Grammar in a Morning

An understanding of grammar is at the heart of good writing. This course is designed as a short but practical workshop for staff at all levels who feel their grammar can let them down. It is ideal as a refresher for those people who learned grammar a long time ago, as well as for those people who haven't had formal training in English grammar and have found their own way through. By the end of this training course delegates will:
• Have a clearer understanding of the basics of English grammar
• Be confident in the use of verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions
• Use grammar to help develop the skill of writing in a simple and businesslike manner
• Be a better speller
• Know the correct use of punctuation

Introduction

1. What we are going to cover today

Prioritising the course objectives

1. Do you have specific grammar 'issues'?
2. What would you like to achieve today?

A grounding in English grammar

1. Verbs are the champions
2. Nouns and pronouns and..abstract noun clusters
3. Adjectives and adverbs: use with care
4. Prepositions and conjunctions: new directions

Spelling and punctuation

1. Getting the most from a spell checker and avoiding the most common pitfalls
2. Using a thesaurus properly
3. Getting to grips with punctuation including the rights and wrongs of using full stops, commas, apostrophes, hyphens, colons and semi colons

Writing clearly and simply

1. Sentences and how to structure them effectively
2. Avoiding common pitfalls like non agreement of subject/verb, misplaced phrases and dangling participles
3. Plain English overview and how it links with the principles covered during the day

Recap, action plan and conclusion

This Grammar in a Morning course concentrates on practical application rather than theory. A significant part of the morning is spent doing a wide variety of activities applying the theory within a business context.