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The introduction to discourse analysis is intended specifically to inform second language teachers about aspects of discourse analysis that can be helpful in instruction. It presents the principles seen as relevant to the language teaching context and illustrates them with real spoken and written language data. The first chapter gives a historical and functional overview of discourse analysis. The second chapter looks at what discourse analysis can tell about contextualized uses of structures and grammatical items, and considers whether grammar teaching may need to be adjusted to cover additional areas. Chapter 3 examines the role of vocabulary in discourse, including vocabulary relationships crossing clause and sentence boundaries, use of words to organize text and signal structure, and creation of register. Chapter 4 focuses on intonation in discourse: its characteristics, patterns, and use. Various manifestations of discourse in spoken and written text are examined in the fifth and sixth chapters. Supplementary activities for the reader are included throughout each chapter, and notes for these activities are appended. A substantial bibliography and an index are also included. (MSE)