(section 1, class number 72389, meeting time MW 5:00-6:15, classroom Duke 240)
James Madison University
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ENG309: Traditional Grammar (section 1, class number 72389, meeting time MW 5:00-6:15, classroom Duke 240) James Madison University |
| Professor: EMAIL: Office: |
Dr. Sharon Cote |
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Availability: |
I am available during my office hours and by appointment. |
Description: In this course, we will explore the shapes that English sentences may take and learn the traditional rules for building and identifying those shapes. In other words, we will work on developing the kind of conscious understanding of the structure of our language that permits us to edit and analyze our own grammar and the grammar of others. In doing so, we'll focus on lexical and syntactic structures with some attention to semantic and cultural issues that affect these structures. While the course focuses on understanding how English grammar works rather than on memorizing a large number of unexplained prescriptive rules for "proper" English, we will, in fact, discuss a number of prescriptive issues as we study the relevant aspects of English grammar. We will also practice using our knowledge of grammar to identify syntactic paraphrases and to remold ungrammatical or awkward sentences
into acceptable or more elegant new shapes.
Required Texts: Greenbaum, Sidney and Gerald Nelson (2002). An Introduction to English Grammar, 3rd edition.
Emery, Donald W. (1961). Sentence Analysis.
Recommended Text: Garner, Bryan A. ed. (1996). Garner's Modern American Usage.
Work and Grading: Ungraded Assignments and Participation (15%),
Graded Assignments (18%), tests(35%), Final Exam (32%). All work must be completed BEFORE class time on the day it is due and must submitted on time and in-class
except in cases where permission for late submission or an alternative submission method is given in advance.
(In rare, well-justified circumstances that make it impossible to contact me beforehand, I may consider requests after a due date.) If an assignment
is described as "ungraded", this means that you must make an acceptable effort on all parts of the assignment and on all examples to receive credit for the assignment.
The good news is that an acceptable effort will be given full credit regardless of the number of mistakes! You may also skip or miss
one ungraded assignment without affecting your overall assignments grade for the course. You should have assigned readings
done before the first class date on which they will be discussed. Most students find that regular attendance in this course is crucial for keeping up with the class. I strongly
encourage it but do not count "attendance" in regular class meetings as part of your grade.
Note, too, that tentative test dates (and the final exam date) have already been posted; you should be particularly careful not to schedule anything else for those times.
for very special circumstances.
Of course, all your work for this course is subject to the JMU Honor Code.
If you have questions about any aspects of the honor code or about how any aspect of the code relates to this course, see me for clarification.
Other Course Policies:
Please read the full course policies page for additional details about grading and other issues.
Daily Schedule: Note that this is a tentative schedule of grammatical topics to
be discussed in each class period. We may end up spending a bit more time on one topic and a bit less on another, so check for revisions. Some issues in punctuation,
usage and style will be addressed as they relate to particular
topics. Time allowing, others will be discussed at the end of the semester.
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Date |
Topic |
Reading |
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8/29 |
Why study grammar - An introduction to the course |
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8/31 |
"What is grammar, anyway?" |
Greenbaum Chapter "0" (Introduction), Emery Lesson 1 |
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9/5 |
The Basic Sentence |
Greenbaum Ch. 1 through section 1.8, more on Emery Lesson 1, Emery Lesson 3 |
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9/7 |
Identifying Types of Basic Sentences |
Greenbaum Ch. 1 remainder and Chapter 4 through section 4.10 |
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9/12 |
Identifying direct objects, indirect objects, and complements |
Emery Lessons 4 and 5 |
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9/14 |
Practice with sentence types, Types of Word Classes, and a start on nouns |
Greenbaum pp. 31-36 in Chapter 2, Emery on nouns pg 108 |
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9/19 |
Nouns & Pronouns, determiners, and the noun phrase |
Greenbaum Ch. 2 pp. 45-55 and Ch 3 pp. 66-67 and 70-71, Emery p. 9-10 and more from Lessons 2-5 |
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9/21 |
Adjectives |
Greenbaum pp. 41-44,Emery pp. 9-10 again and look at adjectives in Emery Lessons 2 |
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9/26 |
Adjectives and Verbs |
Greenbaum pp. 37-39 (and re-read pp. 12-13 and 15-`7 on verbs) |
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9/28 |
Diagramming and Review |
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10/3 |
[TEST] |
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10/5 |
More Verbs, Verbs Phrases, & auxiliaries |
Greenbaum Ch 3 pp. 72-84 and 39-41, Emery 6 |
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10/10 |
even more on verbs and auxiliary verbs (Verb phrases) |
Emery Lesson 7 |
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10/12 |
Adverbs and Adverbials |
Greenbaum p. 44, Emery pp. 10-11 |
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10/17 |
Adverbs, and Adjective and Adverb Phrases |
Greenbaum pp. 84-88 |
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10/19 |
Conjunctions + more on Sentences and Clauses --Types by Use |
Greenbaum 55-56 and remainder of Ch 4, Emery Lesson 8 |
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10/24 |
prepositions and Prepositional Phases |
Greenbaum sections 2.41 and 2.42, 3.25 and 3.26, Emery pp. 11-12 |
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10/26 |
[TEST] |
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10/31 |
Sentences and Clauses - A Start on Gerunds |
Emery Lesson 9 |
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11/2 |
Sentences and Clauses -- More Gerunds |
Emery Lesson 9 |
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11/7 |
A first look at participles |
Emery Lesson 10 |
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11/9 |
More Participial Phrases and a first look at infinitives |
Emery Lesson 10-11 |
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11/14 |
More on Infinitives and a start on noun clauses |
Emery Lessons 12 and 15 |
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11/16 |
Noun Clauses and a first look at Adverbial clauses |
Emery Lesson 16 and 17 |
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11/21 |
THANKSGIVING VACATION -- CLASS NO, TURKEY YES |
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11/23 |
THANKSGIVING VACATION -- CLASS NO, TURKEY YES |
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11/28 |
[TEST] |
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11/30 |
Adjectival Clauses |
Emery Lesson 13-14 |
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12/5 |
More Adverbial clauses |
Emery Lesson 17 and parts (TBA) of Greenbaum chapters 7 and 8 |
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12/7 |
Final perspectives and punctuation issues |
misc. examples from Greenbaum Chapters 9-10 |
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12/12 ( MONDAY - confirm all details on JMU exam schedule) |
FINAL EXAM,3:30pm-5:30pm, usual classroom |
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"Language is the most massive and inclusive art we know, a mountainous and anonymous work of unconscious generations." Edward Sapir
Look here for assignments:
Look HERE for some additional practice for the final exam.)
Look HERE for TEST 3 (the take home test due in class 11/30).**
Look HERE for some additional practice for the third test. This is not an assignment.)
Look HERE for some additional practice for the second test. (This is not an assignment. Answer "skeletons" were handed out in class; extras are available outside my office.)
