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Lower Intermediate Writing and Grammar for English Language Learners

Course Code: ELLA 0013
Faculty: Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department: English Language Learning and Acquisition
Credits: 3.0
Semester: 15 weeks
Learning Format: Lab, Seminar
Typically Offered: TBD. Contact Department Chair for more info.
course overview

This course is designed to help English language learners upgrade their writing skills and the accuracy of their written language expression for personal, educational and/or employment purposes. It aims to improve confidence and develop accuracy and overall proficiency in writing through focused work on grammar and syntax. The writing practice will also provide opportunities for language development including vocabulary, speaking and reading.

Course Content

Students will receive instruction in skills and strategies in the following areas:

Writing and Grammar Skills

1. Writing compositions

  • Convey main ideas and support them with some detail.
  • Write informal descriptions of people, places, objects, or familiar situations.
  • Write informal personal narratives, describing a past event or personal experience.
  • Describe a future plan or an upcoming situation.

2. Writing social messages

  • Convey the message so that it is understandable with only minor effort.
  • Use basic email writing conventions (such as subject lines and opening/closing conventions).
  • Use language and content that are appropriate for social messages (such as invitations, thanks, updates, cancellations, and apologies).
  • Convey feelings in a manner that is appropriate to the social situation.

3. Accuracy

  • Follow common English (Canadian) spelling and punctuation rules and conventions.
  • Demonstrate mastery of word form and tense choice, clause, sentence and longer text elements, and mechanics specified for this and lower levels of mastery.
  • Use common cohesion links (such as pronoun references).
  • Use connective words and phrases within and between sentences to indicate addition (also, and) and sequence (first, second, next).
  • Use an adequate range of everyday vocabulary to write about familiar topics.
  • Proofread and edit their own written texts, revising drafts effectively, reading thoughtfully, and responding appropriately to peer and instructor feedback.
  • Use with only occasional errors the following grammar and syntax structures: simple and progressive tenses; negative and question forms; subject-verb agreement; word form choice; singular and plural forms; count and non-count nouns; descriptive adjective and noun combinations; participial adjectives (interesting/interested); adverbs of frequency; quantity expressions (some, many, a lot of, a few, few, a little, little, etc.); modals of ability; simple sentence structure; compound sentences with and, but, and so; adverb clauses of time and reason.

Study Skills

Take responsibility for:

• Attendance and punctuality

• Class work and assignments

• Participation and teamwork

Use common software to communicate and to complete information management tasks such as word processing assignments, sending emails, or signing in to an online learning management system.

Methods of Instruction

Some or all of the following methods will be used:

• whole-class instruction

• large- and small-group discussion

• pair work on tasks

• computer-assisted learning

• instructor feedback

• revision of submitted work

• monitor-led experiential tasks

Means of Assessment

Student achievement will be measured using the mastery system in accordance with College policy. Students will receive ongoing feedback from the instructor throughout the course. Evaluation will be based on learning outcomes and course content. Mastery will be granted to students who achieve an average of at least 70% on the items listed below. Evaluation will include, but need not be limited to, completing the following tasks:

-A collection of writing and grammar practice assignments, demonstrating effective proofreading and editing skills based on instructor and peer feedback, as well as on the student's own attention to errors in writing. Assignments will include sentence and paragraph writing.

-A collection of practice assignments showing effective use of newly introduced grammar and syntax structures from course content. Assignments will include sentence and paragraph writing.

-At least 2 in-class descriptive and narrative compositions of at least 120 words each. Students will demonstrate mastery of newly introduced grammar and syntax structures.

-At least 2 in-class grammar quizzes showing effective use of grammar and syntax structures from course content.

-At least 1 in-class informal social message, such as a note, an email, or a letter expressing an invitation, thanks, updates, cancellations, or apologies.

-A complete record of weekly assigned lab tasks, such as short answer tests, paragraphs, group work, or discussion.

Sample grade breakdown:

Proofreading and editing skills practice assignments worth up to 15% (total)

Practice assignments of newly introduced grammar and vocabulary worth up to 15% (total)

In-class paragraph writing assignments worth up to 20% (total)

In-class grammar quizzes worth up to 20% (total)

In-class social messages worth up to 10%

Lab assignments worth up to 10% (total)

Participation worth up to 10%

Learning Outcomes

Writing and Grammar Skills

By the end of the course, successful students will:

  1. Write compositions that are up to 1 paragraph long on familiar everyday topics, demonstrating clear, logical, and coherent expressions.
  2. Write short, personal, informal social messages on topics related to familiar everyday situations.
  3. Apply proofreading and editing skills in decisions about word form choice, register, clause, sentence and longer text elements, cohesive devices, and mechanics.
  4. Use grammatical structures and vocabulary from the course content to a required level of mastery.
  5. Complete assigned lab tasks to a required level of mastery.


Study Skills

  1. Participate effectively in a college class.
  2. Assess own progress.

course prerequisites

ELLA assessment



curriculum guidelines


course schedule and availability
course transferability




