ENGLISH LANGUAGE

 

 

Joe Glaser, CH 11, 745-5763

Joe.Glaser@wku.edu

 

Prerequisite:  ENG 100

 

Catalog Description:  A study of the sounds, word structure, and sentence patterns of modern English, with emphasis given to parts of speech, phrases, and clauses.

 

Texts:  Martha Kolln and Robert Funk. Understanding English Grammar, 7th                           Edition.  New York: Pearson-Longman, 2006.

       Keith Denning, Brett Kessler, and William R. Leben. English Vocabulary    Elements. Second Edition, Oxford, 2007.

 

As the only required language course for English majors, this class offers a general grounding in English language topics, including sentence patterns, phrases, clauses, word classes, syntax, and sentence construction.  We will also work on vocabulary, morphology, etymology, and the history of English—all important topics for understanding how the language actually works.  Most classes will center on the text books.  We'll average about sixty pages a week, working our way through the texts with a mix of discussion, group activities, exercises, and quizzes.

 

Five basic grades will make up your semester average:

 

  Attendance, exercises, daily grades           20%

  Three one-hour tests                                   20% each

  Final                                                                20%

Tests will combine short-answer items and discussion topics.  I'll give you study guides beforehand; working all suggested activities in the class readings will also be a big help.

Daily grades are quizzes over the day's readings or brief written comments on some aspect of what you've read.  Missing grades cannot be made up.  You may miss two daily grades with no penalty, but further misses count against your average.  If you pass all quizzes and get all short written assignments in on time, you qualify for an 5-point bonus toward your class net average—enough to go from a C (75%) to a B- (80%).

Attendance Policy:  You are allowed up to three unexcused cuts.  After you've missed three classes, I'll want valid excuses.  Anyone missing more than six classes without a cast-iron excuse (something like a hospital stay) will be penalized five points per cut on his or her final average or asked to drop the class.

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