Grammar Refresher

There are many different kinds of sentences in the English language: Declarative (makes a statement), Interrogative (asks a question), Imperative (issues a command), and Exclamatory (shows strong emotion). Finally, you will explore some common problems and pitfalls to avoid when writing sentences.

Plural words refer to more than one; while, possessive words refer to nouns and pronouns and show ownership. Explore plural and possessive words and the rules you must follow to form them. You will also have plenty of opportunities to practice your new grammar skills.

There are many words that spell or sound similar yet have very different meanings. Explore these words and practice your new skills as you learn to avoid common pitfalls in your writing.

Phrases are groups of words that have distinct meanings and perform certain functions within a sentence. There are different types of phrases, including prepositional phrases, appositive phrases, gerund phrases, adverb phrases, adjective phrases, infinitive phrases, participle phrases, and absolute phrases.

Within the English language, parts of a sentence must agree in different ways. Explore subject / verb agreement, and see how using the correct conjunctions can correctly connect words or sentence parts together.

A sentence is a unit of thought, and each sentence must contain a subject and a verb to be complete. However, the three common sentence errors that writers often make: the run-on, the comma splice, and the fragment.

The purpose of studying grammar is to improve your English speaking and writing skills. Put your grammar skills to work as you gain writing tips and opportunities to practice your writing skills.

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.​

Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

Grammar skills are involved in every aspect of our lives including education, social life, employment, and leadership. Whether you are writing or speaking, proper grammar is important. This Grammar Refresher course will help remind you of some of the basic, English grammar rules that you may be using incorrectly. It will also help you sound more intelligent in both your work and personal life, and will help you feel more confident as you communicate.

No. Grammar encompasses much more than just punctuation. In Grammar Refresher, you'll learn about parts of speech (noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, etc.), sentence structure, phrases, clauses, and even problem words that many people get mixed up. You'll even get tips to help you improve your writing.

Absolutely! Improper grammar is distracting and annoying, and it can make people think you don't know what you're talking about. Too many grammatical errors can even make you seem sloppy, and this is not a trait you want to portray to your boss or coworkers. Using proper grammar will help you get your point across more clearly and may help you win over others in support of your ideas.

Understanding and using proper grammar can help you be more creative. There is no limit to things you can write and say once you understand the rules of grammar. You may even feel more confident expressing your views and ideas. You could start a blog, write a book, speak on behalf of an organization you support, teach others how to do something, and explore many other creative outlets where language is used.

Yes. Understanding the rules of English grammar will help you as you attempt to learn other languages. Other languages have clauses, adjectives, tenses, parts of speech, and other things you will find in English grammar as well. All languages follow grammatical patterns. The similarities and differences between English and any other language you are attempting to learn will be clearer if you have a strong grasp of proper grammar.

Writing that contains grammatical errors or improper punctuation, can be difficult and sometimes impossible to understand. Your goal in writing is to communicate with others, and you want to do so in a way that allows them to understand what you are trying to say—proper grammar will help.

When looking for a job, you want to put your best foot forward. Many employers will admit that they immediately disqualify an applicant who uses improper grammar in their cover letter or on their resume. We would even go so far as to say that proper grammar is one of the most important skills you can have when applying for a job!