English 2050 is Standard English Grammar, a 3-credit hour, 2000-level course offered by the English Department in the College of Arts and Letters that fulfills an Area F requirement for English-related and Modern Languages majors at UNG. Note: Despite being a 2000-level course, English 2050 does not fulfill your Area C Literature requirement. You must have earned a "C" in English 1101 and English 1102 to take this course. English-related majors must earn a "B" in English 2050 for it to count.
This course can also fulfill an Area F requirement for subjects that permit some flexibility in course selection: Psychology, Middle Grades and Secondary Education, Journalism, Media Studies, Communication, and Anthropology. Some Bachelor's degrees offer General Elective space that this course could fill as well.
In this course, you can achieve the following goals:
- Recognize the TEN basic sentence patterns
- Analyze syntax and word relationships
- Represent sentence forms using sentence diagrams
- Reflect on the purpose and value of Standard English Grammar
- Learn the basic parts of speech
- Learn the elements of syntax
- Parse the form and function of Standard English sentences
- Investigate Standard (and non-Standard) English usage
Texts and Materials
- Essential English Grammar, by Phillip Gucker (free online)
- The Novice Grammarian, by Matthew Horton (free online, in progress)
- Google Drive account
- Many working pencils and lots of notebook paper
To learn about the work you will do and how your course grade will be determined, please read How your grade is calculated. The basic idea is that you will earn your grade by completing a variety of labor tasks:
Course Policies
- Seek help from Dr. H first. If you are struggling or need help, send me an email—we can meet for tutoring in my office. You can also use workshop time in class to ask me questions. You may seek help on assignments before they are due. Be sure to use your UNG email account if you send me an email at matthew.horton@ung.edu, my UNG email address.
- Be present. Arriving on time goes a long way to staying on track. I want you to succeed--time in class is essential to that success. All students should try to take an active, constructive part in discussion in class. We will often view each other's sentence diagrams and meet in groups to discuss particular grammar issues. The best way to feel confident is to read and think about the assigned work well before class. When you take reading notes, write down thoughtful responses about what you are reading, and write down questions you want to ask or comments you want to make. If you would rather not speak in front of the whole class, please turn in comments and questions that I can express for you.
- Keep your phone in your bag. Part of "being present" is staying engaged with me, your classmates, and your assignments while in the classroom. If I see your phone or see you using your phone, you will get a non-participation mark for the day. This policy comes into effect as soon as I arrive, even before class begins, so only use your phone in the hallway.
- Make-Up Work. Work for this class includes assignments done on your own time as well as assignments done during class. When you are absent on a due date, you need proof of excuse to turn in missed work or take a test you missed. Always email to notify me about an absence. If your absence is planned ahead of time (and excusable), you should do the reading, turn in related assignments, and take the test before your planned absence.
- Turning in work. Some assignments (review questions, learning activities, and grammar exercises) will be submitted through Google Drive. Reading Notes and diagramming will be written on notebook paper and turned in at the beginning of class. If you don't have access to the internet, you can use the computers in the labs here on campus. Never use email to turn in work.
- Email. The official form of communication at UNG is email. This UNG policy protects all of us in the exchange of information. If you need to ask me a question about anything, whether personal or class related, please use your UNG email account to send a message to matthew.horton@ung.edu. This is my official UNG email address. Check your email two or three times a day.
- Disruptive behavior. Sensitivity and respect in and out of class between you and me and between you and your classmates is important to me. Do not be intentionally base, insulting, or provocative. I like debate during class when we are discussing issues or reading material, but please do not publicly criticize me, my class, or your classmates. We can speak privately in my office, or you can send me an email. Disruptive behavior includes leaving class early and eating in the classroom. You may have bottled water in the classroom, but no food (UNG policy).
- Academic honesty. All work submitted to fulfill requirements of this class must meet UNG standards of academic honesty. Violations of these standards include receiving or giving assistance on any graded assignment without my permission (aka, cheating), fabricating evidence for use in an assignment (aka, lying), and using another person's words or thoughts in your assignment without giving that person credit (aka, plagiarism). Penalty for committing these acts could range from a zero on the assignment to an "F" in the course.
- Withdrawal. Remember that you cannot withdraw from a class simply by not coming anymore. You have to withdraw yourself through Banner Web before the midpoint. Please be familiar with the University Attendance Policies.
- Disclaimer. This syllabus is subject to change to meet the needs of the course.
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