My research focuses on two areas: Corpus linguistics, especially the interface between lexis and grammar, phraseology, and the contribution of corpus linguistics to Applied Linguistics and to discourse studies; and Discourse Analysis, in particular the study of evaluative language and the analysis of written academic English. My monograph (Corpus Approaches to Evaluation: Phraseology and Evaluative Language) brings together these interests. I worked with Dr Paul Thompson on the ESRC-funded 'Interdisciplinary Research Discourse' project (IDRD). This led to a number of publications, including the monograph Interdisciplinary Research Discourse (2019, Routledge).

Research groups

• I am a member of the Centre for Corpus Research.

I was born and brought up in Leeds and since then have lived in Singapore, the Philippines, Smethwick, Guildford and Birmingham. My first degree focused mainly on English Literature, but teaching English as a Second Language and English for Academic Purposes in my early career led to an increasing interest in how the English language works, and I pursued that interest in my MA and PhD. 

Since 1983 I have taught Applied Linguistics and English Language as a degree subject at the National University of Singapore, the University of Surrey, and since 1996 at the University of Birmingham. I also had two years in the commercial world as a member of the Cobuild project. 

In my current job I am Professor of English Language.