Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Placement by matriculation assessment process or completion of ESL 512G with grade of "C" or better or ESL 812G with grade of "Pass" or completion of ESL 510C with grade of "C" or better or ESL 810C with grade of "Pass"
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Intermediate grammar skills for non-native English speakers with focus on verbs, modifiers, word order, and sentence structure. (pass/no pass grading) (noncredit)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Construct simple, compound, and complex sentences with subordinate clauses of time, reason, and real condition in English using appropriate intermediate-mid level sentence structure, conjunctions, and punctuation.
  • CSLO #2: Differentiate and formulate intermediate-level verb tenses and modal verb usage in affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms to convey intended meaning.
  • CSLO #3: Distinguish and employ intermediate-high level rules for use of word order, modification, and agreement in English.

Effective Term

Fall 2022

Course Type

Noncredit

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

1. Construct simple, compound, and complex sentences in English using appropriate sentence structure, conjunctions, and punctuation at an intermediate level.
2. Differentiate and formulate a variety of intermediate-level verb tenses and forms to convey desired meaning.
3. Select and apply suitable modal verbs and expressions for offers, requests, advice, necessity/obligation, possibility, and permission.
4. Formulate correct affirmative, negative, and interrogative verb structure and word order in sentences.
5. Distinguish and employ appropriate modifiers, including noun pre-modifiers and post-modifiers.
6. Formulate and employ intermediate-level subordinate clauses of time, reason, and condition.
7. Employ appropriate subject-verb, quantity, and pronoun-antecedent agreement rules.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
      • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
        • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)

          Articulation Information

          • Not Transferable

          Methods of Evaluation

          • Objective Examinations
            • Example: Exam with various types of questions: In Section A (agreement) students read sentences and circle the best verb form to agree with the subject, the best quantifier to agree with the noun, or the best pronoun to agree with the antecedent; in Section B (verb form and use) students fill in the blanks with the best verb tense in the correct form to match the context; and in Section C (conjunctions) students fill in the blanks with the best conjunction to accurately complete the meaning of the clause or the sentence. Examples: A: Agreement: Directions: Circle the best answer to complete each sentence. Pay attention to the meaning and the context. 1. There were not much / many / some / any immigrants who had to stay on Ellis Island for more than three months. 2. The translators on Ellis Island was / were very helpful to new immigrants. B: Verb Form & Use: Directions: Complete the sentence by writing the verb in parentheses in the best verb tense. Read carefully, and pay attention to the context. Use Present Simple, Present Progressive, Past Simple, or Present Perfect. If you see “not,” make the verb negative. 1. Vlad _________________________ (be) a student at Sierra College since 2015. He _________________________ (start) in January 2015 with his first math class, and this semester, he _________________________ (take) his final classes. He plans to graduate this December. C: Conjunctions: Directions: Fill in the blanks with the best conjunction from the box to complete the meaning of the sentence. Use each conjunction only one time. 1. ____________ the immigrants arrived, they had to have a health inspection. 2. ____________ an immigrant couldn’t pass the health inspections on Ellis Island that immigrant was sent home. 3. The island was sometimes nicknamed the “Island of Tears” __________ sometimes children were separated from their parents who didn’t pass the health inspection. 4. ___________ it became an immigration station in 1892, Ellis Island had other uses. For example, it was a fort during the War of 1812.
          • Problem Solving Examinations
            • Example: Editing Tests and Quizzes. Students read separate sentences and/or a short paragraph and identify and correct 8 errors in the use or form of the past simple and past progressive verbs. Standard grading.
          • Skill Demonstrations
            • Example: Students will look at a picture or read a short situation and will demonstrate their understanding by describing the situation by writing sentences using various modal verbs and related expressions to accurately indicate the situations of permission, possibility, requests, offers, advice, or necessity. Standard grading.

          Repeatable

          Yes

          Methods of Instruction

          • Lecture/Discussion
          • Distance Learning

          Lecture:

          1. Instructor will write a sentence on the board that includes a variety of noun pre- and post- modifiers (e.g., The quiet student in the corner is working carefully on her difficult assignment). The instructor will ask students to find the nouns in the sentence and will underline them. Then s/he will ask students which words or phrases describe those nouns. As students mention them, s/he will circle them. S/he will ask students what kind of grammatical structure those noun-modifiers are and whether they come before (pre) or after (post) the nouns they describe. The instructor will provide a mini-lecture on the common types of noun pre-modifiers (quantifiers, adjectives, and nouns) and post-modifiers (prepositional phrases and adjective clauses). The instructor will then provide students with a worksheet in which they have to identify the nouns and find and identify the different kinds of words and phrases that modify or describe those nouns.
          2. Instructor will elicit from students what kinds of words describe nouns. Then s/he will show a picture (e.g., of a building) and ask students for some descriptive words to describe the picture and will list the descriptive words on the board. The instructor will ask what part of speech those descriptive words are (adjectives). Then the instructor will write some sentences that include an adjective pre-modifier of a noun on the board (e.g., They entered the tall building. and The student worked on his difficult homework.) The instructor will also write a version of the same sentence replacing the adjective pre-modifier with a noun-pre-modifier and will ask the students what kind of word is describing the noun (e.g., They entered the government building. and The student worked on his biology homework.). Instructor will use this to begin a discussion/mini lesson about how nouns sometimes function like adjectives and describe other nouns (e.g., government building, coffee break, biology homework). Following the lesson, the instructor will provide a handout for practice with a partner. Students will work together on the handout to identify adjectives vs. nouns modifying other nouns and then to write sentences with nouns describing other nouns in a guided practice activity. The instructor will circulate and answer questions while students work on the activity and will then check with the class as a whole after students have completed the exercises.
          3. Instructor provides a short article or reading passage with a few errors related to the new lesson (e.g., present perfect vs. past simple verbs). Students discuss with a partner and try to find the errors. Instructor asks students to identify the errors and asks why they are errors. Instructor focuses on the "why," using each error to explain the grammar rule. Then the instructor asks students to complete a textbook activity in which students apply the new grammar rules. Instructor circulates and answers questions as needed.

          Distance Learning

          1. In an online platform (LMS) page, instructor will provide an instructional video on sentence structure and English word order of compound sentences versus complex sentences, including the different comma rules with both. Instructor will provide exercises both on the online site and in the course textbook for students to practice identifying dependent and independent clauses and distinguishing between the coordinating and subordinating conjunctions that connect the clauses in compound and complex sentences. Instructor will discuss answers and take any questions from students in a follow up online conferencing session with the course which will be recorded and available for any students who can not attend the synchronous session.
          2. Instructor will provide grammar notes on various types of modifiers, including noun pre-modifiers (adjectives, other nouns, quantifiers) and noun post-modifiers (prepositional phrases and basic adjective clauses with relative pronouns who/which/that) in a page in the LMS online course platform. Instructor will also include video clips with examples related to confusing concepts (e.g., the noun pre-modifiers of nouns a coffee break as opposed to adjective pre-modifiers a short break; also the idea that prepositional phrases can be noun post modifiers, but they can also be complements or adverbial information in the sentence). Instructor will provide follow up practice activities in the textbook as well as a discussion board for students to edit the errors related to modifiers. After students have posted and responded to one another, the instructor will input feedback to students about their responses and any questions they have as well as correct answers to the discussion board.

          Typical Out of Class Assignments

          Reading Assignments

          1. Read a paragraph or article provided by the instructor. Underline any present perfect verbs and circle any past simple. Then draw an arrow from those verb tenses to the time expression in the passage that explains the reason for using present perfect or past simple in each situation. 2. Read a short passage and underline all words and expressions that are describing or modifying a noun. Be ready to explain which nouns in the passage they describe. 3. Read a passage and find and correct ten mistakes in the use or form of the present perfect and past simple verb tenses.

          Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

          1. Read pairs of simple sentences. Then develop them into a variety of complex sentences with adverbial clauses of time, reason, or condition by combining two of the simple sentences with a subordinating conjunction in the box (when, while, after, before, because, if). Use commas as needed. 2. Write a paragraph of 8 to 12 sentences about the changes you have encountered since you moved to the United States. Use the present perfect and past simple verb tenses in your writing. 3. Read the sentences and find and correct the 10 errors in noun modifiers. Errors will be related to noun pre-modifiers (adjectives, nouns, quantifiers, and articles) or noun post-modifiers (prepositional phrases or adjective clauses). 4. Read the sentences and circle the best quantifiers to match the nouns and the meaning of the sentence. 5. Write eight wh-questions using the past simple and the present perfect verb tenses about the information in the reading passage. Use correct word order and helping verbs in your questions.

          Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

          Required Materials

          • Grammar and Beyond 2
            • Author: Randi Reppen
            • Publisher: Cambridge
            • Publication Date: 2012
            • Text Edition: 1st
            • Classic Textbook?:
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • Focus on Grammar 3
            • Author: Fuchs, Bonner, & Westheimer
            • Publisher: Pearson
            • Publication Date: 2017
            • Text Edition: 5th
            • Classic Textbook?:
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • Grammar Sense 2
            • Author: Cheryl Pavlik
            • Publisher: Oxford University Press
            • Publication Date: 2012
            • Text Edition: 2nd
            • Classic Textbook?:
            • OER Link:
            • OER:

          Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.