Writing Basics 101: Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Writing Structures

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26

Lessons
70

Exams &
Assignments
17,991

Students
have taken this course
29

Hours
average time
2.9

CEUs

Course Description

Most of us learned spelling and grammar in elementary school and brushed up on the rules occasionally in junior high or middle school. Once we entered high school, it was assumed we knew and remembered all of the essentials -- and slowly we discovered that although there were some rules we just had to look up, we simply stopped worrying about "the minor details." It's time to relearn those "minor details" that can help you write and read more effectively. But it's hard to fix something unless you know how it works.

This self-paced, stress-free course is designed for students wanting to improve their basic writing skills as well as for business writers, creative writers and office staff wanting to improve poor work-related writing (and avoid embarrassing their bosses and themselves).

Our innovative course is designed as a refresher course for those who need to brush up on their skills and as a reference for anyone who wants to be able to look up the rules for confusing grammatical questions quickly and easily. After you've reviewed the basic rules of grammar and spelling, you can move on to the lessons on writing style for tips on improving your sentence and paragraph structure, how to polish your writing and how to avoid common errors.

Although this course is completely online, it doesn't mean that you'll be left on your own. The instructor will be grading assignments and tests and is available through email to answer any questions and provide guidance. Why not join us, learn at your own pace and your own schedule and reap the benefits?

The Importance of Proper Grammar and Punctuation

Try reading a paragraph that has had all the punctuation removed and you'll soon realize just how crucial it is. Thoughts run up against each other, you aren't sure where one sentence or phrase begins and another one ends. Chaos reigns in the thoughts you had organized so carefully!

Good grammar and spelling also reflect on you personally. Consider a major term paper written by two students, one with poor grammar and another who is a stickler for the details. With the value and accuracy of the information being equal, any professor will grade the paper with poor grammar or spelling lower. Why? Because not only is it simply not correct, but it tells the professor that the writer didn't bother to take the time to make sure his work was the best it could be. Reading a paper that is poorly organized and difficult to understand because of grammar mistakes is also very frustrating for the reader, more time has to be spent on deciphering the intended meaning and less time is spent on appreciating it.

Even the most basic writing, like thank you notes and emails, can be sabotaged by just one grammatical error. In the business world, this can give clients the impression that you aren't careful. If your work is as sloppy as your writing, you aren't the person they want to do business with.

Finally, improper use of grammar and spelling is a sign, whether right or wrong, that you may be less educated or less intelligent than you actually are. Your writing reflects so much more about your personality, attention to detail, and focus than most people are aware of; this course will help you learn just what you need to polish your writing to perfection.

Completely Online
Self-Paced
6 Months to Complete
24/7 Availability
Start Anytime
PC & Mac Compatible
Android & iOS Friendly
Accredited CEUs

Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider

Course Lessons

Average Lesson Rating:

"Extraordinarily Helpful"

(18,983 votes)

Lesson 1. Introduction

The introduction to this course will begin by first examining why proper grammar and spelling are important. 1 Total Points

Lesson 1 Video
Review 2 Practice Worksheets
Review Video: Parts of Speech Lesson
Take Survey: Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete: Introduction Assignment

Lesson 2. The Basic Rules of Spelling

This lesson describes how to turn singular words to plural and the exceptions to the rule. 10 Total Points

Lesson 2 Video
Review 5 Practice Worksheets
Review Article: 10 Tips to improve your spelling
Take Poll: Personal Spelling Average
Complete: Lesson 2 Exam

Lesson 3. Commonly Misspelled Words

This is a list of some of the most common and frequently misspelled words. 35 Total Points

Lesson 3 Video
Review 14 Practice Worksheets
Review 2 Articles: Commonly confused words-; Commonly misspelled words
Take Poll: Spelling Resources
Complete: Spelling 3-1 Exercise
Complete: Spelling 3-2 Exercise

Lesson 4. Plural Forms for Names, Compound Words, and Numbers

This lesson explains how to form plurals with some examples. 127 Total Points

Lesson 4 Video
Review 4 Practice Worksheets
Review 2 Articles: How to Form Plurals of Compound Nouns; How to Use Apostrophes Correctly
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise A
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise B
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise C
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise D
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise E
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise F
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise G
Complete: Lesson 4 Spelling Exercise H

Lesson 5. Understanding "ie" Versus"ei" and Other Spelling Dilemmas

This lesson presents the basic explanation of when to use "ie" and "ei". 145 Total Points

Lesson 5 Video
Review 5 Practice Worksheets
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise A
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise B
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise C
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise D
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise E
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise F
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise G
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise H
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise I
Complete: Lesson 5 Spelling Exercise J

Lesson 6. Prefix and Suffix Rules

This lesson explains the basics of adding prefixes and suffixes including some exceptions to the rule. 82 Total Points

Lesson 6 Video
Review 5 Practice Worksheets
Review Article: Attaching Prefixes and Suffixes
Complete: Lesson 6 Spelling Exercise A
Complete: Lesson 6 Spelling Exercise B
Complete: Lesson 6 Spelling Exercise C
Complete: Lesson 6 Spelling Exercise D
Complete: Lesson 6 Spelling Exercise E

Lesson 7. Common Prefixes and Suffixes

This lesson gives a list of the most common add-ons to root words and their meanings. 40 Total Points

Lesson 7 Video
Review Article: Test your proofreading and Spelling skills
Complete: Lesson 7 Spelling Exercise A
Complete: Lesson 7 Spelling Exercise B

Lesson 8. Homonyms

This lesson lists some of the most commonly used words that sound alike but have totally different meanings. 56 Total Points

Lesson 8 Video
Review 6 Practice Worksheets
Review 2 Articles: Homophones/Homonyms; List of 200 Homonyms
Complete: Lesson 8 Spelling Exercise A
Complete: Lesson 8 Spelling Exercise B
Complete: Lesson 8 Spelling Exercise C
Complete: Lesson 8 Spelling Exercise D

Lesson 9. Subject and Predicate

This lesson defines what a subject and predicate are and how they are used in sentences. 20 Total Points

Lesson 9 Video
Review 5 Practice Worksheets
Review 3 Articles: Subject/Verb Agreement; Subject and Predicate; Subject/Predicate Exercises
Review Video: Subject and Predicate
Take Poll: Rate Your Grammar Skills
Complete Exam: Spelling Test 9 - Subject-Verb Agreement
Complete: Lesson 9 Exam

Lesson 10. Verb Tenses

This lesson defines the different types of verb tenses from simple to future perfect progressive. 41 Total Points

Lesson 10 Video
Review 14 Practice Worksheets
Review Video: English Grammar -- Present Simple -- Structure
Complete: Lesson 10 Exercise: Find the Verb
Complete: Lesson 10 Exercise: Simple Present Verb Tenses
Complete: Lesson 10 Exercise: Irregular Verbs
Complete: Lesson 10 Exam

Lesson 11. Nouns and Pronouns

This lesson defines what a noun and pronoun are, the different types of pronouns and pronoun cases. Also, the correct usage of who and whom. 49 Total Points

Lesson 11 Video
Review 5 Practice Worksheets
Complete: Lesson 11 Exercise: Find the Subject Noun
Complete: Lesson 11 Exercise: Using the Correct Pronoun
Complete: Lesson 11 Exercise: Pronoun Substitution
Complete: Lesson 11 Exercise: Correct Pronoun Use
Complete: Lesson 11 Exam

Lesson 12. Adjectives and Adverbs

This lesson explains the definitions of adjectives and adverbs and the different degrees for modifying them. 42 Total Points

Lesson 12 Video
Review 7 Practice Worksheets
Review Article: Additional Examples of Adjectives and Adverbs
Complete: Lesson 12 Exercise: Identifying Adjectives and Adverbs
Complete: Lesson 12 Exercise: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Complete: Lesson 12 Exam

Lesson 13. The Phrase

This lesson describes the use of prepositions in forming sentences. 34 Total Points

Lesson 13 Video
Review Practice Worksheet: optional-WordSearch-Activity-7110.pdf
Review Article: Self-Test on Prepositional Phrases
Review 2 Videos: Identifying Prepositional Phrases; Grammar and Mechanics
Complete: Lesson 13 Exercise: Identify the Preposition
Complete: Lesson 13 Exam

Lesson 14. The Clause

This lesson describes the difference between an independent clause and a subordinate clause and the proper usage of that and which. 11 Total Points

Lesson 14 Video
Review 2 Practice Worksheets
Review 2 Articles: Difference Between That and Which; Independent VS Dependent Clauses
Complete: Lesson 14 Exam

Lesson 15. Periods and Other End Stops

This lesson describes when to use periods, exclamation marks, and question marks. 20 Total Points

Lesson 15 Video
Review Practice Worksheet: optional-Grammar_Punctuation_Wk_2.pdf
Review 2 Articles: Periods and Other End Stops; The Proper Use Of The Period And Other End Marks
Take Poll: Rate Your Punctuation Skills
Complete: Lesson 15 Exercise: Sentence Punctuation
Complete: Lesson 15 Exam

Lesson 16. Commas

This lesson explains when and where commas are used in sentences. 19 Total Points

Lesson 16 Video
Review 2 Practice Worksheets
Review Article: Comma Use Exercise
Complete: Lesson 16 Exam

Lesson 17. Apostrophes

This lesson covers the basic rules when adding an apostrophe and some exceptions. 22 Total Points

Lesson 17 Video
Review 2 Articles: Apostrophe Use Exercise; Apostrophe Rules
Complete: Lesson 17 Exercise: Using Apostrophes
Complete: Lesson 17 Exam

Lesson 18. Colons and Semicolons

This lesson gives the basic rules for using colons and semicolons in a sentence. 8 Total Points

Lesson 18 Video
Review 2 Articles: Commas vs. semicolons exercises; Semicolon and Colon Rules
Complete: Lesson 18 Exam

Lesson 19. Hyphens

This lesson describes when and how to use hyphens and when they are essential. 19 Total Points

Lesson 19 Video
Review 2 Articles: Hyphens; How to use Hypens in Your Writing
Complete: Lesson 19 Exercise: Hyphen Usage
Complete: Lesson 19 Exam

Lesson 20. Quotation Marks

This lesson explains how to use quotation marks properly in text. 8 Total Points

Lesson 20 Video
Review Practice Worksheet: optional-GrammarPunctuation_Wk_1.pdf
Review 2 Articles: Quotation mark exercises; Quotation Marks
Complete: Lesson 20 Exam

Lesson 21. Refining Your Sentences

This lesson explains how to use phrases and compound sentences to make your writing interesting. 30 Total Points

Lesson 21 Video
Review 6 Practice Worksheets
Review Article: Compound Subjects, Verbs, and Sentences
Review Video: The 20 Most Common Grammar and Mechanical Errors
Take Poll: Writing Expertise
Complete: Lesson 21 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 21.2 Assignment

Lesson 22. Paragraph Structure

This lesson explains proper paragraph structure with topic and concluding sentences. 40 Total Points

Lesson 22 Video
Review 2 Articles: Writing exercises for paragraph building; Paragraph Writing: How to Write a Good Paragraph
Review Video: Top 10 Essay Writing Tips
Complete: Lesson 22.1 Assignment - Paragraph Writing
Complete: Lesson 22.2 Assignment - Paragraph Writing

Lesson 23. Types of Paragraphs

This lesson explains the difference between narrative and descriptive and expository paragraphs. 60 Total Points

Lesson 23 Video
Review 2 Articles: Paragraph Writing Exercise; Seven Types of Paragraphs
Complete: Lesson 23 Assignment - Narrative Paragraph
Complete: Lesson 23.2 Assignment - Descriptive Paragraph
Complete: Lesson 23.3 Assignment

Lesson 24. Writing Dialogue

This lesson explains the importance of the structure and flow of dialogue. 20 Total Points

Lesson 24 Video
Review Article: Seven Keys to Writing Good Dialogue
Complete: Lesson 24 Assignment - Dialogue Writing

Lesson 25. Proofreading and Revising Your Writing

We'll review proofreading and techniques for revising to better improve your writing. 35 Total Points

Lesson 25 Video
Review 3 Practice Worksheets
Take Poll: Editing
Complete: Lesson 25 Assignment
Complete: Final Assignment - Three Paragraph Essay

Lesson 26. Additional Grammar and Writing Resources

Additional grammar and writing resources 74 Total Points

Take Poll: What is your opinion of this course?
Take Survey: Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
Complete: The Final Exam

1048

Total Course Points

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

Define the basic rules of spelling.
Recognize commonly misspelled words.
Demonstrate proper use of plural forms for names, compound words and numbers.
Recognize 'ie' versus 'ei' and other spelling dilemmas.
Define prefix and suffix rules.
Identify common prefixes and suffixes.
Define homonyms.
Identify subject and predicate and demonstrate using them properly.
Identify verb tenses and demonstrate using them properly.
Identify nouns and pronouns and demonstrate using them properly.
Identify adjectives and adverbs and demonstrate using them properly.
Identify the phrase and clause and use them correctly.
Identify and properly use periods, commas, apostrophes, colons, semicolons, hyphens, and quotation marks.
Refine your sentence writing, identify types of paragraphs and form paragraphs correctly.
Demonstrate correct writing of dialogue.
Proofread and revise your writing, and
Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.

Additional Course Information

Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
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Course Title: Writing Basics 101: Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Writing Structures

Course Number: 7550406

Lessons Rating: 4.4 / 5 Stars (18,983 votes)

Languages: English - United States, Canada and other English speaking countries

Category:

UniversalClass.com > Writing Help > Writing Improvement

Course Type: General Education (Self-Paced, Online Class)

CEU Value: 2.9 IACET CEUs (Continuing Education Units)

CE Accreditation: Universal Class, Inc. has been accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

Grading Policy: Earn a final grade of 70% or higher to receive an online/downloadable CEU Certification documenting CEUs earned.

Assessment Method: Lesson assignments and review exams

Instructor: Daphnee St.Val

Syllabus: View Syllabus

Duration: Continuous: Enroll anytime!

Course Fee: $65.00 (no CEU Certification) || with Online CEU Certification: $90.00

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Student Testimonials

"It is a joy studying under this instructor! Working on the assignments. Applying the principles that I have learned. More important, assignments are corrected. This is more valuable than studying all the books by myself! Best of all, I have very competent, readily-available instructor! A million thanks to you. " -- Joe O.
"The instructor was very helpful when I needed her help. She was prompt with responses and grading assignments and exams." -- Michelle T.
"I found the course helpful. I have been out of school for over 40 years and there were rules and such that I had forgotten. Working at my own speed was very good for me." -- JoAnne G.
"I loved my instructor. She was very helpful, and was there when I had a question. Thanks to her, I am now much better at writing. Personally, I found all of it just as helpful as the rest. It was all amazing, and very helpful." -- Joslyn A.
"I confess that initially I was hesitated to take the class. I had tried this type of on-line classes before and was very disappointed. However, my experience with UniversalClass has been completely different. I find the way the material was organized very helpful and easy to follow. The logic in the sequence of the lessons was perfect as it make complete sense for those like me, who are looking to refresh the school grammar studies and to learn new things. I have to say that I am very happy with the class, the material and the instructor. I know that she was very busy because there are many students on the class. However, she always took the time to review the material and to even make comments on the progress or the performance. In my line of duty, I am responsible for a lot of writing, and as the time goes by, I find myself with added writing responsibilities. I am not a native English speaker, therefore, I always double/triple check my writing. That's why it was so important to me to get back to basics and make sure I know the grammar rules in the English language. I find that the time I spent completing this course was extremely valuable and it will pay-off with very good dividends in the future. Thank you and keep up the good work with your web-site, your resources and the material of the classes. I can't wait to start my next class." -- Edna V.
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