Course 1: Grammar and Punctuation
Do you need to review English grammar? Have you forgotten the grammar you once studied? If so, this course is perfect for you.
The first course in this specialization is a refresher on some tools needed for good writing. It will help prepare you for the other courses. You will need about 10 hours to complete this first course. Writing is a skill and to learn a skill well, you need to practice. In this course, you will watch short video lectures and then practice and discuss what you have learned. Make sure you take good notes and use the peer discussions to ask questions. Then you'll be able to remember the rules you learn in this course when you start writing essays in the next course.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- identify the correct verb tenses to use
- use commas effectively
- utilize several different sentence types
- write more effectively in English
WEEK 1
Course Introduction
This is the first course in the Academic English: Writing specialization, which will help prepare you for studying in an American college or university. This first course will go over some of the basics of grammar and punctuation that you'll need to do good writing. It is not intended to review all aspects of English grammar, only the few topics chosen for this class. In this short module, to get started, introduce yourself and get to know the other learners a little bit. In the following lessons, you will watch video lectures, do readings, do practice exercises, and take quizzes. To pass the course, just pass all three quizzes. When you finish one activity, then go on to the next one. Enjoy the class!
Video · Course Introduction Video
Practice Peer Review · Introductions
Reading · Pre-Course Survey
Reading · Course Update
WEEK 2
Verb Tenses and Conjunctions
In this module, you will watch video lectures, do readings, do practice exercises, and take quizzes. You can re-watch the videos or redo the exercises as many times as you need to to help you understand the material. This module will help you review verb tenses and how to use them correctly. You probably already studied these in your other English classes, so this will just be a quick reminder. Then you'll begin learning about how to use conjunctions in your sentences. This will help you write different kinds of sentences and make your writing more interesting.
Video · Introduction to Verbs and Conjunctions
Reading · Learning Objectives
Video · Verb Tenses Video Lecture
Reading · Verb Tense Practice
Practice Quiz · Verb Tenses Practice Quiz
Video · Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Progressive
Video · Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
Practice Peer Review · Verb Tense Discussion
Video · Remember to Answer Classmates' Questions
Reading · Learning Objectives
Video · Conjunctions Video Lecture
Reading · Conjunctions Practice
Reading · Coordinate Conjunctions and Punctuation Chart
Practice Quiz · Conjunctions Practice Quiz
Reading · Links to Other Resources
Reading · Quiz Instructions
Quiz · Verb Tenses and Conjunctions
WEEK 3
Compound and Complex Sentences
Now that you've learned about conjunctions, you're ready to learn about different types of sentences. In English, there are four types of sentences that you can use--and should use--to make your writing more interesting to read. In this module, you'll learn about two of the advanced sentence types.
Reading · Learning Objectives
Video · Compound Sentences Video Lecture
Reading · Transitions Study Guide
Reading · Compound Sentences Practice
Reading · Commas vs. Semicolons Practice
Practice Peer Review · Compound Sentence Discussions
Practice Quiz · Compound Sentence Practice Quiz
Reading · Learning Objectives
Video · Adverb Clause Video Lecture
Reading · Adverb Clauses in Complex Sentences Practice
Practice Peer Review · Adverb Clause Discussion
Practice Quiz · Adverb Clause Practice Quiz
Reading · Links to Other Resources
Reading · Quiz Instructions
Quiz · Compound and Complex Sentences
WEEK 4
More Commas, Parallel Structure, and Sentence Variety
In this module, you'll learn some other uses for commas. After studying this module, you'll know about 95% of the ways commas can be used. That means you'll be able to write confidently, knowing that you are using commas correctly and not just guessing. In addition to learning about commas, you'll learn about creating parallel structure and sentence variety. When you add these to your writing tools, your writing will be even more effective.
Reading · Learning Objectives
Video · More Uses of Commas Video Lecture
Reading · Commas Practice 1
Reading · Commas Practice 2
Practice Peer Review · Commas Discussion
Video · Therefore vs. Therefore
Practice Quiz · More Commas Practice Quiz
Video · Introduction to Parallel Structure
Reading · Learning Objectives
Video · Parallel Structure Video Lecture
Reading · Parallel Structure Practice
Practice Peer Review · Parallel Structure Discussion
Practice Quiz · Parallel Structure Practi