For people expecting a more linguistics type class with some interesting computational elements and cool coding projects, this is not it.

You will use Haskell the entire class, so prior knowledge of functional programming (CS131) is a HUGE advantage. It also spends quite a bit of time on Finite State Automaton and context free grammars, so taking CS181 before would probably help too.

Grade is made up of 70% homework, 20% final coding project and 10% pop quizzes. This class is not easy and homework may leave you frustrated, do not take this lightly.

I took this class as a GE, but now I think I wanna get into linguistics more! Professor Poole was super clear in lectures (his slides were amazing), and there were no weird curve balls in the homeworks or on the exams. He does examples in class and gives a lot of extra practice material, which appears in a very similar format on the hws/exams. He was also very approachable in terms of asking questions, which was nice as well. Would definitely recommend this class and the professor!

This class is super easy, I personally enjoyed it even more than ling 1! Lectures are boring but SUPER well-organized. He posts his lecture slides before lecture so you can just jot down notes on top of the slides during the lecture. The slides themselves are so well designed that you won't even need to take notes at all to be honest. Exams are exactly like the homework assignments, which are all of reasonable difficulty. I really enjoyed the homework problems because they require analysis/technical skills rather than rote memorization of terms.

You guys are such crybabies omfg Ethan is not a bad professor. Yes the tests are not the same as the worksheets / practice exams but the opportunity to get points back on them is literally handed to you on a silver platter. God forbid you people actually have to put effort into understanding the material you are taught in class. Oh wait! 50% of you didn't even go! You are not serious people and I beg you all to please grow some sort of academic backbone next time you take a class that is known for being difficult

I'm seeing a ton of negative reviews from Fall 2025 so I wanna come in with more of a positive take on Professor Poole. Keep in mind I really liked this professor so I'm a little biased, but I'll try to keep this review as impartial as possible!

Pros:
Professor Poole is one of the smartest professors that I have had. He is extremely eloquent and if you listen closely while he is lecturing you will learn A LOT.

He's also incredibly kind and helpful. He is always incredibly sweet if you go to ask him questions after class, and he's also sneakily one of the funniest professors that I've had here at UCLA. I found myself laughing in his class more than any other class, although that might've just been a unique experience.

The class and lecture material is all very well organized. He gives you a handout every lecture with basically everything that you need to know, so you can easily go back and review these for the exams.

Cons:
This class can be very boring. On one hand I like seeing Dr. Poole lecture because he kind of gets into a flow state where he explains everything super well, and his class is clearly structured in a very lecturey format because it works well for him. However, because of this, and because the class content is essentially grammar and drawing tons of trees, it can definitely get boring at times because it's not very engaging.

Honestly I kind of take this to be a pro, but the exams are hard in that they are very conceptual. I think why a couple people are complaining here from last quarter is because some exam questions were free-response and forced you to really think critically about the material. I personally loved this and feel like the whole point of college is to get you to think critically instead of just systematically memorizing how to do problems. That being said, you can certainly prepare for these problems by conceptually learning the material and reviewing the homework and discussion worksheets. Many conceptual exam questions were closely mirrored on the discussion worksheets and homework so good back and review those!

Overall, a little bit of a boring class at times, but I also feel like I learned a lot. Dr. Poole can get a little bit strict at times, but he's really kind if you come into this course engaged and curious. Hot take is that people are just complaining because they're used to memorization heavy classes, whereas in this class you actually have to understand the theory behind the syntax to succeed.

Horrible horrible horrible professor. NEVER TAKE HIM. His tests were completely different from homework and any worksheets. Literally the worst ever and let multiple people get c's for an elective lol. He is literally evil.

im RAGGGINNGGG like mind you i have never ever gotten anything below an a in any class so wtf is actually up with this class???? i felt like i was fine at syntax going into the course and i studied a bunch for the exams--did all the practice questions and redid homework questions multiple times AND THE TESTS? were actually absurd. in the beginning of the quarter, this professor seemed pretty nice, but by the end, i couldn't help but see pure evil in his eyes. he is genuinely praying on everyone's downfall he doesn't even care to spend too much time on anyone's question. i think he cares more about using unnecessarily big words to sound smart and make the material intentionally confusing than about whether students actually understand anything. i don't know how some people got As in this class all i know is that they have to be absolutely cracked... so DON'T take this class i regret i regret i regret i regret

This class was a joke in the worst way. Ethan doesn't use slides, isn't engaging at all, so hard to follow. I got 100% on the assignments and midterm and still ended with a B. I think the TAs have taught me more than anything this professor taught. Don't take with Ethan

Honestly, I’m so thankful to have taken Ethan for Syntax I. To be completely honest, both the content of Syntax and Ethan himself can feel a little intimidating at first. When I was first learning the material or wanted to ask a question, I was nervous, since Ethan clearly knows the subject extremely well. But I strongly encourage you to push past that hesitation. After I hit a roadblock in the class, Ethan personally reached out to me after noticing a low exam grade, which led to a great conversation during office hours and a turning point in my experience with the course.
He provides helpful handouts that explain the material covered in the lecture, and I highly recommend following along with them as he teaches. The content can feel very overwhelming in the beginning, but paying close attention during class will help a lot.
One of the most overlooked resources in the course is his worksheets. These are introduced in discussion sections, but there usually isn’t enough time to finish them during the session. I highly recommend doing them on your own each week before the homework, and especially before exams. These worksheets are excellent for practice, and while Ethan does provide an exam study guide, the worksheets often cover the extra material some students tend to miss. They really help tie things together and are especially useful when you’re trying to get comfortable with the trees.
Syntax is a course that builds on itself week by week. It’s important to stay on top of the material, which is why I keep emphasizing how useful the worksheets are. When Ethan says to reach out if you need help, he really means it. He is responsive, patient, and genuinely wants students to succeed. I asked plenty of questions I felt like I should already know, and he always helped clarify without making me feel bad. He listens, and he’s supportive.
If you stay caught up, practice consistently, and take the time to understand how everything connects, you will do well. Homework is manageable if you keep up with the lectures and discussions. Going to sections can also give you small grade boosts, especially if you make the effort to gain points back. I also recommend coming in with specific questions. Syntax can be confusing, but when you know what you’re stuck on, both Ethan and the TAs give really helpful feedback.
Exams are open note, so I suggest bringing your completed homework, the handouts, and your own versions of the worksheets (not just the answer keys). The syntax tree questions may look intimidating at first, but they are always based on patterns and structures you have already seen. Once you get the trees down, the harder part becomes the theory and analysis questions. If anything is unclear, ask about it beforehand. I wish I had done that more.
Last tip, try not to turn in homework late or after class. Ethan seems to value punctuality, especially when it comes to discussion attendance and assignment deadlines, so be considerate with that.

class was extremely well organized and handouts were super helpful and comprehensive of the course material; I never felt like there was a problem on the homework that I was unequipped to solve. I fear lecture was super dry and homework did have to be turned in on paper in-person during lecture but otherwise attendance was not required. discussion attendance was also not required but you got homework points back if you did go, I was never stressed about my grade. goated prof