English 2050: Standard English Grammar

Final Week and Final Exam

2019-12-03T09:33:00.000-05:00

Make sure that you finish and submit all missing work to avoid "ignored" assignments. In some cases you will see a "zero" in the book to indicate a missing assignment. But there might still be some assignments I haven't looked at yet, so if you know they are missing, be sure to cover your tracks and get those in on Thursday.

Also, if there are any assignments on which you earned a very low grade and you want to improve them, you can turn in corrected versions of them (along with the original) on Thursday.

Between now and the final exam, you should devote yourself to practice every day. You can do this on your own, but you can also arrange times to work in person with me, including days next week.

First Day

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Welcome to your English 2050 course! I hope this semester will be both fun and challenging for you! Your professor is Dr. Matthew Horton (that's me!). You can call me "Dr. H." Please ask me questions about the course and how I teach it! Getting to know your professor will help you succeed.

Read the syllabus
Read the Grading Contract
Check the calendar
Learn how to use Google Drive
Resources on Google Drive (I will share this with you)
The Novice Grammarian (I will share this with you)

You can access other resources by clicking the tabs above and the links on the right. Take some time to look around in this website. All the resources can help you, and there are policies and requirements to learn. My contact info is also in the right-hand margin. Always use UNG email to send me questions and the reason you might not be able to attend class.

This course is mostly about analyzing sentences, but you will also learn new technology. We will be using lots of actual paper to diagram sentences and do grammar exercises, but you will also use Google Drive to type some assignments and access resources! This might be a little scary, but technology skills are important to your future job!

Try one of these for a better browser: Internet Explorer and Safari don't play well with Google Drive. Chrome is best! These buttons will take you to portable versions of the Firefox and Chrome that you can put on a USB drive, or you can search for a full install version in Google.

You will use Google Drive to write and share assignments:

You can keep track of online resources using this tool:

You can keep track of when you'll work on assignments using this tool:

You can learn how to type faster using this tool:

"Colorless green ideas sleep furiously."
"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo."

Sentence Diagramming Forms
Stephen Fry vs. Grammar nazis
"Word Crimes"
Grammar's Great Divide: The Oxford Comma

Syllabus - Fall 2019

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Description of Course
English 2050 is Standard English Grammar, a 3-credit hour, 2000-level course offered by the English Department in the College of Arts and Letters that fulfills an Area F requirement for English-related and Modern Languages majors at UNG. Note: Despite being a 2000-level course, English 2050 does not fulfill your Area C Literature requirement. You must have earned a "C" in English 1101 and English 1102 to take this course. English-related majors must earn a "B" in English 2050 for it to count.

This course can also fulfill an Area F requirement for subjects that permit some flexibility in course selection: Psychology, Middle Grades and Secondary Education, Journalism, Media Studies, Communication, and Anthropology. Some Bachelor's degrees offer General Elective space that this course could fill as well.

In this course, you can achieve the following goals:

Recognize the TEN basic sentence patterns
Analyze syntax and word relationships
Represent sentence forms using sentence diagrams
Reflect on the purpose and value of Standard English Grammar
Learn the basic parts of speech
Learn the elements of syntax
Parse the form and function of Standard English sentences
Investigate Standard (and non-Standard) English usage

Texts and Materials

Essential English Grammar, by Phillip Gucker (free online)
The Novice Grammarian, by Matthew Horton (free online, in progress)
Google Drive account
Many working pencils and lots of notebook paper

Course Grading
To learn about the work you will do and how your course grade will be determined, please read How your grade is calculated. The basic idea is that you will earn your grade by completing a variety of labor tasks:

Course Policies

Seek help from Dr. H first. If you are struggling or need help, send me an email—we can meet for tutoring in my office. You can also use workshop time in class to ask me questions. You may seek help on assignments before they are due. Be sure to use your UNG email account if you send me an email at matthew.horton@ung.edu, my UNG email address.
Be present. Arriving on time goes a long way to staying on track. I want you to succeed--time in class is essential to that success. All students should try to take an active, constructive part in discussion in class. We will often view each other's sentence diagrams and meet in groups to discuss particular grammar issues. The best way to feel confident is to read and think about the assigned work well before class. When you take reading notes, write down thoughtful responses about what you are reading, and write down questions you want to ask or comments you want to make. If you would rather not speak in front of the whole class, please turn in comments and questions that I can express for you.
Keep your phone in your bag. Part of "being present" is staying engaged with me, your classmates, and your assignments while in the classroom. If I see your phone or see you using your phone, you will get a non-participation mark for the day. This policy comes into effect as soon as I arrive, even before class begins, so only use your phone in the hallway.
Make-Up Work. Work for this class includes assignments done on your own time as well as assignments done during class. When you are absent on a due date, you need proof of excuse to turn in missed work or take a test you missed. Always email to notify me about an absence. If your absence is planned ahead of time (and excusable), you should do the reading, turn in related assignments, and take the test before your planned absence.
Turning in work. Some assignments (review questions, learning activities, and grammar exercises) will be submitted through Google Drive. Reading Notes and diagramming will be written on notebook paper and turned in at the beginning of class. If you don't have access to the internet, you can use the computers in the labs here on campus. Never use email to turn in work.
Email. The official form of communication at UNG is email. This UNG policy protects all of us in the exchange of information. If you need to ask me a question about anything, whether personal or class related, please use your UNG email account to send a message to matthew.horton@ung.edu. This is my official UNG email address. Check your email two or three times a day.
Disruptive behavior. Sensitivity and respect in and out of class between you and me and between you and your classmates is important to me. Do not be intentionally base, insulting, or provocative. I like debate during class when we are discussing issues or reading material, but please do not publicly criticize me, my class, or your classmates. We can speak privately in my office, or you can send me an email. Disruptive behavior includes leaving class early and eating in the classroom. You may have bottled water in the classroom, but no food (UNG policy).
Academic honesty. All work submitted to fulfill requirements of this class must meet UNG standards of academic honesty. Violations of these standards include receiving or giving assistance on any graded assignment without my permission (aka, cheating), fabricating evidence for use in an assignment (aka, lying), and using another person's words or thoughts in your assignment without giving that person credit (aka, plagiarism). Penalty for committing these acts could range from a zero on the assignment to an "F" in the course.
Withdrawal. Remember that you cannot withdraw from a class simply by not coming anymore. You have to withdraw yourself through Banner Web before the midpoint. Please be familiar with the University Attendance Policies.
Disclaimer. This syllabus is subject to change to meet the needs of the course.

Supplemental Syllabus
Student IT support

Calendar

2014-08-11T10:18:00.000-04:00

Each item on the agenda can be clicked to reveal a description, if any. All assignments are due on their deadline days, but the times will vary depending on the assignment.

Readings

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Most of your reading will come from the two books you will need this course:

Essential English Grammar, by Phillip Gucker
The Novice Grammarian, by Matthew Horton

There will also be readings from various online sources as the occasions arise.

Please check the calendar to know when readings are due. Whenever you see a reading for a particular day, you should be finished reading the assignment and taking notes by the time class begins. If there are exercises related to the reading, you must also have those finished and be prepared to ask questions during class. However, exercises do not count toward reading notes. Please type out the exercises in a clearly named Google Document, but draw any assigned diagrams on standard notebook or printer paper. Be ready to share your diagrams with your peers during class. You will do reading notes and exercises as proof that you have (a) done the reading and (b) prepared for discussion.

"50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice"
"A Picture of Language"
"Why Teach Grammar?"
"The Wrong Way to Teach Grammar"
"Are You a Language Bully?"
"Inescapably, You're Judged By Your Language"

"What's Universal Grammar? Evidence Rebuts Chomsky's Theory of Language Learning"
"Descriptivism vs. Prescriptivism: War Is Over (If You Want It)"
"Does Grammar Matter?"
"Why Academics Stink at Writing"
"Science Says You Can Split Infinitives and Use the Passive Voice"
"A Picture Of Language: The Fading Art Of Diagramming Sentences"
"Punctuated Equilibrium"
"A Brief History of Diagramming Sentences"
"Grammarians in Hoodies"
"Mina Shaughnessy and the Teaching of Writing"
"Errors and Expectations: A Guide for the Teacher of Basic Writing"
"The Writing Revolution"
"Grammar Puss"
"False Fronts in the Language Wars"
"The English Wars"
"Why Teach English?"
"Death to High School English"

"Weird Al Just Committed the Greatest Word Crime of All"
"The Problem with Weird Al's 'Word Crimes'"
"'Word Crimes': Weird Al gets it. Why don't the grammar police?"
"25 Questions for Teaching with 'Word Crimes'"

Assignments

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Using Google Drive

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You will use Google Drive for occasional writing assignments to prepare for discussion and for learning activities and grammar exercises from our textbooks (diagramming and reading notes will be done by hand). This online document creation and storage tool allows you to compose without any word processing software on your computer. The sharing feature allows you to share your work with me and your classmates.

In order for this tool to work for us, we will all have to cooperate, learn some new skills, and follow some rules. It might be a steep learning curve for some of you, but I think you'll be pleased with the results!

First, you'll need a Google account. If you have a Gmail account, then you already have a Google account, so all you need to do to get started is to sign in to Google Drive! If you don't have a Google account, the easiest way to start one is to sign up for Gmail! This link will allow you to designate a username for a Gmail account--I recommend using something like "LastName.FirstName" for your username.

Once you have your Google account, let me know the Gmail address you'll be using to sign into Google Drive.

Then, sign in to Google Drive and follow these steps:

Create a folder called "Lastname.Firstname.2050.Assignments.F19"
Share the folder with me and grant me "edit" privileges (use the Gmail sharing address I provided). You "share" by right-clicking on the folder and selecting "Share" from the menu. A window will pop up allowing you to type in the the Gmail address I gave you.
Create a document in that folder called "Lastname.Firstname.My.Expectations.F19"
Now open this document and write a 200-word response answering the following two questions about this course: Which elements of this course are you most looking forward to (read the website to learn what we'll be doing)? Which elements of this course are you most afraid of? Why?
Create another document in the same folder called "Lastname.Firstname.My.Goals.F19"
Now open this document and write a 200-word response to the following two items: What is your motivation to learn about Standard English Grammar? What approach will you use this semester to meet the requirements of this course?

How Your Grade Is Calculated

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I use a flexible system that gives you control over the grade you earn in this class. My goal is to change your view of grading, at least as it relates to the act of learning and practicing skills. Your grade in this course will reflect how diligently you complete assigned tasks, both in and out of class, on time. Through practice, your skills will improve. Please read the Grading Contract for this course.

You'll rehearse grammar skills through homework and workshops, and them demonstrate those skills on exams. You will also take reading notes on reading assignments. Timely and accurate completion of all assignments can earn you the default grade of a "B" for the course. If you turn in assignments either late or incomplete, I will mark them as such. As explained on the Grading Contract, there is direct relationship between timely completion of assignments and course grade. This includes assignments done in class as well as out of class.

I will still grade each individual assignment as feedback for improvement (and to keep track of achievement for the "A"). For details, please see the Grading Contract.

Below is a list of tasks you will do this semester. Remember, assignments turned in late or incomplete will still receive grades, but they will marked as late or incomplete for course grading purposes:

Please always feel free to ask me how things work. The Grading Contract might be a little unfamiliar, but it is designed to help you earn the grade you want.

You can gain full credit on an assignment by (a) meeting deadlines and content/length requirements for assignments and (b) participating in classroom activities designed around completion of these assignments. Why? Most students want a course grade to reflect their effort in a course; this approach to grading rewards effort, the labor that you put into completing tasks on time.

Check My Grades

2014-08-11T10:13:00.000-04:00

Go to UNG eLearning to view your grades:

Log on with your user ID and password
Choose my course from the "My Courses"
Click on "Grades"

Daily Work

2014-08-11T10:12:00.002-04:00

Daily work includes any exercises from the book that are part of your reading assignment, sentence diagramming both outside and inside the classroom, and active participation in discussions that occur during class. Sometimes discussion will happen in small groups. Other times, the discussion will be more general. Your presence and attentiveness are tied to (a) the work you do at home and bring to class and (b) your enthusiasm during our meetings and in your daily practice.

Daily work will sometimes include tasks that I assign during class and tasks that I assign for homework that are not necessarily directly tied to the textbook exercises, so stay attentive and come to class everyday to make sure you don't miss anything. Also, keep your eye on the calendar for updates. Daily work done outside of class needs to be brought to the next class period so that we can review the work and ask questions about it.

Some daily work will be done by hand on your own paper; other daily work will be typed in Google Drive.

Grammar Project

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This project is optional but can make your exams count LESS in your final grade.

What I have in mind for this project is an activity that will help you discover/interpret the relationship between the grammatical nature of a text and the meaning/significance communicated by that text. The first step in doing so is to select a text that is both grammatically interesting to you AND profoundly significant to you.

I will need to have some say in the text you choose for this project, just to make sure that are sufficiently challenging yourself (in addition to being "interested" in the text).

I think your text could be any kind of artistic performance of language: a poem, a song, a passage of descriptive narrative, a section of dialogue (from a story, novel, or film), or something else equivalent that you think would lead to an advanced discussion of meaning produced in part by grammatical phenomena. Whatever the text is that you choose, it must present a minimum level of grammatical complexity/strangeness, reward close reading, and yield interpretive interest (significance through implication, not just surface detail).

Start thinking about the text you might use so that we can reach an agreement soon. I will need to see the actual text you plan to work on, together with the source and author.

Presentation

The finished project should have a visual component (diagramming) and a textual component (written analysis). Please put both components in a folder called "Grammar.Project" and place this folder inside your Google Assignments folder.

Visual Component

I would like you to digitize your work in some fashion. This means you can draw the diagrams in a Google Presentation directly, or you can hand-draw your diagrams (very neatly) and then photograph them for display in Google Presentation slides (if you do hand-draw, I would like you to submit the originals as well). You should organize your Google Presentation so that it is a clear and easy-to-follow companion to your textual component.

The Google Presentation should be named LastName.FirstName.Grammar.Project.Visual.F19

Textual Component

I would like you to write at least 1000 words analyzing how the grammatical nature of your chosen text helps communicate the meaning/significance of that text. You should format this document the way you would a formal college essay (paragraphs, etc.), but you should not follow the traditional intro-body-conclusion structure where you generalize and repeat. There should be no wasted words in your document. And, yes, you may exceed 1000 words.

The Google Document should be named LastName.FirstName.Grammar.Project.Text.F19

Grading Criteria

The main criteria for this project will be

accuracy and completeness when diagramming and explaining the grammatical phenomena in your text
subtlety and thoughtfulness in your analysis (implications are more interesting than surface reading)
neatness and clarity of your presentation (both the Google slides themselves and your own writing in the textual component)

Reading Notes

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When reading notes are assigned for a reading assignment, you need to take hand-written notes that cover one full side of notebook paper. There will be some reading assignments that do not require note taking, so please check the calendar to know when notes ARE due. The notes you take are meant to demonstrate that you have read the complete assignment. When you come to class when notes for a reading assignment are due, please have a full side of standard notebook paper covered with notes that evenly address the entire assignment. To receive full credit for reading notes, you have to

Be in class to discuss the material!
Record your observations and thoughts instead of summarizing. Here's how:

Make a numbered list as you go through the reading(s).
Whenever you want to record an idea in your notes, give the page number of the sentence you just read that prompted an idea, quote the author's exact and complete words (using quotation marks), and then write a brief, thoughtful response that shows you are thinking about what the author is saying. For instance, you might be confused, and you could explain where your confusion is. Or you might have an example in your head that seems like an exception worth discussing.

If you write big or leave lots of white space, you'll need to fill more notebook paper.
Be sure your notes reflect that you read all of the assigned pages--it's okay to go past the minimum length if you need to cover more. Of course, you will not necessarily make an observation about every page, but do not stop taking notes before the end or skip a significant portion of the reading.
You should make no less than the required number of observations indicated on the calendar, but you must cover the whole assignment (if there is more than one article or chapter to read, please provide section headings in your notes).
Put your name, date, and the reading assignment at the top of the first page.
Turn these notes in at the beginning of class for me to evaluate.

Grammar Exams

2014-08-11T10:11:00.002-04:00

Exams will test your growing skills in sentence diagramming, your ability to recognize the form and function of different sentence elements, and your willingness to think about English usage. You can expect to draw sentence diagrams, identify parts of speech and parts of a sentence, and elaborate on certain grammatical concepts that we discuss in class.

Test 1

Label the parts of speech in sentences of limited complexity
Label the main line elements that determine a sentence's pattern
Identify the pattern type (either by number or by writing the formula)
Draw diagrams that fill, at the very least, the main line slots for a sentence's pattern
Define terms covered in The Novice Grammarian (Introduction through Chapter 3)

How would like points to be distributed on this test? How many sentences should there be to work on?

At this point, what do you feel you might not be able or ready to do on the test?

Basic Sentence Patterns

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3 "be" patterns
The lizards are in the tank.
The frogs are lumpy.
The termites are pests.

2 linking verb patterns
The dog seems gentle.
The fish became food.

1 intransitive verb pattern
The cat slept.

4 transitive verb patterns
The children threw Legos.
The president sent me a new contract.
The jury found the defendant rude.
The audience considered the film a waste.

TEN in total. Almost every standard English sentence follows one of these patterns.
Compound and complex sentences combine these patterns into longer strings.

Each pattern has a distinct predicate form. In other words, different subject forms do not add new patterns.

Sentence Diagramming

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Sentence diagramming is sometimes dismissed as a tedious, over-analytical killer of the joy of language. It certainly can be when done with a passive mindset that treats it like a chore. But the real purpose of diagramming is not the mere exercise of drawing diagrams. The purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of the way English sentences work, to look at them through a new lens that enriches our experience of language. Indeed, the purpose of diagramming is to arrive at a level of linguistic awareness where diagramming becomes unnecessary! Until we reach that point, we diagram because it gives us a stronger grasp of the complexity, variety, and beauty of English Grammar. And to this end, we must be active and vigilant in our practice, remembering that we draw so that we can see what is otherwise hidden in the linear sequence of words. Above all, we must love language! And yes, diagramming can be fun if you love language!

Workshopping and Practice

Homework Problems

Workshopping and Practice

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The most important factor in your progress as a novice grammarian is practice. For this reason, we will devote most class periods to actual grammar work. You'll form groups of FOUR (or three, depending on the numbers), and you will have tasks to complete.

Out of class, homework will give you plenty to work on, but I don't presume that homework exercises will give you all the practice you need. You can come for tutoring when you are really confused, but even when you aren't, you should be analyzing sentences and diagramming every day for at least an hour. Sentences are like puzzles to solve, and you should be tackling one after another. The good thing about this activity is that you can do it for 30 minutes straight or 5 minutes at a time. Find the pockets of your day that you can immerse yourself in the way words fit together.

Your success in this class can be measured by how much time you spend on your own, apart from my required work, thinking about the way sentences work. You have billions to choose from on the internet alone.

Homework Problems

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To increase scores on homework, keep the following in mind:

Draw your diagrams carefully, slowly, and neatly, in pencil, so that you can edit them. Leave plenty of space around each diagram and plenty of room to draw them completely.
Work more carefully to determine the pattern--the logic of the sentence should help you figure out the subject and verb, at least.
Be proactive in class about fixing the ones you are not sure about. This means that you need to come to class with sentences marked for questions.
Accuracy counts, especially when we are dealing with BASIC diagramming. I have to enforce this so that you do not go down the wrong path in the long run.