Introducing Textuality. A New Coursebook for English Linguistics Students

"Introducing Textuality – A New Coursebook for English Linguistics Students" is designed for first-year BA students of Foreign Languages who are approaching textual analysis in English as a Foreign Language for the first time at academic level, both in theory and in practice. The book explores textuality from different perspectives, ranging from textual architecture (from the phrase to the text) to sociolinguistics and pragmatics, with particular attention to cohesion. It introduces key theoretical approaches, such as structuralism, cognitivism, functionalism, and corpus linguistics, offering students a clear overview of major trends in English linguistics. At the same time, theory is always presented through concrete examples, as the focus is less on abstract discussion and more on helping students develop practical reading skills. In particular, the book aims to strengthen critical reading abilities and to support the analysis of meaning beyond the literal level. The volume is organized into four chapters, devoted respectively to the relationship between sentence and text; cohesion; phoric and deictic reference; and collocation as a form of lexical cohesion. Each chapter includes a set of exercises, with solutions provided at the end of the book. The structure is designed for classroom use: each chapter corresponds to approximately two lessons, leaving sufficient time for guided practice and discussion. Because of its practical focus and its classroom-tested structure, the book serves both as an introduction to textual theory and as a guide to reading “below the surface” of a text. Its underlying premise is that recognizing meaning implied between the lines encourages a more critical approach to the text, helps students become more confident and competent readers, and ultimately leads to a more satisfying reading experience.