Syntactic Theory: The Essential Readings provides a selection of key seminal articles in syntax that demonstrate the empirical and theoretical reasoning that led to current syntactic theory. The accompanying introduction and discussion questions by two prominent researchers teach students how to critically read precedent-setting works, highlighting the ways in which each article is simultaneously outmoded and yet still essential. Each article's lasting contribution to an inclusive basic understanding of the field of syntax is illustrated throughout the volume. Authors excerpted in the book include Noam Chomsky, Paul Postal, Howard Lasnik, and Luigi Rizzi. By selecting works that are written in older frameworks but are still pertinent today, Syntactic Theory: The Essential Readings trains students to read primary literature beyond the setting in which it was written, isolating significant insights and applications.