Which term refers to the collection of grammar, lexis, phonology, function and discourse as a whole?

• A. Language systems
• B. Lexical item
• C. Lexical set
• D. Meta-language

Answer: (A)

Think of language as an integrated system composed of grammar, lexis, phonology, function and discourse. When you consider all these aspects together—the rules for forming sentences, the vocabulary we use, the sound patterns, how we Express purpose and meaning, and how ideas are linked across longer stretches of text—they form the language systems. This term captures the whole network that underpins how language works in use. A single word is just a lexical item, not the entire network; a lexical set is a group of related words, not the complete system; meta-language is language about language, not the language’s internal structure.