On Grammar
You must "know your grammar" to make effective word and stylistic choices when you speak and write. At the same time, breaking grammar "rules" or conventions can be appropriate when rhetorical considerations of audience and purpose call for it. For example, you don't use the same "grammar" to write an Instant Message as you do to you write an English paper. Of course, you can't break the rules until you know them. To that end, we will undertake an extensive grammar, punctuation and mechanics review of Standard American (Edited) English through online exercises that accompany your handbook, Lunsford's Easy Writer.
It is also important to understand that for certain audiences and purposes, it may be most appropriate to write in non-standard forms--yes, even Ebonics! Linguistically speaking, all dialects are equal. There are no "bad" or "incorrect" dialects, just as French is no "better" than English or British English is no better than American English. Unfortunately, however, some dialects are victims of "linguistic prejudice," the product of ignorance and faulty thinking. A Jewish linguist, Max Weinreich, captured the connections between language and power very well when he wrote that "A language is a dialect with an army and a navy." In other words, a language or dialect is assumed to be more prestigious if it is associated with a powerful group of people.
While Standard English has become the expected means of communicating in most professional spheres, both nationally and internationally, the person who can "code switch" between different dialects or, better still, different languages, will be the more successful communicator in global and local communities.
Instructions for completing the exercises:
1. Read the appropriate sections in Lunsford before doing the exercises. If you neglect this step, you won't make a good score on the exercises, and you must score 90% or redo them. Your scores are reported automatically to your Dr. Hollis.
Here are the sections in Lunsford you will need to read. You are usually required to do two or three exercises for each grammar point.
2. Click on the Exercises Central Page. The first time you will have to register, and thereafter you will have to login.
Click on Exercises in the top horizontal bar; scroll down the page and click on Easy Writer
Register/Login
Enter instructor email address: karyn.hollis@villanova.edu if requested
On Easy Writer page, look for the the Search box at the top of the page and enter the number of the exercise you wish to complete (see box below for list)
3. Click on "Submit" when you have finished the exercises in a unit. If your score is not 90% or above, you must redo the exercises.
4. I will receive an automatic, online report of the exercises you have completed and your grades on each one.
5. If you want to see which exercises you've done so far and what your grades are, Click here to go to the Main Exercise Central page. Then log in, and at the top of the next page on the right, click on "Scorecard." You'll see your grades on the exercises you've completed.
| Exercises for Better Writing-- | Total of 7 Exercises |
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Exercise Central-- Do Exercises 113 and 374. To get to these exercises, type their number in the Search box. Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central -- Do Exercises 308 and 230. To get to these exercises, type their number in the Search box. --Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central -- Do Exercises 526, 528 and 530. To get to these exercises, type their number in the Search box.--Must have scores of 90% |
| Exercises for Better Punctuation-- | Total of 16 Exercises |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 390 and 433. Type exercise number in the search box. --Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 397 and 317. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 219. Type exercise number in the search box.--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 100 and 401. Type exercise number in the search box.--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 65, 689 and 598. Type exercise number in the search box.--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 324 and 409. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 66 and 690. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 327 and 602. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
| Exercises for Better Word Choice-- | Total of 5 Exercises |
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Exercise Central -- Do Exercises 278 and 453. Type exercise number in the search box --Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central -- Do Exercises 12, 623 and 587. Type exercise number in the search box --Must have scores of 90% |
| Exercises for Better Sentence Style-- | Total of 8 Exercises |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 116 and 376. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 367 and 575. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 185 and 576. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 89 and 364. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
| Exercises for More Grammatical Sentences-- | Total of 8 Exercises |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 86 and 235. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 353 and 569. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 234 and 366. Type exercise number in the search box--Must have scores of 90% |
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Exercise Central --Do Exercises 83 and 365.Type exercise number in the search box --Must have scores of 90% |
| Total Number of Exercises=44 | But don't worry. They are quick! |
Of course, the goal is not only to master the exercises, but to use the grammar conventions correctly in your own writing. Please make a special effort to avoid these errors. There will be a grammar and punctuation component on your mid-term and final exam.