WEEKS 2-4, SEM 2: REVISITING GRAMMAR

Objectives
 When you have finished this section, you will be able to
§  identify errors and error types;
§  increase written and oral accuracy;
§  apply grammar conventions in speaking and writing;
§  independently proofread and revise texts.

Resource List

1)   Guide to Grammar & Writing:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

2)    Purdue Online Writing Lab:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/5/

3)   Grammar Comics:
http://grammarmancomic.com/comicsgman.html

4)   More Grammar Websites:
http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/english-grammar-9-websites-to-learn-and-practice-english-grammar/


5)   Good Tips on Grammar and Writing:
http://prowritingaid.com/art/111/10-websites-to-help-improve-your-grammar.aspx#.Ua0xiUAwdho

6)   ES1102 Issues page (related to grammar, language use, writing, globalization or any other course-related topic) 

Key Concepts

§  Grammar
§  Language Use
§  Grammar Conventions
 (Appendix A gives more detailed explanations of various grammatical concepts.)


Procedure   

A.    Before Class

Familiarise yourself with the online resources related to language use in the Resource List above.

B.    In class

 1.    In pairs or groups, share what you have learned in your English Language study

        so far about the grammar items in the list below. Use examples to demonstrate

        your understanding and to illustrate what you don’t know.

         For this activity, you might also use PowerPoint Presentations that illustrate the various grammar components. These are listed in the Resource List section of the

        website and are  in the Grammar Focus IVLE PPT Lessons  folder.

§  Articles §  Connectors and Transitions §  Modals §  Nouns (e.g., Singular/Plural) §  Parallel Structures (or Parallelism) §  Prepositions §  Pronouns §  Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices §  Sentence Fragments §  Subject-verb Agreement §  Verb Forms §  Verb Tenses §  Word Forms
2.    Do Text-editing Exercise 1. Identify the errors, error types, and then make the         corrections. Please discuss your answers in a small group.                At a later date, read Text-editing Exercise 2 and do the same thing. Your tutor         will give you instructions on completion dates.   3.    Do Authentic Essay Editing 1. Identify the errors, error types, and then make         the corrections. Please discuss this in a small group. At a later date, read Essay 2         and do the same thing. Your tutor will give you instructions on completion dates.   C.    After class    1.   Complete Online Grammar Exercises (OGE) whenever you can. The purpose         of this is to  reinforce your grammatical knowledge and text editing skills,         particularly in identifying, classifying, and correcting errors.                 See OGE Instructions  for details.

Appendix A

Introduction to Grammar Items

Item	Notations used on student papers	Explanation/ Examples
Word Form	WF	·      A word can be a noun, adjective, adverb or verb ·      Use affixes (prefixes and suffixes) to form the correct word form. For example, from the verb disappoint, the noun disappointment and the adverb disappointedly can be produced.
Noun	N	·      Regular nouns are pluralized by the addition of -s. For example, chairs, one of the most important  factors ·      Uncountable nouns are singular in form. For example, advice, luggage, information ·      Some nouns can be countable or uncountable, depending on the context, such as cake
Pronoun	Pron	Examples of pronouns are: ·      he, him, his (personal pronouns) ·      this, that, these, those (demonstrative pronouns) ·      who, which, that (relative pronouns)
Article	Art	·      Definite article: the ·      Indefinite article: a/an  ·      Zero article: Ø ·      A/An are not used with uncountable nouns. For example, Would you like (some) homework?
Preposition	Prep	·      A preposition shows the relationship between the nouns, verbs, and adjectives in a sentence. ·      Prepositions can be followed by gerunds. For example, I’m interested in travelling. ·      Use online concordancers such as lextutor.ca to improve your knowledge.
Modal Verbs	M	·      A modal verb, such as can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, is used in a verb group to express possibility, intention, necessity, certainty and so on. For example, I might go to the library after class.
Verb Form	VF	The forms are: ·      Present (take/takes) ·      Past (took) ·      Past Participle (taken) ·      Present Participle (taking) ·      Infinitive (take/ to take)
Verb Tense	VT	·      Tense means the correspondence between the form of the verb and the concept of time. For example, past, past perfect, past progressive/continuous, present perfect, future continuous and so on.
Subject-Verb Agreement	SVA	·      A verb agrees in number with its subject; errors can occur with long noun phrases and collective nouns. For example, a vase of flowers makes the room attractive.
Parallel Structures	ll	·      Parallel constructions are used to express a similarity or contrast between two or more related ideas. ·      Match nouns with nouns, adjectives with adjectives, phrases with phrases and clauses with clauses.
Sentence Fragment	SF	A sentence fragment occurs when the sentence cannot stand on its own and does not contain an independent clause: subject-verb relationship: ·      In Singapore during the British colonization ·      Studying hard till the early hours of the morning ·      For example, drugs and alcohol
Connector & Transition	Con & T	·      Connectors, or transitions, help to signal relationships between ideas. Examples are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, however and so on. ·      They can indicate relationship from sentence to sentence, or paragraph to paragraph.
Run-on sentence & Comma splice	RO & CS	·        Run-on sentences contain two complete thoughts which are placed together with no punctuation, or connector/ transition to mark the break between them. For example, I come from China I study at NUS. ·        In comma splices, a comma is inappropriately used to connect two complete thoughts.