syntax textbooks summary week ago asked readers share experiences cowper haegeman syntax textbooks said summary responses syntax textbooks clear responses cowper book bit new used many people got one favorable evaluation respondant read text manuscript hear anyone used class far responses haegeman textbook mixed excerpted paraphrased comments five generally positive evaluations better texts wellreceived students full annoying mistakes misprints quite happy complaints students harder radford students preferred haegeman radford found longwinded condescending plain moronic students found lucid funny wellorganized relatively happy generally understandable well organized criticisms tends introduce theoretical concepts first justification later three mostly negative evaluations tended digress chooses focus unclear examples e g thetacriterion implicit arguments early book casemarking frequently exemplified ecm verbs students found unconvinc ing students unanimously despised incredibly unclear poorly organized recommend positive side wellorganized good references negative side poor argumentation data nt support claims made text also mention non gb syntax found useful teaching students identify poor argumentation generalization seemed gb practictioners tended significantly happier book others also votes lasnik uriagereka course gb syntax chomsky managua lectures thanks wrote