Frontmatter -- Contents -- Convergence on finite V2 clauses in L1, bilingual L1 and early L2 acquisition -- The acquisition of functional categories in child L1 and adult L2 Dutch -- The acquisition of syntactic finiteness in L1 German. A structure-building approach. -- Stepping stones and stumbling blocks. Why negation accelerates and additive particles delay the acquisition of finiteness in German -- Does finiteness mark assertion? A picture selection study with native speakers and adult learners of German -- Light verbs and the acquisition of finiteness and negation in Dutch as a second language -- Finiteness in children with SLI - a functional approach -- Functional and modal elements in child and adult Russian -- How much (morpho-)syntax is needed to express finiteness? -- Relating Italian articles and clitic object pronouns in bilingual children acquiring Italian and German -- Backmatter.