Course Content
A. Vocabulary Fundamentals
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A.01. Identify and define common prefixes and suffixes.
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A.02. Apply knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to determine word meanings.
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A.03. Solve word pattern analogies using prefixes and suffixes.
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A.04. Complete sentences using words with specific prefixes and suffixes.
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A.05. Explore the historical development and changing usages of specific words.
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A.06. Analyse the impact of prefixes and suffixes on a word’s part of speech.
B. Grammar Basics: Sentences
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B.01. Distinguish between complete sentences, fragments, and run-on sentences.
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B.02. Identify prepositional phrases within sentences.
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B.03. Choose appropriate punctuation to correct sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
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B.04. Classify sentences as simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.
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B.05. Combine sentences effectively using relative clauses to improve flow and clarity.
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B.06. Analyse how sentence structure affects the overall tone and emphasis of a passage.
C. Contextual Vocabulary
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C.01. Determine the meaning of words using synonyms found in context.
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C.02. Determine the meaning of words using antonyms found in context.
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C.03. Infer word meanings from contextual clues within a passage.
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C.04. Understand and apply domain-specific vocabulary related to science and technology.
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C.05. Analyse how contextual clues can help determine multiple meanings of a word.
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C.06. Evaluate the effectiveness of different contextual clues in determining word meanings.
D. Developing Arguments
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D.08. Assess the reliability and validity of different types of evidence.
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D.01. Differentiate between factual statements and opinions.
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D.02. Identify evidence that strongly supports a given claim.
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D.03. Select the most appropriate evidence to substantiate a claim.
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D.04. Locate and cite supporting evidence within a text.
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D.05. Evaluate and address counterclaims effectively.
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D.06. Analyse how evidence logically connects to and supports a claim.
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D.07. Create smooth transitions between claims, evidence, analysis, and counterclaims in writing.
E. Word Relationships
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E.01. Solve basic analogies by identifying relationships between words.
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E.02. Describe the nuanced differences between related words.
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E.03. Select words whose connotations and denotations accurately fit the sentence’s context.
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E.04. Apply accurate and precise language in writing.
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E.05. Utilise a thesaurus to replace words and enhance writing style.
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E.06. Interpret dictionary entries to ensure correct word usage.
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E.07. Solve complex analogies requiring nuanced understanding of word relationships.
F. Literary Devices
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F.01. Identify and explain the narrative point of view in a text.
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F.02. Interpret the meaning and significance of literary allusions by referencing their source.
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F.03. Recognize the original source of a literary allusion.
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F.04. Interpret the meaning of various figures of speech.
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F.05. Classify different figures of speech, including euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, and paradox.
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F.06. Classify figures of speech such as anaphora, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, chiasmus, and understatement.
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F.07. Analyse the effects of figures of speech on meaning and tone in literature.
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F.08. Evaluate the effectiveness of specific literary devices in conveying a theme or message.
G. Reading Comprehension: Main Idea
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G.01. Identify the central theme or main idea of a given passage.
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G.02. Summarize the key points that support the main idea.
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G.03. Distinguish between the main idea and supporting details.
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G.04. Evaluate how effectively the main idea is presented in the passage.
H. Greek and Latin Roots
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H.01. Categorise words based on shared Greek and Latin roots.
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H.02. Use Greek and Latin roots to decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words.
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H.03. Utilise known words to understand the meanings of common Greek and Latin roots.
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H.04. Define the meanings of specific Greek and Latin roots.
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H.05. Determine the meanings of complex words containing Greek and Latin roots.
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H.06. Trace the etymological origins of words back to their Greek and Latin roots.
I. Tone and Purpose
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I.01. Identify which text exhibits the most formal tone.
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I.02. Compare passages to distinguish between subjective and objective tones.
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I.03. Determine the intended audience and purpose of a given text.
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I.04. Compare different passages to analyse variations in tone.
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I.05. Analyse how tone and purpose influence a writer’s choice of language and style.
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I.06. Evaluate the effectiveness of tone in achieving the author’s intended purpose.
J. Writing Style: Clarity and Conciseness
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J.01. Incorporate transitions using conjunctive adverbs to improve sentence flow.
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J.02. Avoid double, illogical, and unclear comparisons in writing.
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J.03. Identify sentences that effectively utilise parallel structure.
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J.04. Apply parallel structure to enhance clarity and rhythm in writing.
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J.05. Eliminate redundant words or phrases to achieve conciseness.
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J.06. Assess how word choice contributes to the overall clarity and precision of writing.
K. Homophones and Commonly Confused Words
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K.01. Select the correct homophone for a given sentence.
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K.02. Identify and correct errors involving homophones.
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K.03. Identify and correct errors with frequently confused words.
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K.04. Recognise and correct errors with commonly misspelled words.
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K.05. Correct common errors in everyday language usage.
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K.06. Distinguish between subtle differences in meaning among commonly confused words.
L. Writing Strategies: Organisation
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L.01. Order a list of topics from broadest to narrowest in scope.
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L.02. Organise information logically by topic to create coherent paragraphs.
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L.03. Develop an outline that effectively organizes ideas for a written composition.
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L.04. Evaluate the effectiveness of different organizational strategies for various writing purposes.
M. Research and Academic Integrity
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M.01. Understand and identify instances of plagiarism in academic writing.
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M.02. Learn methods to avoid plagiarism.
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M.03. Summarize the ethical implications of plagiarism in academic and professional contexts.
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M.04. Practice summarizing, paraphrasing and quoting.
N. Grammar: Pronouns
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N.01. Identify and correct errors involving subject and object pronouns.
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N.02. Apply correct subject and object pronoun usage in various contexts.
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N.03. Use appropriate pronouns after ‘than’ and ‘as’ in comparative sentences.
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N.04. Identify and correct pronoun errors involving ‘who’ and ‘whom’.
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N.05. Use relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) correctly.
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N.06. Identify and correct vague pronoun references.
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N.07. Identify all possible antecedents for a given pronoun.
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N.08. Correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.
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N.09. Apply correct pronoun case in compound constructions.
O. Grammar: Verb Tense and Agreement
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O.01. Identify and correct errors in subject-verb agreement.
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O.02. Identify and correct errors in indefinite pronoun-verb agreement.
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O.03. Identify and correct verb agreement errors with compound subjects.
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O.04. Form the progressive verb tenses accurately.
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O.05. Form the perfect verb tenses accurately.
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O.06. Identify and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense within a passage.
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O.07. Choose appropriate verb tenses to convey different time relationships.
P. Grammar: Phrases and Clauses
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P.01. Differentiate between phrases and clauses in a sentence.
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P.02. Identify appositives and appositive phrases within a sentence.
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P.03. Identify dependent and independent clauses.
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P.04. Use phrases and clauses correctly to add detail and complexity to sentences.
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P.05. Evaluate the impact of different types of clauses on sentence meaning.
Q. Grammar: Adjectives and Adverbs
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Q.01. Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives correctly.
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Q.02. Apply the correct usage of “good,” “better,” “best,” “bad,” “worse,” and “worst.”
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Q.03. Form and use comparative and superlative adverbs correctly.
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Q.04. Apply the correct usage of “well,” “better,” “best,” “badly,” “worse,” and “worst.”
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Q.05. Use adjectives and adverbs effectively to enhance descriptive writing.
R. Grammar: Misplaced Modifiers
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R.01. Recognise and correct misplaced modifiers in sentences.
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R.02. Identify dangling modifiers and revise sentences to correct them.
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R.03. Evaluate sentences to determine if modifiers are used correctly.
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R.04. Rewrite sentences to eliminate misplaced modifiers and improve clarity.
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R.05. Combine sentences using modifiers effectively.
S. Grammar: Restrictive and Non-restrictive Elements
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S.01. Interpret the punctuation surrounding restrictive and non-restrictive elements.
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S.02. Apply commas correctly with non-restrictive elements.
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S.03. Differentiate between restrictive and non-restrictive elements.
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S.04. Use restrictive and non-restrictive elements to add detail and clarity to writing.
T. Punctuation: Commas
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T.01. Apply commas correctly with direct addresses, introductory elements, absolute phrases, interjections, interrupters, and antithetical phrases.
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T.02. Use commas correctly in compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.
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T.03. Apply commas with coordinate adjectives.
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T.04. Apply the rules of comma usage in a variety of sentence structures.
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T.05. Evaluate sentences for correct comma placement and usage.
U. Punctuation: Semicolons, Colons, and Commas
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U.01. Join related sentences effectively using semicolons, colons, and commas.
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U.02. Use colons and commas to introduce lists, quotations, and appositives.
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U.03. Use semicolons and commas to separate items in a series.
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U.04. Select the correct punctuation to create complex sentence structures.
V. Punctuation: Dashes, Hyphens, and Ellipses
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V.01. Apply dashes correctly to indicate a sudden break or emphasis.
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V.02. Use hyphens correctly in compound adjectives.
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V.03. Determine whether ellipses are used appropriately to indicate omissions.
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V.04. Recognize and correct instances of incorrect usage of these punctuation marks.
W. Punctuation: Apostrophes
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W.01. Identify and correct errors involving plural and possessive nouns.
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W.02. Identify and correct errors involving compound and joint possession.
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W.03. Choose the correct punctuation when using possessive nouns.
X. Punctuation: Capitalisation
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X.01. Identify and correct errors in capitalisation.
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X.02. Apply capitalisation rules consistently across a variety of writing contexts.
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X.03. Correct all capitalization errors in sentences.
Y. Foreign words and expressions
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Y.01. Use etymologies to determine the meanings of words
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Y.02. Use context as a clue to the meanings of foreign expressions
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Y.03. Use the correct foreign expression
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Y.04. Analyse the cultural and historical implications of using loanwords from other languages.
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Y.05. Evaluate the effectiveness of using foreign expressions in different writing contexts.
Z. Analyse literature
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Z.01. Analyse short stories: set 1
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Z.02. Analyse short stories: set 2
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Z.03. Evaluate the author’s choices of structure, style, and literary techniques in a variety of literary works.
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Z.04. Create literary analysis.
AA. Analysing informational texts
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AA.02. Analyse the development of informational passages: set 2
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AA.03. Trace an argument: set 1
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AA.04. Trace an argument: set 2
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AA.05. Analyse rhetorical strategies in historical texts: set 1
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AA.06. Analyse rhetorical strategies in historical texts: set 2
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AA.07. Evaluate the credibility and reliability of sources used in informational texts.
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AA.08. Construct a critical analysis of persuasive texts, examining their claims, evidence, and reasoning.
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AA.01. Analyse the development of informational passages: set 1
BB. Topic sentences
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BB.01. Choose the topic sentence that best captures the main idea
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BB.02. Learn how to write a topic sentence for each paragraph.
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BB.03. Learn how to write an opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention.
CC. Persuasive strategies
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CC.01. Identify appeals to ethos, pathos and logos in advertisements
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CC.02. Use appeals to ethos, pathos and logos in persuasive writing
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CC.03. Analyse the effectiveness of different persuasive strategies in achieving their intended effect.
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CC.04. Learn how to incorporate persuasive strategies in speech.
