OBJECTIVES
This Course is designed to help students improve on, and take better advantage of, their communication skills with regard to the writing of Spanish, focusing on orthographic correctness, on the grammatical and lexical-semantic aspects involved in the writing process, as well as on the techniques involved in text composition.
SYLLABUS
Orthography
1. The Graphic System of Spanish: Graphies and Sounds.
2. The Spelling of Words: Accents, Capitals, Abbreviations, Symbols…
Matters of Grammar in Relation to Composition Writing
3. Punctuation Rules.
4. Adjectives: Use and Placement.
5. Verb Tense and Mood: Values and Uses.
6. Common Prepositions: Their Correct Application and Use.
7. Word Order.
8. Certain Distinctive Constructions.
9. Lexical-Semantic Aspects. Precision in the Use of Language: Ambiguity, Synonymy, Barbarisms, Solecisms and Improprieties.
Style and Expression
10. Techniques of Written Composition.
ASSESSMENT
Given the character of this Course, assessment will be dynamic and on-going. In this sense, the following factors will be kept in mind:
- Regular Attendance.
- Grades obtained in compositions and in other kinds of written exercises.
- The final-exam grade.
END-OF-COURSE EXAM
The exam to be held at the end of the Course will consist of a written composition, together with a second kind of written exercise which will be set at that moment (e.g. dictation, the completion of sentences in terms of the kind of exercises undertaken during the semester, etc.).
BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Gómez Torrego, L. (1989): Manual del español correcto, Madrid: Arco/Libros.
• Marsá, F. (1986): Diccionario normativo y guía práctica de la lengua española, Barcelona: Ariel.
• Real Academia Española (1999): Ortografía de la lengua española. Madrid: Espasa.
• Real Academia Española (2001): Diccionario de la lengua española., Madrid: Espasa.
• During class sessions further bibliographical titles will be cited.
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