King Saud University

College of Arts
Dept. of Eng. Lang & Lit.
Vocabulary Building (Eng. 120)
Course Syllabus
Section:
Day: , Time: 00:00 – 00:00
Rm: 00, wing: 0, bldg: 00, floor:
Instructor:
Office:
Email:

Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to review basic vocabulary lists and to bring students'
vocabulary to the intermediate level, through the use of different techniques such as: adding
affixes, word formation, etc. Students should be able to use and recognize at least 450 newly
introduced words.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Write the meanings of 450 newly introduced words.
2. Spell these new words.
3. Use these new words in meaningful sentences.
4. Change the part of speech of these words.

Text Book(s):
English Vocabulary in Use booklet to be picked up from the copy centre.
An English – English Dictionary (You have to bring your dictionary every time)

Evaluation:
• Quizzes and Assignments: 5 %
• Project: 10 %
• First Midterm Exam: 15 %
• Second Midterm Exam: 10 %
• Final Exam: 60 %

What is expected of the students?

• Each student should be prepared every class to answer questions about the words studied
the class before in the form of pop quizzes and short exams during lectures.
• Each student will work on a Vocabulary Building Dictionary project. This dictionary will
include a number of words, chosen by the students, from every chapter we cover in class
and explained according to the format of a dictionary.
• Always have “A4” paper or standard size paper with you to use for your in-class
assignments.
• Keep a vocabulary notebook for your notes and assignments.

Policies:
Attendance: Students are expected to attend every class. Any student who misses more than
25% can expect to receive a warning and a denial if absences continue.
Late Assignments: All assigned work is expected on its due date. Late papers are penalized.
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Students are encouraged to email the instructor any assignment you have failed to bring to
class. If I receive it on the day it is due, I won't count it late.

Make-up Exams: Students are responsible for being in class on test days. Students may not
make up an exam, quiz or assignment. Students with serious problems or medical
emergencies should notify me immediately when you know you'll be absent or when you
return.

Your Grades:

• I'll calculate your final grade based on your grades in the two midterm exams, the final
exam, all quizzes, your assignments, and your attendance.
• Correct English is essential and language mistakes will affect grading, i.e.: grammar,
subject-verb agreement, sentence-structure, spelling, capitalization, punctuation,
parallel-structure, use of articles, etc.

The Academic Support Center:

If you have difficulty writing your assignments or you have language problems, do not
hesitate to bring your problem to my attention, or consult the Academic Support Center
(make an appointment with the volunteering tutors in the department). The Academic Support
Center offers free professional tutoring to any student who has language problems or needs
help in any other skills for any course offered by the department. The tutors will help you
develop methods to improve your language and academic skills.
NB: Tutors will NOT help you do your homework.

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Week Topic lesson

Week 1 Registration week +

Introduction
Week 2 Introduction to course 3+5

Organizing a vocabulary
notebook

Using your dictionary

Week 3 Suffixes 8+18

Words commonly
mispronounced
Week4 Quiz 19+34

Onomatopoeic words

Containers and contents

Week 5 Quiz 36+37
The weather
Describing people:
appearance
Week 6 First Midterm Exam

Week 7 Describing people: character 38+41

Everyday problems
Week 8 Quiz 43 sections A,B
Education 44 sections A,B
Work
Week 9 Quiz 52+53
Clothes
Health and medicine
Week 10 Quiz 54+58
Travel
Computer and the internet
Week 11 Crime 61
62 section A
Money-buying, selling and 64
paying

Pleasant and unpleasant

feelings
Week 12 Second Midterm Exam
68 after midterm
Lesson 68 what your body
does
Week 13 Success, failure and difficulty 77+82

Idioms describing people

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Week 14 Idioms describing feelings or 83+87
mood

Miscellaneous idioms
Week 15 Final Exam