Grammar Improvement

Key information

Year of study
2023-4
Duration
two 4 or 5 week Grammar Improvement courses
Department
Foundation College

Module overview

There are two 4 week Grammar Improvement courses, A and B.

They aim to give students the opportunity to review and improve the accuracy of their English within the context of particular academic writing functions. The lessons will involve identification,  analysis and practice of key aspects of grammar within an academic context.

The course will also present students with strategies for checking and correcting their writing independently. The course will be delivered in 2 hour sessions over 4 weeks. An online version of the course is available on BLE.

Areas of grammar covered include:

Course A

  • Writing impersonally: using the passive, nominal phrases. 
  • Writing analytically: using complex and compound sentence structures.
  • Reporting published work: reporting verbs and tenses.
  • Using cautious language: modals, generalising, indicating possibility.
  • Structuring writing: backwards and forwards linking, discourse markers.

Course B

  • Reporting published work: paraphrasing and summarising, qualifying a statement, giving a definition. 
  • Developing arguments: comparatives and superlatives, parallel structures. 
  • Reporting published work: articles and prepositions, proportions and percentages. 
  • Using cautious language: formal grammar and formal vocabulary. 
  • Structuring writing: punctuation-semi-colons and colons, hyphens and dashes. 

Scope and syllabus

The main aim is to relate the structures of language to their functions so that these can be identified and coopted by the student to aid them in their English, especially in writing. While being especially designed to help those with weak grammar, those with higher level grammar in general English should also benefit from how structures can be used in particular ways in academic English.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes.

However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Suggested reading

  • Elsworth, S. Walker, E. (2008), Grammar Practice: Upper Intermediate. Pearson, Longman. (general English)
  • Hewings, M. (2005), Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: CUP. (advanced grammar, general English)
  • Harrison, M., Jakeman, V., Paterson, K. (2012), Improve Your Grammar. Palgrave Study Skills, London: Macmillan. (academic English)
  • Murphy, R. (2004), English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: CUP.  (intermediate grammar, general English)
  • Paterson, K. Wedge, R. (2013), Oxford Grammar for EAP. Oxford: OUP. (academic English)