Genuinely, this class actually has the craziest reviews because so many people are die hard Ethan Poole supporters but I have never seen more people get Cs and Ds for an elective ever. Ethan seems more inspired and engaged with his research and passion for syntax than making it digestable and paced in a manner that would facilitate class-wide success. He makes his exams irreparably difficult and nothing even CLOSE to the midterm and final prep worksheets we were given or the homework we received as well. Ive never written a Bruinwalk review until it came to him. Don't get me wrong, he is not a bad professor at all but he is very bland and monotone for a already very complicated subject which would be easier to digest and understand if the professor was more energetic and enticing in my opinion. Attending lecture is your #1 step to try to get a better grade in this class but hands down as a 4th year it was the hardest most mentally taxing final exam I have ever taken EVER.

If you are willing to sit through a 2 hour lecture and pay attention, this class will be incredibly fruitful. No shade, but majority of our class either did not come to lecture or left halfway through; this got to the point where attendance became extra credit in the second half of the class.
Dr. Poole is a very interesting professor: I have never had a class that has mentioned Bjork or the Golden Girls so much, but he found a way. He flows through the material in a very thorough way, providing examples for why we have the structure we do. He does not have slides, but he provides physical packets that contain the lecture material on them. There is plenty of space to take notes so you can follow along with him, since he does exercises on the board that differ from the packet.
Syntax can be boring, but that does not mean it is necessarily easy. If you attend the lectures and discussion (the latter of which is extra credit), digest the material, and do the homework (which are completion based), you can do good!