más planificada; la hablada, más espontánea y contextual.
What is an inference?
A conclusion made using evidence from the text and prior knowledge.
Which grammar type studies language use in context?
Functional grammar.
Which metafunction organizes the message to make it coherent and understandable?
The textual metafunction.
In the sentence “The little boy quickly opened the red box,” identify four different grammatical categories and their function.
The → article (determiner)
little → adjective (describes the boy)
quickly → adverb (modifies the verb)
opened → verb (shows the action)
¿Qué tiene mayor densidad léxica: la lengua escrita o la hablada?
La lengua escrita.
Why is inference important for reading comprehension?
Because it helps readers connect ideas and build a mental model of the text.
In traditional grammar, words are grouped according to…
Their parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
Give a short example of a sentence where the three metafunctions operate simultaneously.
“I think we should study now because the test is tomorrow.”
(Expresses experience → ideational; attitude → interpersonal; message structure → textual.)
Which word category describes an action or state?
Verb.
¿Qué variables determinan la variación funcional del lenguaje según Halliday?
Campo, tenor y modo.
What does “reading between the lines” mean?
Understanding implied or hidden meanings beyond the literal words.
How does functional grammar redefine the concept of “grammar” compared to traditional grammar?
It views grammar as a resource for making meaning, not as a set of prescriptive rules.
Which metafunction helps express attitudes, opinions, and relationships?
The interpersonal metafunction.
What is the function of an adjective in a sentence?
To describe or modify a noun.
Explica por qué hablar y escribir no son lo mismo aunque pertenezcan a la misma lengua.
Porque cada una cumple funciones comunicativas distintas: la oralidad se apoya en el contexto, mientras la escritura requiere organización y planificación lingüística más compleja.
True or False: All meanings in a text are explicitly stated.
False. Some meanings are implied.
According to Halliday, what is the main purpose of functional grammar?
To explain how language makes meaning in social contexts.
What does the ideational metafunction represent?
How language represents experiences and processes in the world.
What is the difference between a conjunction and a preposition?
Conjunctions connect clauses; prepositions show relationships between nouns and other words.
¿Por qué la escritura permitió desarrollar nuevas funciones en la sociedad?
Porque permitió registrar, organizar y transmitir información de manera duradera.
Explain why readers who cannot infer may misunderstand a text even if they know all the words.
Because comprehension requires integrating context, prior knowledge, and relationships between ideas — not just decoding words.