The aim of this book is to provide an intensive introduction to recent work in syntactic theory (more particularly, to key concepts which are presupposed in works written within the broad framework of the minimalist program in the version outlined in Chomsky 1995b). There are six main features which mark this book out as different from other introductions to syntax currently available.

The first is that it does not presuppose any background knowledge of syntactic theory: it is suitable for use with true beginners, and does not presuppose that students have already done a course on generative syntax (though it is also suitable for false beginners who have already taken a course on an earlier model of syntax, and want to learn about more recent work).

The second is that it does not adopt a historical approach, or presuppose any historical knowledge (for example, there is no discussion of earlier work in the 1980s government and binding paradigm). Rather (for the most part), it deals directly with 1990s work within the minimalist program.

The third is that cross-linguistic variation is illustrated in terms of different varieties of English (e.g. Belfast English, Jamaican Creole, Child English, Shakespearean English, etc.), rather than in terms of different languages. Hence it does not make the unrealistic assumption that the reader knows (for example) Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese and Chuckchee.