Grammar And Vocabulary - UniHub - Middlesex University

THE LEARNER DEVELOPMENT UNIT
Helping you make the most of your studies
Grammar And Vocabulary Development –
WWorkshop k h 1
Academic Writing g and Language g g (AWL) ( )
Learner Development Unit
Our aim is to help all Middlesex University students fulfill their potential and
achieve as much as possible. p

Grammar and Vocabulary
• Why are you attending this grammar and
vocabulary workshop?
• In what ways do you think improved grammar
and vocabulary will contribute to your
successful studies at university?
• What techniques do you already use to
improve your English grammar and
vocabulary? y

This Course
This course will help you develop techniques to improve and deal with
grammar and vocabulary issues and relate these closely to the types of
task you will need to perform on your main course studies.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3
CCohesion h i RRegister i t St Stance
• Range and Accuracy
• Language use for
cohesion
• Sentence Structure,
Linking and
variation
• Academic Style and
formality
• Grammar and
Vocabulary for
different text types
and disciplines
• Reporting Verbs
• Tentative language
• Fact vs Opinion

Range vs Accuracy
What is meant by y range g and accuracy? y
How important are accuracy and range of language use in these
different aspects of your university work?
• Lectures and Seminars
• Written tte ass assignments g e ts
• Presentations
• Work Placements
Consider both the impression on the reader and the
effectiveness of communication and how these
might affect your achievements at university.

Accurate Vocabulary Use
• spelling
• collocations
• word form (part (p of speech) p )
• grammar of the word
• pronunciation
• connotation
• context
• style
• meaning
• overuse of words
• Which type of errors do you think you make the most?

Cohesion
Your tutor will give you two texts. Read them.
• What is the difference between them?
• Whi Which h ddo you thi think k iis a bbetter tt piece i off
communication? Why?
• What is cohesion? Why is it important?
• Do you think your writing is generally cohesive
enough?
• What grammar g and vocabularyy features do we
use for cohesion?

Features of Cohesion:
Grammar and Vocabulary Development
Id Identify tif examples l of f th these ffeatures t of f cohesion h i in i
the text:
• Synonyms
• Relative clauses
• Linking adverbs
• CConjunctions
• Structuring expressions
• Referencing pronouns and adjectives
• Ellipsis
• Adjective/Preposition/Adverbial phrases
• Ati Articles l
Which of these techniques to you think you overuse
or underuse?

Cohesion
• IIntroduction d i
• As the world looks to the future without oil, more attention is being
focused on alternative sources of energy. gy
• Paragraph 1
• The most common form of alternative energy is hydro power
• Paragraph 2
• Another abundant energy source is the sun
• Paragraph 3
• There is also, of course, wind power, of which the best known example is
windmills
• Conclusion
• As we have seen, there are many different kinds of alternative energy

Noun Phrases & Verb Phrases:
Sentence Structure
1. What’s the difference?: writing / academic writing /
reflective writing / creative writing for children / academic
writing which is assessed
2. What’s the Difference?: is / can be/ could be / will be / is
possibly going to be
• What grammatical structures are in 1?
• What grammatical structures are in 2?
• Which could you use as the subject or object of a
sentence?

Sentence Structure and Cohesion
1. Academic writing is an important skill for university.
2. Academic writing is an important skill for university and can
iimprove other th communication i ti skills. kill
3. Although academic writing is an important skill for university,
presentation skills are more useful for work situations situations.
4. Although academic writing is an important skill for university,
presentation skills are more useful for work situations situations, which
is a very important consideration.
5. Although academic writing is an important skill for university,
presentation skills are more useful for work situations, which
is a very important consideration, so university courses
should encourage assessment by presentation.

Linking and Sentence Structure
The below sentences all have similar meanings. g
How are the different linking words used differently?
Where is it in the sentence?
What is after the link? Noun or SVO structure?
How many sentences are there?
What punctuation is there?
Is it possible to move the linker? If so, do you change the
structure?
1. Although g academic writing g is an important p skill for university, y, ppresentation
skills are more useful for work situations.
2. Academic writing is an important skill for university but presentation skills
are more useful for work situations.
3. Academic writing is an important skill for university. However, presentation
skills are more useful for work situations.
44. Despite academic writing being an important skill for university university, presentation
skills are more useful for work situations.

Session Summary
• Wh What t have h you llearnt t ttoday d about b t using i
grammar and vocabulary?
• How can you use this knowledge to improve
your cohesion?
• What will ill you o st study d ne next t week? eek?
I th thi l ld lik t k
• Is there anything else you would like to work on,
during the next workshops?