Grammar and Punctuation

About this course: 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 Please note that the free version of this class gives you access to all of the instructional videos and handouts. The peer feedback and quizzes are only available in the paid version.

Created by:  University of California, Irvine

• Taught by:  Tamy Chapman, Instructor, International Programs

  University of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education

• Taught by:  Helen Nam, Instructor

  International Programs, UCI Extension

Basic Info Course 1 of 5 in the Academic English: Writing Specialization Commitment 4 weeks of study, 4-5 hours/week Language English, Subtitles: Vietnamese, Spanish, Arabic How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.6 stars Average User Rating 4.6See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

University of California, Irvine Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.

Syllabus


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!


1 video, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Course Introduction Video
2. Peer Review: Introductions
3. Reading: Pre-Course Survey
4. 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.


6 videos, 7 readings, 2 practice quizzes expand

1. Video: Introduction to Verbs and Conjunctions
2. Reading: Learning Objectives
3. Video: Verb Tenses Video Lecture
4. Reading: Verb Tense Practice
5. Practice Quiz: Verb Tenses Practice Quiz
6. Video: Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Progressive
7. Video: Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
8. Peer Review: Verb Tense Discussion
9. Video: Remember to Answer Classmates' Questions
10. Reading: Learning Objectives
11. Video: Conjunctions Video Lecture
12. Reading: Conjunctions Practice
13. Reading: Coordinate Conjunctions and Punctuation Chart
14. Practice Quiz: Conjunctions Practice Quiz
15. Reading: Links to Other Resources
16. Reading: Quiz Instructions

Graded: 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.


2 videos, 8 readings, 2 practice quizzes expand

1. Reading: Learning Objectives
2. Video: Compound Sentences Video Lecture
3. Reading: Transitions Study Guide
4. Reading: Compound Sentences Practice
5. Reading: Commas vs. Semicolons Practice
6. Peer Review: Compound Sentence Discussions
7. Practice Quiz: Compound Sentence Practice Quiz
8. Reading: Learning Objectives
9. Video: Adverb Clause Video Lecture
10. Reading: Adverb Clauses in Complex Sentences Practice
11. Peer Review: Adverb Clause Discussion
12. Practice Quiz: Adverb Clause Practice Quiz
13. Reading: Links to Other Resources
14. Reading: Quiz Instructions

Graded: Compound and Complex Sentences

WEEK 4


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.


5 videos, 10 readings, 3 practice quizzes expand

1. Reading: Learning Objectives
2. Video: Uses of Commas Video Lecture
3. Reading: Commas Practice 1
4. Reading: Commas Practice 2
5. Peer Review: Commas Discussion
6. Video: Therefore vs. Therefore
7. Practice Quiz: Commas Practice Quiz
8. Video: Introduction to Parallel Structure
9. Reading: Learning Objectives
10. Video: Parallel Structure Video Lecture
11. Reading: Parallel Structure Practice
12. Peer Review: Parallel Structure Discussion
13. Practice Quiz: Parallel Structure Practice Quiz
14. Reading: Learning Objectives
15. Video: Sentence Variety Video Lecture
16. Reading: Sentence Variety Practice
17. Practice Quiz: Sentence Variety Practice Quiz
18. Reading: Links to Other Resources
19. Reading: Quiz Instructions
20. Reading: Learn

Graded: Commas, Parallel Structure, and Sentence Variety