This textbook; first published in 2004; provides a concise; clear; and accessible introduction to current syntactic theory; drawing on the key concepts of Chomsky's Minimalist Program. Assuming little or no prior grammatical knowledge; Andrew Radford takes students through a wide range of topics in English syntax; beginning at an elementary level and progressing in stages towards more advanced material. There is an extensive glossary of technical terms; and each chapter contains a workbook section with 'helpful hints'; exercises and model answers; suitable for both class discussion and self-study. This is an abridged version of Radford's major new textbook Minimalist Syntax (also published by Cambridge University Press); and will be welcomed as a short introduction to current syntactic theory.