CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE
COURSE OUTLINE
ESL 178
Grammar/Writing V
Number of weeks: 18
Lecture hours:
4
Units:
4
Advisory: Successful completion of ESL 172
Course Description: This course provides instruction in grammar and writing for high-advanced
ESL students.
Course Objectives:
At the completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Use targeted grammatical structures correctly in guided spoken and written communication.
Use specific grammar points to write passages of 300-400 words.
Integrate a variety of sentences in their writing: simple, compound, and complex.
Identify targeted grammatical structures in reading passages.
Course Content:
1.
20%
Modals:
 Review of present/future modals
 Perfect modals: meanings and uses
2.
20%
Conditional clauses:
 Review of present/future conditional clauses
 Unreal conditional clauses (contrary-to-fact)
3.
20%
Noun clauses:
 Review of embedded questions, statements, and imperatives
 Use of direct/indirect speech
 Use of subjunctive
4.
20%
Sentence patterns:
 Participial phrases: forms and uses, dangling modifiers
 Reduced adjective and adverbial clauses
 Parallel structures and correlative conjunctions
5.
20%
Verbals:
 Infinitives and infinitive phrases (active, passive, and perfect forms): meanings, patterns,
and uses

Gerunds and gerund phrases (active, passive, and perfect forms): meanings, patterns, and
uses
Methods of Instruction:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explicit instruction on grammatical structures, including proofreading and editing
Exercises, including identification of structures in texts
Pair and group activities
Feedback on student writing and oral production
Computer-aided instruction
Required Texts and Materials:
1.
2.
Textbook: Communicate What You Mean, 2nd edition, Carroll Washington Pollock (revised by
Samuela Eckstut), Longman
Instructor-prepared handouts
Course Expectations:
Students will spend approximately 8 hours per week on the following types of homework assignments:
1.
2.
3.
Reading of text material and completion of exercises
Reading of supplemental materials [such as articles and stories]
Completion of writing assignments
Student Assessment:
1.
4.
5.
6.
Tests and quizzes:
Homework and classwork:
Writing assignments:
Final exam:
40%
20%
20%
20%
Grading Policy:
A letter grade will be assigned based on the following categories:
90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, below 60% = F.
Students who choose the credit/no credit option will receive CR for an average of 70% and above, or
NC for an average below 70%.
Revised by N. Borhan, G. Segade, E. Smith, L. Statan, and E. Xiezopolski, Fall 2010