230507 Grammar (S) (WiSe 2006/2007)

This course is arguably the most important foundation for all of your other work in Language Practice. Without a good grasp of grammar, you cannot speak or write English effectively. Of course, you also need vocabulary, but adding new words to your stock can be a lifelong process. Getting grammar under control can (and should) happen in one semester:

You must reflect critically on what you learned at school.

You must examine the value of "the rules" and their limitations.

You must know the relevant terminology and the available resources for guidance.

You must understand how sentences are constructed, how they are interpreted by native speakers and why some utterances "just don't look or sound right."

Regular exercises will help you to discover how good your grasp of grammar is already and where you still need to do more work to achieve mastery. You will also learn how to explain what is wrong with saying, for example, "I am waiting here impatient since half an hour. I think it is not politely if he will come so late." And how do commas work in English, anyway? Grammar will give you the power to dominate your sentences and make them work for you. It's now or never! There will be several short quizzes and a final examination.