AJc202 Grammar A

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/0/2. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Renata Jančaříková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Radek Vogel, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Helena Worthington, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Světlana Hanušová, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJc202/OS01: Fri 27. 9. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 11. 10. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 25. 10. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 8. 11. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 22. 11. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 6. 12. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, R. Jančaříková
AJc202/OS02: Fri 27. 9. 8:00–9:50 učebna 10, Fri 11. 10. 8:00–9:50 učebna 10, Fri 25. 10. 8:00–9:50 učebna 10, Fri 8. 11. 8:00–9:50 učebna 10, Fri 22. 11. 8:00–9:50 učebna 10, Fri 6. 12. 8:00–9:50 učebna 10, R. Jančaříková
Prerequisites
B2 level and higher.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
'Grammar A' course is designed for the 1st year students as an introductory course consolidating and developing their knowledge of English grammar at upper-intermediate level.
The main objective of the course is to present grammar as a system and study it as a complex whole with focus on functions and meanings. The course also includes basic linguistic terminology, the knowledge of which is essential for the students' independent work with the course materials and recommended sources as well as their future studies. Students will be able to (SWBAT) compare sentences in terms of grammar and meaning, as well as compare Czech and English grammar where such comparison is noteworthy; SWBAT correct mistakes in sentences and explain their corrections; SWBAT provide explanations and examples of their own to illustrate the grammar points discussed; SWBAT analyze stretches of language and justify choices of structures, tenses, articles, etc., and identify the speaker's attitudes and intentions. Since most of the students in the programme are practising teachers, the students also share their experience and discuss common problems and ways of solving them.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to: - analyze a simple sentence in English in terms of function and form (i.e. sentence elements and types of phrase);
- distinguish between basic types of verb - transitive, intransitive and linking + more uses of the same verb as to the verb type
- understand and use the whole range of English tenses (simple and continuous) in context and explain differences in meaning;
- distinguish between the verbal categories of voice, mood, tense;
- form their own examples/sentences illustrating all of the above;
- be able to identify and correct mistakes in grammar
Syllabus
  • 1. Linguistic terminology: sentence and sentences structure, sentence elements, phrases, types of verbs, sentences vs. clauses
  • 2. Linguistic terminology: markedness, basic types of reference (generic vs. specific), open vs. closed word classes, pro-forms, ellipsis, assertive vs. non-assertive use, markedness
  • 3. Main verbs - their common features, forms, regular vs irregular forms, finite vs. non-finite forms
  • 4. Primary auxiliaries - be, do and have - their common features, use in context with a focus on their function
  • 5. Modal auxiliaries - marginal modal auxiliaries, modal idioms, semi-auxiliaries
  • 6. Passive - the category of voice (active vs. passive), reasons for using the passive, transformations in all tenses
  • 7. Reported speech - sequence of tenses, reporting verbs, reported questions, word order
  • 8. Present tenses - simple and continuous with reference to present, past and future time; mutual comparison
  • 9. Past tenses - simple and continuous with reference to present past time, mutual comparison
  • 10. Present perfect and past perfect - simple and continuous, mutual comparison,
  • 11. Expressing future - all structures expressing the future - will, going to, future perfect, be to, etc., mutual comparison
Literature
    required literature
  • BIBER, Douglas, Susan CONRAD and Geoffrey N. LEECH. Longman student grammar of spoken and written English. First published. Harlow: Longman, 2002, vii, 487. ISBN 9780582237278. info
  • YULE, George. Oxford practice grammar : with answers. Updated edition first publis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019, vii, 274. ISBN 9780194214766. info
    recommended literature
  • ALEXANDER, L. G. Longman English grammar. Edited by R. A. Close. London: Longman, 1988, x, 374. ISBN 0582558921. info
  • SWAN, Michael. Practical English usage. Fourth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016, xxx, 635. ISBN 9780194202435. info
  • MURPHY, Raymond. Essential grammar in use : a self-study reference and practice book for intermediate students : with answers. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003, x, 350. ISBN 052143680X. info
  • SPARLING, Don. English or Czenglish? : jak se vyhnout čechismům v angličtině. 1. vyd. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1989, 274 s. info
  • SPARLING, Thomas Donaldson, Simona KALOVÁ and Chris RANCE. English or Czenglish. Avoiding Czechism in English. 1st ed. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2021, 319 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-9965-4. info
  • PRODROMOU, Luke. Grammar and vocabulary for first certificate. Harlow: Longman, 1999, 319 s. ISBN 0-582-40018-X. info
  • DUŠKOVÁ, Libuše. Mluvnice současné angličtiny na pozadí češtiny. 3. vyd. Praha: Academia, 2003, 673 s. ISBN 8020010734. info
  • VINCE, Michael and Peter SUNDERLAND. Advanced language practice with key : English grammar and vocabulary. 1. ed. Oxford: Macmillan, 2003, viii, 326. ISBN 1405007621. info
Teaching methods
homework, self-study, class discussions, pair work, group work, online practice
Assessment methods
Requirements - for details, see the moodle course: 1. ATTENDANCE
2. HOMEWORK/ SELF-STUDY/ ACTIVE PARTICIPATION- the work in class is based on the materials provided that the students are supposed to study before the seminar, both the compulsory books and the materials provided in the moodle course
3. MOODLE QUIZZES (11 quizzes, 1 per topic)
4. MID-COURSE TEST (topics discussed in the 1st half of the course)
5. FINAL TEST taken in the exam period (pass mark 70%) - theory and terminology and practical exercises
Students are required to work regularly on their own using the materials in the Moodle course and other study materials provided.
Methods: progress test, online quizzes, discussions
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 24 hodin.
Teacher's information
https://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=3021
More details concerning the requirements, plan, materials, etc., are available from the moodle course in which students enrol at the beginning of the semester and work in it throughout the semester.


In the course, the use of AI is permitted for learning but not for cheating. It is acceptable to use AI for brainstorming ideas, basic proofreading, and suggestions for improvement. It is unacceptable to have a text generated, translated or reformulated. Remember to acknowledge all innovative ideas that are not yours. For generated ideas, use in-text citations. At the end of each assignment, state how you worked/did not work with AI. When in doubt, consult your teacher.

The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2024/AJc202