Overview

This course is only available to students whose native language is not English, who would like to improve their overall competence in communicative grammar and written English.

QXS1004 can be taken as a pre-course but is not a co-requsite.

This single module provides communicative grammar practice in the areas of conditional, modal verbs, subject/verb agreement, prepositions, phrasal verbs, gerunds and infinitives, relative clauses, expressions of probability and possibility, articles and tenses.

The course also provides practive in different writing skills including business and personal letters, reports, book reviews, literature reviews and essays. The academic writing skills of re-writing, editing, quoting and referencing are also reinforced and set expressions in academic writing are also reviewed.

The module uses a communicative approach and by the end of the course, students would be expected to be approaching the level of ALTE Level 4 (Cambridge Advanced English), corresponding to 'Competent User' in the Council of Europe Framework.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -40% A student has achieved the minimum acceptable standard of competence in coursework and examination relating to the learning outcomes above (equivalent to IELTS 6.0)A student shows the ability to write a basic letter, report and academic essay and has some awareness of format, structure, content, style and grammatical accuracy with some appropriate use of sources for the directed essay. Basic competence in set expressions, editing, style, referencing, citation and quotation is demonstrated.There are some errors in grammar and format in the majority of written work but a basic competence in the grammatical areas outlined in the Summary of Course contents above is shown.

-good -55% A student has achieved a good standard of competence in coursework and examination relating to the learning outcomes above (equivalent to IELTS 6.5)A student shows the ability to write a good letter, report and academic essay and has good awareness of format structure, content, style and grammatical accuracy with mostly appropriate use of sources for the directed essay. Good competence in set expressions, editing, style, referencing, citation and quotation is demonstrated.There are only a few errors in grammar and/or format in all written work but these do not interfere with the communication of ideas and the work shows a good level of competence in the grammatical areas outlined in the Summary of Course contents above.

-excellent -70% A student has achieved an exceptional standard of competence in coursework and examination relating to the learning outcomes above (equivalent to IELTS 7.0 or above).A student shows the ability to write an exceptional letter, report and academic essay and has very good awareness of format, structure, content, style and grammatical accuracy with very good and appropriate use of sources for the directed essay. Very good competence in set expressions, editing, style, referencing, citation and quotation is demonstrated.There are very few minor errors in grammar or format in all written work. Ideas are communicated effectively, with stylistic elegance and the work shows very good competence in the grammatical areas outlined in the Summary of Course contents above.

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of the module, a student will: 1. Be able to write effectively in Engilsh in a wide range of formats, including business and personal letters, reports, book reviews, literature reviews and academic essays. 2. Have enhanced academic writing ability in the aeas of the use of set expressions, editing, style, referencing, citation and quotation skills. 3. Have enhanced grammatical awareness and accuracy within the grammar areas of conditionals, modal verbs, subject/verb agreement, prepositions, phrasal verbs, gerunds and infinitives, relative clauses, expressions of probability and possibility, articles and tenses.