Improve your English writing and grammar with this distance learning course.
This advanced ESL course is ideal for -
- People who speak English as a second language.
- People who want to improve their use of written English.
COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
- There are 12 lessons in course.
- The course duration is 100 hours.
- Study is self-paced, so you study how and when you want to.
- You are supported in your studies by our highly experienced tutors.
The 12 lessons comprise:
Lesson 1. Parts of speech
- Parts of speech, singular and plural forms, and subject-verb agreement.
Lesson 2. Verbs
- Verb tense, infinitives, participles, phrasal verbs.
Lesson 3. Parts of a sentence
- Subject and predicate, object, clauses and phrases.
Lesson 4. Building and combining sentences
- Structure and meaning, sentence variety, linking words.
Lesson 5. Vocabulary
- Related words, word origins, prefixes, suffixes, word combinations.
Lesson 6. Developing vocabulary
- Context, formal and informal language, connotative and denotative language.
Lesson 7. Writing for different purposes Part 1
- Writing to obtain and clarify information.
Lesson 8. Writing for different purposes Part 2
- Writing to provide information.
Lesson 9. Writing for business
- Writing letters, short reports, submissions.
Lesson 10. Study skills
- Understanding concepts, essay structure, addressing all parts of a topic, understanding what is required, referencing.
Lesson 11. Proof reading and editing
- Correcting and refining your document, targeting the intended reader
Lesson 12. Special project
- Reading, researching and writing for three different contexts – work, study, business.
COURSE AIMS
- Understand the basic rules of grammar.
- Apply rules of grammar to construct correct sentences.
- Identify word parts – word roots, prefixes and suffixes.
- Use word parts to develop vocabulary.
- Name the parts of speech.
- Understand basic principles of correct sentence construction.
- Understand the nature and purpose of a paragraph.
- Identify different kinds of language - formal/informal, direct/indirect.
- Identify appropriate language for different writing contexts.
- Use correct formats for business writing.
- Use correct formats for writing for study.
- Improve pronunciation.
WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE
Students will learn:
- Basic principles and terms of English grammar.
- What are the parts of speech in English, and the forms in which they can be used.
- How to correctly use parts of speech, including as adverbs and pronouns.
- What are the basic building blocks of English sentences.
- How to construct correct sentences.
- How to vary sentence structure.
- What is a paragraph, and how to construct one.
- Common work roots and how they are used to create different English words.
- The role and meanings of suffixes and prefixes.
- When and how to use direct (denotative) and indirect (connotative) language in business or study.
- How to write correctly for different purposes.
- Correct business writing.
- How to respond appropriately to different study tasks.
- Different writing formats for workplace and study.
- How and why to reference.
- How to edit a piece of writing to improve its organisation and readability.
- How to proof read a piece of writing to eliminate errors.
- What to consider when planning a piece of writing.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR WRITING BETTER
Good writing doesn't just happen. It needs to have purpose, be meaningful, relevant, and appropriate to its intended readers. It should also be easy to understand. To satisfy all these criteria, writers must first answer several questions:
- What do you hope to achieve with your writing? (ie. its purpose?)
- Who is likely to read it?
- What do you want to include and exclude from the content? (What might the anticipated readers need to know, want to know, and like to know?)
- How can you communicate intended information accurately and appropriately, to achieve your purpose? (What language, layout and format will be most suitable?)
Purpose
The purpose of your writing is often given to you by someone else, such as a teacher or employer, who asks you to write something. That person, however, may not clearly state the reasons behind their request. Your first task, therefore, is to ask what that person wants you to achieve with your writing.
HOW THE COURSE WORKS
You can start the course at any time.
It is studied by distance learning, so you can study in the comfort of your own home. But this doesn't mean you are all alone in your studies. Our highly qualified and friendly tutors are there to help you every step of the way. If you have any questions at all, they are always happy to help.
Each lesson includes set tasks, and is completed with an assignment which the student submits to their course tutor. The tutor will mark the assignment and return this to the student with comments and suggestions for further reading.
LEARNING WITH ACS - MORE THAN JUST COURSE NOTES
Your 'learning package' includes:
- Course notes.
- Self-assessment quizzes.
- Assignment feedback.
- You can interact one on one with a professional tutor with decades of experience - just email, phone or log on to chat to connect with them.
WHAT NEXT?
- Study to improve your writing and grammar - develop your skills and knowledge to write better for business or for studies.
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