(This course has been integrated into the curriculum for Grammar I, II, and III in The Program for the Language Arts.)

1. What topics are covered in the class?

The Design of English is a comprehensive grammatical review of modern English that explains the logical reasons behind the rules of punctuation, phrasing, and sentence structure—knowledge that is indispensable to writing clearly and confidently. Students begin with a discussion of the parts of speech and then move into the tenses, voices, moods, and aspects of verbs. The course wraps up with a discussion of the different types of phrases and clauses, along with punctuation. Students may expect to spend approximately two hours on homework for each class, which includes reading assignments and written exercises. Exercises are reviewed in class, and students are encouraged to discuss examples from their own writing. The Design of English is a 14-week course offered in two 7-week sessions, A and B.

2. How will this class help me?

This class teaches you the analytical tools you need to revise written work quickly and accurately. You will spend more time writing and less time feeling frustrated, not knowing how to articulate your thoughts. You will gain a solid understanding of the architecture of the language—its principles of design and construction—and learn how to write with precision in order to ensure that your words say what you mean.

3. Is this an English as a Second Language (ESL) program?

The Design of English is not an ESL program, although we do have many students whose native language is not English. Foreign students who have studied English grammar and have a working knowledge of written and spoken English will benefit from this course. We recommend that these students visit a class to determine if The Design of English is what they are looking for.

4. English is not my first language, and I’m looking to improve my English vocabulary and pronunciation. Will this course help me?

The Design of English focuses on the grammatical structure of the English language, and does not emphasize conversational vocabulary development or pronunciation. If this is your primary goal, we can recommend other programs in ESL and accent modification.