Course Content
A. Grammar Fundamentals
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A.01. Identify sentence types: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.
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A.02. Differentiate between phrases and clauses.
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A.03. Identify prepositional phrases within sentences.
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A.04. Recognize and correct sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
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A.05. Choose appropriate punctuation to correct sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
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A.06. Determine whether a sentence is simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.
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A.07. Combine sentences effectively using relative clauses.
B. Noun Usage
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B.01. Review the formation and use of plural nouns.
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B.02. Correctly form and use plurals of compound nouns.
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B.03. Apply knowledge of noun usage in both written and spoken contexts.
C. Pronoun Clarity and Agreement
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C.01. Identify and correct errors in the use of subject and object pronouns.
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C.02. Apply correct pronoun usage after ‘than’ and ‘as’.
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C.03. Use relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) correctly.
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C.04. Identify and correct vague pronoun references.
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C.05. Identify all possible antecedents for pronouns within a sentence.
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C.06. Correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.
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C.07. Analyze the impact of pronoun choice on sentence clarity and meaning.
D. Verb Tense and Voice
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D.01. Identify transitive and intransitive verbs within sentences.
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D.02. Identify linking verbs, predicate adjectives, and predicate nouns.
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D.03. Form the progressive verb tenses accurately.
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D.04. Form the perfect verb tenses correctly.
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D.05. Identify and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense, ensuring consistency and clarity.
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D.06. Differentiate between active and passive voice in sentences.
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D.07. Rewrite sentences from passive to active voice to improve clarity and impact.
E. Subject-Verb Agreement
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E.01. Identify and correct errors in subject-verb agreement within sentences.
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E.02. Identify and correct errors with indefinite pronoun-verb agreement.
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E.03. Identify and correct verb agreement errors with compound subjects.
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E.04. Apply subject-verb agreement rules in complex sentence structures.
F. Modifiers: Adjectives and Adverbs
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F.01. Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives correctly.
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F.02. Form and use comparative and superlative adverbs effectively.
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F.03. Distinguish between correct and incorrect usage of ‘good,’ ‘well,’ ‘bad,’ and ‘badly’ in comparative and superlative forms.
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F.04. Identify and correct misplaced modifiers within sentences to ensure clarity.
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F.05. Analyze the impact of modifier placement on sentence meaning.
G. Connecting Words: Conjunctions
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G.01. Use coordinating conjunctions to combine words, phrases and clauses.
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G.02. Use the correct pair of correlative conjunctions to connect related ideas.
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G.03. Use transitions with conjunctive adverbs to ensure smooth flow between sentences and paragraphs.
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G.04. Analyze the impact of conjunction choice on sentence structure and meaning.
H. Punctuation
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H.01. Use commas correctly with direct addresses, introductory words, interjections, interrupters, and antithetical phrases.
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H.02. Use commas correctly with compound and complex sentences.
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H.03. Apply commas correctly with coordinate adjectives.
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H.04. Differentiate between restrictive and non-restrictive elements and apply appropriate punctuation (commas).
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H.05. Use semicolons and commas effectively to separate clauses.
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H.06. Use semicolons, colons, and commas correctly within lists.
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H.07. Apply dashes, hyphens, and ellipses appropriately within sentences.
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H.08. Identify and correct errors in the use of apostrophes with plural and possessive nouns.
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H.09. Identify and correct errors with compound and joint possession using apostrophes.
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H.10. Evaluate the impact of punctuation choices on sentence rhythm and clarity.
I. Capitalisation and Formatting
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I.01. Correct capitalisation errors within sentences and paragraphs.
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I.02. Apply correct capitalisation when writing titles.
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I.03. Format titles correctly according to standard conventions.
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I.04. Apply formatting and capitalisation rules consistently across written work.
J. Vocabulary Foundations
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J.05. Understand how prefixes and suffixes alter the meanings of words.
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J.01. Identify word pattern analogies.
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J.02. Complete word pattern sentences with appropriate vocabulary.
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J.03. Recognize and use words with common prefixes such as pre-, re-, sub-, mis-, un-, dis-, in-, im-, and non-.
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J.04. Recognize and use words with common suffixes such as -ful, -less, -able, and -ible.
K. Roots and Etymology
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K.01. Sort words by shared Greek or Latin roots.
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K.02. Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
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K.03. Use known words to infer the meanings of Greek and Latin roots.
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K.04. Determine the meanings of common Greek and Latin roots.
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K.05. Determine the meanings of words containing Greek and Latin roots.
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K.06. Use etymologies to determine the meanings of words.
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K.07. Analyze how the meanings of words have changed over time based on their etymological roots.
L. Word Choice and Nuance
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L.01. Use the correct homophone in a sentence.
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L.02. Identify and correct errors involving homophones.
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L.03. Choose words whose connotation and denotation best match the intended meaning of a sentence.
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L.04. Use words accurately and precisely to convey specific meanings.
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L.05. Replace words with more suitable alternatives using a thesaurus.
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L.06. Explore words with new or contested usages, understanding the nuances of language evolution.
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L.07. Use context clues to discern the meanings of foreign expressions.
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L.08. Select the appropriate foreign expression to convey a specific meaning.
M. Context and Reference
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M.01. Determine the meaning of words using synonyms in context.
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M.02. Determine the meaning of words using antonyms in context.
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M.03. Use contextual clues to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words.
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M.04. Utilize dictionary entries effectively to understand word meanings and usage.
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M.05. Interpret dictionary definitions accurately.
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M.06. Use dictionary entries to determine the correct usage of words.
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M.07. Use thesaurus entries to find appropriate synonyms and related terms.
N. Vocabulary Expansion Through Analogies
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N.01. Understand and complete basic analogies.
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N.02. Tackle more challenging analogies that require deeper understanding of word relationships.
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N.03. Construct analogies to demonstrate understanding of word meanings and relationships.
O. Writing Cohesion and Clarity
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O.01. Use parallel structure effectively in sentences and paragraphs.
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O.02. Identify sentences that lack parallel structure and revise them for improved clarity.
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O.03. Remove redundant words or phrases to enhance conciseness in writing.
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O.04. Avoid double, illogical, and unclear comparisons in writing.
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O.05. Analyze and revise writing for clarity, conciseness, and parallel structure.
P. Research and Academic Integrity
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P.01. Identify instances of plagiarism in written work.
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P.02. Understand the ethical implications of plagiarism.
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P.03. Apply strategies to avoid plagiarism in research and writing.
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P.04. Properly cite sources using appropriate citation styles.
Q. Argumentation and Persuasion
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Q.01. Distinguish between facts and opinions in written and spoken texts.
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Q.02. Identify stronger and weaker evidence to support a claim or argument.
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Q.03. Select the best evidence to support a claim effectively.
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Q.04. Identify supporting evidence within a given text.
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Q.05. Evaluate counterclaims presented in an argument.
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Q.06. Choose the analysis that logically connects evidence to the claim being made.
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Q.07. Transition logically between claims, evidence, analysis, and counterclaims in argumentative writing.
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Q.08. Identify appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos in persuasive texts and advertisements.
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Q.09. Use appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos effectively in persuasive writing.
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Q.10. Evaluate the effectiveness of persuasive strategies used in different contexts.
R. Analysing Informational Texts
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R.01. Analyse the development of informational passages.
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R.02. Trace an argument within an informational text.
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R.03. Analyse rhetorical strategies used in historical texts.
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R.04. Compare and contrast different informational texts.
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R.05. Evaluate the credibility and bias of informational sources.
S. Essay Development and Organisation
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S.01. Order topics from broadest to narrowest to create effective outlines.
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S.02. Organise information effectively by topic within a written piece.
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S.03. Choose the topic sentence that best captures the main idea of a paragraph.
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S.04. Develop an introductory paragraph with a clear thesis statement.
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S.05. Construct well-supported body paragraphs with clear topic sentences.
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S.06. Write a strong concluding paragraph that summarizes the main points.
T. Literary Analysis
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T.01. Identify the narrative point of view in a literary text.
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T.02. Interpret the meaning of an allusion from its source material.
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T.03. Recall the source of an allusion used in a text.
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T.04. Interpret figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, and personification.
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T.05. Classify figures of speech, including euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, and paradox.
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T.06. Analyze the effects of figures of speech on meaning and tone.
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T.07. Match quotations with their corresponding themes in a literary work.
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T.08. Analyze and interpret short stories, identifying key literary elements.
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T.09. Compare and contrast different literary works based on theme, character, and style.
U. Creative Writing Techniques
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U.01. Use personification effectively in creative writing.
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U.02. Experiment with different narrative points of view in storytelling.
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U.03. Craft vivid descriptions using sensory details and figurative language.
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U.04. Develop compelling characters with distinct motivations and backstories.
V. Revision and Editing
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V.01. Use the correct form of frequently confused words (e.g., there/their/they’re, to/too/two).
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V.02. Identify and correct errors involving frequently confused words.
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V.03. Identify and correct errors involving frequently confused pronouns and contractions.
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V.04. Correct errors involving commonly misspelled words.
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V.05. Correct errors in everyday usage.
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V.06. Suggest appropriate revisions to improve the overall quality of a piece of writing.
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V.07. Proofread meticulously for errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.