We are currently engaged in a number of projects which make use of some or all of the above resources, for example:

 

Developing a corpus-based grammar course

Tilly Harrison

From a Hallidayan perspective, language is a series of choices influenced by the context in which the ‘speech event’ takes place. The basic premise of the materials proposed here is that proficient writing in English for Academic Purposes depends on understanding the parameters of the choices available which are generally on a continuum of meaning: probability, strength of claim, specificity, obligation etc. The research underlying the materials will look at how these meanings are realised lexically in the BAWE corpus, and using an inductive and interactive approach, reveal to students how Academic English expresses the choices they need to make. The materials will make recommendations and offer practice exercises for students to help them learn what the options are and make more appropriate choices in their writing.