Suggested Age

13-18 years (middle school & high school)

Prerequisite

Basic competency in reading and handwriting, with limited exposure to English grammar

Purpose

This is a specialized preparatory course for those who seek to be confidently “on target” in their grammar and writing skills before entering One Day Academy’s high school English sequence.

Process

A successful study of grammar is the bedrock of effective writing. Students will learn to:
• Identify and understand the eight parts of speech as well as their functions in a sentence
• Master the lists of helping and irregular verbs, prepositions, contractions, and pronouns
• Master subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent agreement
• Revise sentence fragments and run-on sentences

Students will learn and practice elements of style that will instantly improve the quality of their writing. Such instruction will include:

• Six basic stylistic techniques that govern powerful word choice
• Six ways to ensure that a paragraph contains varied, well-structured sentences
• Accomplishing the purpose of a paragraph
• Utilizing a style rubric for each writing assignment

Vocabulary words are grouped according to their common English roots. The program includes:
• Over 160 of the most commonly used English roots
• Weekly charts involving definitions, roots, synonyms, and antonyms
• The students’ own original, descriptive sentences using their new words
• Spelling tests administered by the parent-teacher
• An end-of-the-year English Roots competition done Jeopardy-style

Curriculum & Texts, available at www.pahlowsenglish.com

• English on Target Course Workbook, by Debra Pahlow
• Easy Grammar Plus student workbook, by Wanda C. Phillips
• Easy Grammar Plus teacher’s edition, by Wanda C. Phillips