This reference work investigates the intricate relationship between English vocabulary and the grammatical structures that govern its usage. The authors, a team of distinguished linguists associated with the COBUILD project at the University of Birmingham, utilize extensive corpus data to map how specific words dictate the syntactic patterns surrounding them. By shifting the focus from abstract rules to word-centered behavior, the text provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the functional mechanics of the English language.

This volume is widely regarded as a foundational resource for corpus linguistics and advanced pedagogical grammar. Its rigorous, data-driven approach provides a definitive reference for scholars and language professionals seeking to understand the structural constraints of English vocabulary.