0106 - Grammar Refresher

Description

Develop your English grammar skills and take your writing and speaking to the next level of excellence in this course. This course explores the eight parts of speech, punctuation and mechanics, and foundational sentence construction. You will learn about phrases, clauses, problem words, common grammar mistakes, and much more through practical, hands-on exercises. You will also learn through short videos, examples, and even fun games. Take your writing and speaking to the next level of excellence!

This course is fully online, you require internet access and an email account. The course duration is 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week period to complete the final exam (online, open book). Lessons are released on Wednesdays and Fridays of each week, for a total of 12. You are not required to be online at any specific time. In addition to the specific lesson content, there is a discussion board with each lesson and often there is an optional assignment to apply the learning. Following each lesson, there is a short multiple choice quiz. Your score on these quizzes does not count towards the final mark but completing these helps solidify your learning as well as prepare you for the final exam. The final exam is an open-book, multiple choice exam and you need to achieve a minimum of 65% on the final exam to pass the course. There is only one opportunity to pass the exam. A certificate of completion from WatSPEED is available within four weeks of successful completion of each course and can be accessed in your student portal. Many of the Ed2Go courses are eligible towards the various online certificates offered by WatSPEED.

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Lesson 1 - Using Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives. The three most common parts of speech are nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. Learn how all types of pronouns are used in sentences, and explore how adjectives modify nouns and how to use them in your writing.

Lesson 2 - Using Verbs and Adverbs. There are three types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs. Each has a different use in a sentence. Take a look at action and linking verbs and review the basic types of verb tenses. Then, explore adverbs, and learn how to use both effectively in your writing.

Lesson 3 - Using Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections. This lesson focuses on the last three parts of speech: prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Prepositions show relationships between nouns and pronouns. Conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, and clauses within a sentence. Finally, interjections are used to show feeling and emotion.

Lesson 4 - Capitalization and Punctuation. Learn to use some of the most common types of punctuation correctly and effectively. Understand use of end punctuation and explore the rules for colons, semicolons, quotations, apostrophes, and parenthesis.

Lesson 5 - Commas. More often than not, commas are used to indicate a brief pause. However, there are many different uses for the comma. Explore the various rules that govern comma usage in the English language while also learning how to use commas correctly and effectively in your writing.

Lesson 6 - Sentences. There are many different kinds of sentences in the English language: Declarative (makes a statement), Interrogative (asks a question), Imperative (issues a command), and Exclamatory (shows strong emotion). Finally, you will explore some common problems and pitfalls to avoid when writing sentences.

Lesson 7 - Plural and Possessive Words. Plural words refer to more than one; while, possessive words refer to nouns and pronouns and show ownership. Explore plural and possessive words and the rules you must follow to form them. You will also have plenty of opportunities to practice your new grammar skills.

Lesson 8 - Difficult and Confusing Words. There are many words that spell or sound similar yet have very different meanings. Explore these words and practice your new skills as you learn to avoid common pitfalls in your writing.

Lesson 9 - Phrases. Phrases are groups of words that have distinct meanings and perform certain functions within a sentence. There are different types of phrases, including prepositional phrases, appositive phrases, gerund phrases, adverb phrases, adjective phrases, infinitive phrases, participle phrases, and absolute phrases.

Lesson 10 - Agreement. Within the English language, parts of a sentence must agree in different ways. Explore subject / verb agreement, and see how using the correct conjunctions can correctly connect words or sentence parts together.

Lesson 11 - Common Sentence Problems. A sentence is a unit of thought, and each sentence must contain a subject and a verb to be complete. However, the three common sentence errors that writers often make: the run-on, the comma splice, and the fragment.

Lesson 12 - Becoming a Better Writer. The purpose of studying grammar is to improve your English speaking and writing skills. Put your grammar skills to work as you gain writing tips and opportunities to practice your writing skills.