This project will deal with syntactic constructions, i.e. linguistic units that, on the one hand, are too complex and general to be called words or idioms and, on the other hand, are too restricted and specific to count as general syntactic patterns. This is in accordance with the linguistic model known as Construction Grammar. Firstly, the project has an empirical and descriptive side whose aim is to come up with a reasonably comprehensive account of syntactic constructions in Swedish (essentially a wide description but here and there also providing more in-depth accounts). The construction "the..., the..." in English or "ju..., desto..." in Swedish may serve as an example. Neither at the lexical or the syntactic level do most contemporary theories capture the fact that the two related elements in the construction have to be comparative expressions (the more/sooner, the merrier/better etc.). This pattern has to be described as a construction, a specific element within the grammar. Secondly, there is a theoretical side to the project. The idea is to investigate the concept of syntactic constructions and the role they play in language change and language use in general. The basic idea behind the project is that syntactic constructions are not just what is left over when the lexicon and the syntax are completed. Rather they are important elements in human language, so they deserve fair treatment within grammar.