This comparative study of traditional and transformational approaches to the syntax of standard Russian proposes the superiority of analysis in terms of possible and impossible transformations, thereby revealing the existence of a level of linguistic form superior to that of simple morphophonemic description. Five classes of word-combinations of verb and instrumental substantive labeled objective, temporal, spatial, determinative-circumstantial, and causative are discussed in terms of traditional analysis. Transformational theory and procedural methods in the analysis of a similar linguistic corpus are reviewed and applied to a series of Russian sentences. Extensive use is made of linguistic examples, and tables illustrating transformations are included. (RL)