Hong Kong Community College

CC2028 Grammar in Context

Tentative Teaching Plan
Semester One 2009/2010

Subject Leader
Raymond Ng (Office: HHB-1658, Tel: 3746 0426, email: ccrayng@hkcc-polyu.edu.hk)

Subject Lecturer
Michele Ho (Office: HHB-1611, Tel: 3746 0280, email: ________________@hkcc-polyu.edu.hk)
Raymond Ng (Office: HHB-1658, Tel: 3746 0426, email: ccrayng@hkcc-polyu.edu.hk)

Expected Learning Outcomes:

On successfully completing this subject, students will be able to:

make use of the various grammatical concepts learnt to facilitate the communication process for
various purposes.

analyse, explain and correct grammatical inconsistencies, ambiguities and other stylistic aberrations
to achieve communicative success in different contexts.

identify the use of different sentence patterns from diverse settings (e.g. news, commercial
advertisements, business correspondences, fictions, films, etc).

produce grammatical and context-specific texts with reference to the nature and purpose of writing.

Tentative Teaching Schedule

Lecture Tutorial

Week Content Week Content

Defining grammar – what
1 Course Introduction 1
is it about?
SENTENCE Common errors with
2 (a) Word Class vs Sentence Part 2 phrase, clause, and
(b) Word, Phrase, Clause and Sentence sentence
3 3
Common errors with
VERB
4 4 tense, aspect, voice, modal,
(a) Tense, Aspect, Voice, Modal, Number
and number
5 5
SUBJECT and Object Common errors with
6 Week 6: 6
(a) Bear Noun, Noun Phrase, noun and pronoun
Quiz 1 (topics
Noun Clause as Subject/ Object Common errors with
covered in
7 (b) Head Noun, Premodifier, 7 noun phrase and noun
weeks 2 – 5)
Postmodifier clause
- Feedback on Quiz 1
Catching up
8 - Catching up 8
Assignment 1 due
- Mock mid-term
WiseNews Training
9 Mid-term test (Topics covered in weeks 2 – 8) 9
(Language Lab)
10 COMPLEMENT 10 Object vs complement
Object vs complement vs
11 ADVERBIAL 11
adverbial
- Feedback on midterm test
Common errors with
12 - Quiz 2 (topics covered in weeks 2 – 11) 12
complement and adverbial
- Other common errors

Page 1 of 3
 Lecture Tutorial

Week Content Week Content

- Catching up Catching up
13 13
- Course Review Assignment 2 due
14 - Feedback on Quiz 2 14 Revision

Assessment Weighting
Coursework: 50%
Examination: 50%
100%

Assessment Methods for Coursework

Quiz 1 10%
Quiz 2 20%
Assignment 1 15% (Individual)
Assignment 2 25% (Individual)
Mid-term 25%
Participation* 5%
100%
*Criteria for Participation Assessment
To encourage a spirit of enquiry and sharing and to help you explore the creativity and enjoyment
of the process of learning and researching knowledge in this course, 5% of your coursework is
determined by your class participation.
Marks Scoring Rubrics
90/100 Student consistently demonstrates: Excellent attendance and punctuality; active
participation in class (in English); strong initiatives to use learning resources such as
online discussion board/email (MOODLE), peers, and lecturer, etc.; a self-motivated
and constructive learning attitude; good preparation for class (completion of
homework, use of textbook and course notes, etc.).
70/80 Student frequently demonstrates: Excellent attendance and punctuality; active
participation in class (in English); strong initiatives to use learning resources such as
online discussion board/email (MOODLE), peers, and lecturer, etc.; a respectful
learning attitude; good preparation for class (completion of homework, use of
textbook and course notes, etc.).
50/60 Student sometimes demonstrates: Excellent attendance and punctuality; active
participation in class (in English); strong initiatives to use learning resources such as
online discussion board/email (MOODLE), peers, and lecturer, etc.; a respectful
learning attitude; good preparation for class (completion of homework, use of
textbook and course notes, etc.).
30/40 Student frequently demonstrates: Absence from class (marginal attendance) and/or
lateness to class; passivity in class or non-English participation; a lack of initiatives to
use learning resources such as online discussion board/email (MOODLE), peers, and
lecturer, etc.; a disrespectful learning attitude; poor preparation for class (incompletion
of homework, no textbook and course notes, etc.).
0/10/20 Student consistently demonstrates: Absence from class (attendance is below 75%)
and/or lateness to class; passivity in class or non-English participation; a lack of
initiatives to use learning resources such as online discussion board/email
(MOODLE), peers, and lecturer, etc.; a disrespectful learning attitude; poor
preparation for class (incompletion of homework, no textbook and course notes, etc.).

Page 2 of 3
Attendance and other rules / regulations
 Attendance
The attendance requirement and all other rules and regulations in the HKCC Student Handbook
and in the respective Programme Definitive Document apply. Please refer to these documents for
details.
If you must miss class, please inform your lecturer ahead of time by any means. At the end of
semester, you should have come to 70% of the total contact hours, or else you may not be allowed
to sit for the final examination. You are expected to monitor your own attendance rate from time
to time.
 During the module, you are required:
• To observe the Hong Kong copyright laws. You are strongly recommended to buy the
course text, which will be fully used throughout the course, at the beginning of the
semester.
• To complete the coursework assessment tasks and to submit them before the deadline.
There will be a penalty for late assignments presented without a prior extension for valid
and significant reasons. 20% of the marks will be deducted for late submissions, and NO
assignments will be accepted if the submission is late for more than 7 days.
• To turn off your mobile phones and/or pagers during lectures and tutorials.
 All written assignments should be word-processed or type-written (double-spaced), unless
otherwise instructed. Handwritten assignments will not be accepted, except for the writing
tasks done in the class.
 The University expects students to do their own work. Plagiarizing is a kind of academic
dishonesty and cheating. You must NEVER plagiarize words or ideas from others. When
you include information you obtain through research, you should i) use citation and ii)
include a reference list. Disciplinary action will be taken if a student is found plagiarizing
other writers’ or students’ work. Penalties ranging from disqualification and expulsion may
be imposed in cases of proven plagiarism.

Lecture/Tutorial Notes and Assignments

Students are required to download lecture/tutorial notes and instructions for assignments from
MOODLE.

Text and References

Textbook:
Steer, J. M. and Carlisi K. A. The Advanced Grammar Book, Heinle & Heinle-Thomson (2nd ed.).

References:
Carter, R., Hughes, R., McCarthy, M. Exploring grammar in context: grammar reference and
practice (Upper-intermediate and Advanced, Cambridge University Press.
Casagrande, J. Grammar Snobs are Great Big Meanies, Penguin.
Crystal, D. Making Sense of Grammar, Pearson Education.
Greenbaum, S. and Nelson, G. An Introduction to English Grammar, Longman (2nd ed.).
Hughes, R. Exploring Grammar in Writing, Cambridge University Press.
Koch, R. S. Focus on Grammar: An Advanced Course for Reference and Practice Workbook, Addison-
Wesley (2nd ed.).
Murcia, M. C. and Freeman, D. L. The Grammar Book: An ESL/ EFL Teacher’s Course, Heinle &
Heinle-Thomson (2nd ed.).
Nettle, M. and Hopkins, D. Developing grammar in context: grammar reference and practice
(intermediate). Cambridge University Press.
O'Conner, P. T. Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, Riverhead
Trade (2nd ed.).

Page 3 of 3