| Dear Scholars, We've had some very nice written contributions this week. Please make sure to read them, and the comments on them. Please add your own thoughts as well. The following playsheet is posted In response to a redundant preposition error that appeared in one paper. See if you can find and fix the errors. Redundant Prepositions Please identify and correct the
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Saturday, March 27, 2010
Redundant Prepositions Playsheet
Assignment: Modifiers and dangling participles
| It would seem fairly obvious, but one of the most important elements of writing is to say what you actually mean. It's very easy to say something else without realizing it. Let's explore this problem. A pronoun must refer to a single noun, not a phrase or a collection of oddments and especially may not refer to nothing at all. Check your work to determine the reference for pronouns. Wrong: The accountant's wheelbarrow was full of eels, which irritated the fastidious spectator. The which does not refer to a specific noun. Are the eels irritating the professor, or is it the presence of the wheelbarrow? Better: The presence of eels in the accountant's wheelbarrow irritated the fastidious spectator. Modifying phrases must modify something appropriate. "Misplaced" modifiers dangle about untidily. Here are some examples of ambiguous anaphoric references and dangling participles. While climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is quite steep up to the very top and then slopes away rather sharply, Rupert's hair dryer required constant adjustment. (Who is climbing the mountain? The hair drier?) Ducking under a flock of pestilent soiled budgies, the handlebars struck the sandwich in my pocket doing irreparable harm to the avocado. (Who or what is ducking?) To Rupert's surprise, he was comfortably able to drive the tractor wearing swim fins and goggles. (Is the tractor wearing swim fins and goggles?) Assignment: Look at the following examples, try to determine what is wrong with them, and correct it. Please be prepared on these. We'll go over them in class.
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Saturday, March 13, 2010
College Prep. English Essay Prompts
College Prep. English
Dear Scholars,
Essay writing is a skill which, like most skills, can be developed through practice. However, unlike many acquired skills -- operating a stapling machine, bleeding brakes, tallying sales figures -- it does not become a mindlessly repetitive and ultimately onerous activity. Despite experience in high school classrooms (using the mass-production educational model and presided over by often well-meaning but uninspired pedants) which so often prompts one to conclude that essay writing is always something decidedly distasteful, the essay is an opportunity for endless creativity and variation, whose flexibility and expressive potential is limited only by the writer's ability to weave poignant and cogent content into a dazzling fabric of felicitous diction.
Well, perhaps it needn't always go that far, but my point stands: essay writing is what you make of it, and the more you do, the better you get, the easier it becomes, and the more fun you are likely to have doing it. So let's do some!
It is very hard to generate enthusiasm for writing when one's labor results only in an ephemeral entity whose sole purpose for existence is to be the subject of a cursory critical evaluation and a single mark in a grade book. Essay writing is often much more exciting and interesting when one is writing for an audience and not just for a teacher who will glance over the paper quickly, make a few red marks, and return it. (If you would prefer to write this way, you may do so by sending works directly to my email.) In our class you have the opportunity to write for an audience -- for the class as a whole, the teacher, and ultimately, after some honing and revision, for other homeschoolers at EIE, for your own portfolio, and for possible publication in any of a number of websites and periodicals. You will also have the advantage of seeing the works of other essay writers, some of whom are more advanced and accomplished writers than you. We are homeschoolers and our objective is to develop our skills while assisting our classmates in developing theirs. If our class members succeed in contributing to periodical literature, homeschooling and otherwise, and are able, as a result, to add a "publications" section to their college application resumes, we will have accomplished far more than just a mark in a grade book or even an "A" in a high school class.
There follow a series of essay prompts provided by The Collegeboard -- the organization responsible for the SAT exam. I will (and you are also welcome to) add more prompts of like ilk to the list. If you are preparing specifically for the SAT, it would be a good idea to practice writing in response to prompts like these; if not, write on anything that inspires you.
Dear Scholars,
Essay writing is a skill which, like most skills, can be developed through practice. However, unlike many acquired skills -- operating a stapling machine, bleeding brakes, tallying sales figures -- it does not become a mindlessly repetitive and ultimately onerous activity. Despite experience in high school classrooms (using the mass-production educational model and presided over by often well-meaning but uninspired pedants) which so often prompts one to conclude that essay writing is always something decidedly distasteful, the essay is an opportunity for endless creativity and variation, whose flexibility and expressive potential is limited only by the writer's ability to weave poignant and cogent content into a dazzling fabric of felicitous diction.
Well, perhaps it needn't always go that far, but my point stands: essay writing is what you make of it, and the more you do, the better you get, the easier it becomes, and the more fun you are likely to have doing it. So let's do some!
It is very hard to generate enthusiasm for writing when one's labor results only in an ephemeral entity whose sole purpose for existence is to be the subject of a cursory critical evaluation and a single mark in a grade book. Essay writing is often much more exciting and interesting when one is writing for an audience and not just for a teacher who will glance over the paper quickly, make a few red marks, and return it. (If you would prefer to write this way, you may do so by sending works directly to my email.) In our class you have the opportunity to write for an audience -- for the class as a whole, the teacher, and ultimately, after some honing and revision, for other homeschoolers at EIE, for your own portfolio, and for possible publication in any of a number of websites and periodicals. You will also have the advantage of seeing the works of other essay writers, some of whom are more advanced and accomplished writers than you. We are homeschoolers and our objective is to develop our skills while assisting our classmates in developing theirs. If our class members succeed in contributing to periodical literature, homeschooling and otherwise, and are able, as a result, to add a "publications" section to their college application resumes, we will have accomplished far more than just a mark in a grade book or even an "A" in a high school class.
There follow a series of essay prompts provided by The Collegeboard -- the organization responsible for the SAT exam. I will (and you are also welcome to) add more prompts of like ilk to the list. If you are preparing specifically for the SAT, it would be a good idea to practice writing in response to prompts like these; if not, write on anything that inspires you.
So Wrong It's Right
College Prep English
Much thanks to Nathan for his excellent presentation on violin playing last week! It is always difficult to be the first to speak or write something for class.
Thanks to Jonathan B. for posting some excerpts from the works of Tolkien in the Great Writings Forum. I'm sure we will be discussing The Lord of the Rings later on.
I'm sure you have all watched the posted video, So Wrong It's Right, and have some responses to these questions.
This week Sean will be presenting something and I want to have everyone writing something. Those of you who have already written something, please post it soon. We need at least something from everyone in class this week. Can we have a volunteer to do a presentation for next week?
I have added a page of Autumnal Thoughts to the great writings forum. These are season-appropriate excerpts from many sources. We'll look at them this week.
Much thanks to Nathan for his excellent presentation on violin playing last week! It is always difficult to be the first to speak or write something for class.
Thanks to Jonathan B. for posting some excerpts from the works of Tolkien in the Great Writings Forum. I'm sure we will be discussing The Lord of the Rings later on.
I'm sure you have all watched the posted video, So Wrong It's Right, and have some responses to these questions.
- Should English usage be described or prescribed? What difference would that choice make to the development of the language?
- Can you think of a turn of phrase that has evolved during your lifetime? Is it something you would use?
- Did you find any instances of synesis in this recording? Did it sound wrong or right?
- What's wrong with using the built-in grammar checker in MS Word?
This week Sean will be presenting something and I want to have everyone writing something. Those of you who have already written something, please post it soon. We need at least something from everyone in class this week. Can we have a volunteer to do a presentation for next week?
I have added a page of Autumnal Thoughts to the great writings forum. These are season-appropriate excerpts from many sources. We'll look at them this week.
A new audio file on English usage
A new audio file on English usage has been posted on our English class site.
Please listen to it if you can, consider the points made, and submit your thoughts, if you have any, as responses to this message.
In class on Wednesday, several things came up in discussion which led to adding resources to our classroom, something I intend to do -- as soon as someone can remind me what they were. I did ask at the time to be reminded of them if I forgot. Does anyone remember?
Please listen to it if you can, consider the points made, and submit your thoughts, if you have any, as responses to this message.
- Should English usage be described or prescribed? What difference would that choice make to the development of the language?
- Can you think of a turn of phrase that has evolved during your lifetime? Is it something you would use?
- Did you find any instances of synesis in this recording? Did it sound wrong or right?
- What's wrong with using the built-in grammar checker in MS Word?
In class on Wednesday, several things came up in discussion which led to adding resources to our classroom, something I intend to do -- as soon as someone can remind me what they were. I did ask at the time to be reminded of them if I forgot. Does anyone remember?
College Prep English Class, week 6
College Prep English Class, week 6
Dear Scholars,
Nathan will give a presentation in class on violin playing. We will follow this with questions and discussion.
We will go over thoughts for writing projects and try to find something that will inspire everyone. Just a paragraph or two about a pet, or a relative, or an experience would be fine. I dislike using "What did you do on your summer vacation" because everyone hates to do that. The subject, and length are up to you.
Please have a look at the Vocabulary journals entries made by class members. There are some wonderful and useful words there. We will be discussing them and using them.
A link to the FreeRice vocabulary quiz page has been added to the class main page. This is a very well constructed vocabulary quiz program which adjusts automatically to all skill levels. We will discuss ways to use it. It is an excellent source for vocabulary journal words.
We will talk about class projects including reading a play (probably Shakespeare), and possibly submitting essays, poems, narratives in homeschooling publications. Please bring in any other thoughts you have.
Dear Scholars,
Nathan will give a presentation in class on violin playing. We will follow this with questions and discussion.
We will go over thoughts for writing projects and try to find something that will inspire everyone. Just a paragraph or two about a pet, or a relative, or an experience would be fine. I dislike using "What did you do on your summer vacation" because everyone hates to do that. The subject, and length are up to you.
Please have a look at the Vocabulary journals entries made by class members. There are some wonderful and useful words there. We will be discussing them and using them.
A link to the FreeRice vocabulary quiz page has been added to the class main page. This is a very well constructed vocabulary quiz program which adjusts automatically to all skill levels. We will discuss ways to use it. It is an excellent source for vocabulary journal words.
We will talk about class projects including reading a play (probably Shakespeare), and possibly submitting essays, poems, narratives in homeschooling publications. Please bring in any other thoughts you have.
Dear Philologists,
Can we have a volunteer to do an oral presentation Wednesday -- movie report, book report, current event report, how to build a rabbit hutch, how to recognize a venomous octopus, how to build a backyard turnip accelerator?
Can we have a volunteer to do an oral presentation Wednesday -- movie report, book report, current event report, how to build a rabbit hutch, how to recognize a venomous octopus, how to build a backyard turnip accelerator?
- Be sure to continue keeping your vocabulary journal, writing down and defining new words you encounter and posting them for the class in our Vocabulary journals forum. Everyone please post something.
- Think of a subject and prepare to write a short narrative/story/review. Be ready to describe it in class. go ahead and write on the subject if you like, posting it in our writer's forum. Try incorporating some of your new vocabulary terms.
- After listening to Spoken English example videos, please post your comments in the open forum and see if you can find some more good examples for the rest of us and post them.
- Please be prepared to do the "like" playsheet in class -- come prepared with notes only if you need them.
- Please think about class reading projects -- a play would be nice so we can do it in class. Suggestions were: A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet. Any other thoughts? Post your suggestions or anything else you'd like to share in the open forum.
Greetings from the College Prep English online classroom.
Dear Scholars,
Greetings from the College Prep English online classroom.
You are receiving this message because you or your children are or have been members of the class. Note that at the top of this email you will see links to our classroom page, to this forum and to this forum entry, while at the bottom of the page, you will see links to reply to this message or to unsubscribe from the forum so you won't receive further emails.
A new Vocabulary Journals forum has been created in the classroom. Everyone in class the first week was given a small pad of paper for the purpose of keeping a vocabulary journal -- a list of new words you encounter. Please keep expanding your list and looking up the definitions, then post them in this forum for the benefit of the whole class. Please try to add a few more every week -- just post new entries as a response to your original message.
Other facilities for your use are:
The Open Forum, for general posting of any sort.
The Writers' Forum, for posting your writing and compositions.
The Poetry Forum, for posting and reading poetry.
The Great Writings forum, for posting and reading example literature.
The Class Chatroom, a realtime chat system. If you enter the chatroom, anyone logging into the classroom will be able to see that someone is using it and will be able to join in. Feel free to use it or to schedule times to meet in the chatroom by posting a message in the Open Forum.
A Spoken English example videos page has been created for displaying lectures and debates which demonstrate well-used English. These videos are chosen solely for their use of language and not for the content or message of the talks, which may be on anything. Please watch them; more will be added.
Please drop in the online classroom if you can and explore. Watch for further assignment emails. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Greetings from the College Prep English online classroom.
You are receiving this message because you or your children are or have been members of the class. Note that at the top of this email you will see links to our classroom page, to this forum and to this forum entry, while at the bottom of the page, you will see links to reply to this message or to unsubscribe from the forum so you won't receive further emails.
A new Vocabulary Journals forum has been created in the classroom. Everyone in class the first week was given a small pad of paper for the purpose of keeping a vocabulary journal -- a list of new words you encounter. Please keep expanding your list and looking up the definitions, then post them in this forum for the benefit of the whole class. Please try to add a few more every week -- just post new entries as a response to your original message.
Other facilities for your use are:
The Open Forum, for general posting of any sort.
The Writers' Forum, for posting your writing and compositions.
The Poetry Forum, for posting and reading poetry.
The Great Writings forum, for posting and reading example literature.
The Class Chatroom, a realtime chat system. If you enter the chatroom, anyone logging into the classroom will be able to see that someone is using it and will be able to join in. Feel free to use it or to schedule times to meet in the chatroom by posting a message in the Open Forum.
A Spoken English example videos page has been created for displaying lectures and debates which demonstrate well-used English. These videos are chosen solely for their use of language and not for the content or message of the talks, which may be on anything. Please watch them; more will be added.
Please drop in the online classroom if you can and explore. Watch for further assignment emails. Please let me know if you have any questions.
College Prep English Class, week 4
College Prep. English Class
Welcome! This class will cover the use of formal written and spoken English as expected and required of college students. SAT verbal section test preparation will also be covered. For questions: eclass@abacus-es.com (626) 798-9657.
Class schedule
Our College Prep English class will meet 9:00 - 10:30 and online throughout the week.
New Online Classroom
In addition to our class meetings, we have an online classroom for the exchange of resources, and assignments. Use of the online English classroom is not mandatory, just convenient.
Please change the password when you get a chance and please let me know if you have any problems logging in.
Textbook
We will work with many online resources as well as our class textbook, SAT Practice: The New Verbal Section, which is available in the EIE store. Purchase of the text is optional as it is posted and available in our online classroom.
Class materials
Please always have pencil, paper, and dictionary handy.
Class policies
Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend and to participate, given space. This is homeschooling and we want the schooling process to continue at home.
Dear Excellence In Education English Students,
Welcome to all new and returning members!
Class schedule
Our College Prep English class will meet 9:00 - 10:30 Wednesdays and will start on September 16 at the Excellence In Education Resource Center, 2640 S. Myrtle Ave.Monrovia, CA 91016 (626) 821-0025. We will also meet online any time.
Textbook
We will work with many online resources as well as our class textbook, SAT Practice: The New Verbal Section, which is available in the EIE store. Purchase of the text is optional as it is posted and available in our online classroom.
New Online Classroom
In addition to our class meetings, we have an online classroom for the exchange of resources, and assignments. Use of the online classroom is not mandatory, just convenient.
Class materials
Please always have pencil and paper handy. Laptop, Blackberry, quill, stylus and clay tablet are all acceptable alternatives.
Welcome to all new and returning members!
(If you are a member from previous years, whether you are returning or not, you are very welcome to continue to participate in our online class. If you would like to be removed from this list, please let me know.)
Class schedule
Our College Prep English class will meet 9:00 - 10:30 Wednesdays and will start on September 16 at the Excellence In Education Resource Center, 2640 S. Myrtle Ave.Monrovia, CA 91016 (626) 821-0025. We will also meet online any time.
Textbook
We will work with many online resources as well as our class textbook, SAT Practice: The New Verbal Section, which is available in the EIE store. Purchase of the text is optional as it is posted and available in our online classroom.
New Online Classroom
In addition to our class meetings, we have an online classroom for the exchange of resources, and assignments. Use of the online classroom is not mandatory, just convenient.
Class materials
Please always have pencil and paper handy. Laptop, Blackberry, quill, stylus and clay tablet are all acceptable alternatives.
Shakespeare's Henry V, performance Saturday, August 22.
Dear English Class Scholars,
My family is going. Anyone else like to come?
This Saturday at Barnsdall Park in Hollywood the Independent Shakespeare Company will be performing Henry V. We have been studying mostly the comedies and the major tragedies but this play is one of the histories. It is perhaps one of the more renowned of these semihistorical dramas, containing the famous line "Once more into the breach my friends", "St. Crispin's Day" the most rousing of all battlefield exhortations, and the insightful scene -- re-enacted in an episode of StarTrek -- of the king in disguise on the eve of battle, sounding out his men.
My family is going. Anyone else like to come?
College Prep English Class, week 1
Dear Scholars,
It is that time again -- oft associated with onerous drudgery (at least it was in my childhood), but when it is back-to-homeschool, it actually promises to be a lot of fun. Please think about material you'd like to cover, things you'd like to research and write about, excoriating letters you would like to write to public officials or heads of state, dialogues you would like to pen in parody of historical figures or recent events, etc.
Class continues -- same time as last semester
Our College Prep English class will continue this fall in the same time slot (9:00 - 10:30 Wednesdays) as last year.
New Online Classroom
Music Theory Keyboard Class
It is that time again -- oft associated with onerous drudgery (at least it was in my childhood), but when it is back-to-homeschool, it actually promises to be a lot of fun. Please think about material you'd like to cover, things you'd like to research and write about, excoriating letters you would like to write to public officials or heads of state, dialogues you would like to pen in parody of historical figures or recent events, etc.
Class continues -- same time as last semester
Our College Prep English class will continue this fall in the same time slot (9:00 - 10:30 Wednesdays) as last year.
New Online Classroom
We have a brand new online classroom.
German Class for HomeschoolersOur English class will now be preceded by a German class which meets at 8:00 a.m. You are all welcome to attend that class if you are interested. The German class may have another class meeting added if there is enough interest.
Music Theory Keyboard Class
As in previous semesters, our English class will be followed by the music theory class which meets 10:30 - 12:00 noon. You are all welcome to attend if you are interested.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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