English is a difficult language to learn because of its many obscure grammatical rules, which are fairly easy to mess up--even for native speakers. While it’s easy for non-native speakers to get overwhelmed by confusing grammar rules, in this course, we'll provide you with tips that will help you understand the rules more easily and give you lots of practice with the tricky grammar of everyday English. Please note that the free version of this class gives you access to all of the instructional videos and handouts. The peer feedback and quizzes are only available in the paid version.
This course is part of the Learn English: Intermediate Grammar Specialization
Tricky English Grammar
Offered By
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
12 hours to complete
Welcome
This is the third course in the Learn English: Intermediate Grammar specialization. Learning English can be tricky, and in this class you'll focus on some of those tricky issues. You'll get clear explanations about the difficult grammar points and practice in using them correctly.
2 videos (Total 2 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
1 reading
Message10m
6 hours to complete
Nouns, Articles, and Quantifiers
This week, you'll learn about tricky nouns, articles, and quantifiers. When should you put "a" or "the" in front of a noun? When should you put nothing in front of the noun? In this module, you'll find the answers to these questions, and you'll get lots of practice to help you use nouns and articles correctly.
12 videos (Total 67 min), 13 readings, 5 quizzes
12 videos
Count and Noncount Nouns Review Lecture5m
Count and Noncount Noun Mistakes Lecture9m
Articles Review Part 1 Lecture3m
Articles Review Part 2 Lecture4m
Articles Review Part 3 Lecture8m
Mistakes with Articles Part 1 Lecture6m
Mistakes with Articles Part 2 Lecture5m
Quantifiers Part 1 Lecture3m
Quantifiers Part 2 Lecture5m
Quantifiers Part 3 Lecture4m
Quantifiers Part 4 Lecture9m
13 readings
Lecture Objectives10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Count and Non-Count Nouns Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Articles Practice10m
Articles Resource10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Quantifiers Practice10m
4 practice exercises
Count and Non-Count Noun Practice Quiz8m
Articles Practice Quiz8m
Quantifiers Practice Quiz6m
Graded Quiz20m
Week
24 hours to complete
Gerunds, Infinitives, and Requests and Permission
This week will not be as intense as last week was, but you will still have the chance to learn about some tricky grammar. First, you'll learn about using gerunds and infinitives correctly. Then you'll learn about making requests and asking for permission, something that English learners often misuse.
4 videos (Total 22 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes
4 videos
Gerunds and Infinitives Part 1 Lecture3m
Gerunds and Infinitives Part 2 Lecture9m
Requests and Permission Lecture8m
4 readings
Lecture Objectives10m
Gerunds and Infinitives Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Requests and Permission Practice10m
3 practice exercises
Gerunds and Infinitives Practice Quiz8m
Requests and Permission Practice Quiz8m
Graded Quiz18m
Week
35 hours to complete
Confusing Word Forms
You've learned about some tricky grammar, but there are other things that make English hard to learn. This week, you'll learn about some word forms that cause confusion. You'll soon understand the difference between some pairs of words that always seem tricky.
7 videos (Total 40 min), 8 readings, 6 quizzes
7 videos
Confusing Pronouns Lecture8m
Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs Part 1 Lecture7m
Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs Part 2 Lecture6m
Confusing Nouns and Verbs Part 1 Lecture7m
Confusing Nouns and Verbs Part 2 Lecture3m
Confusing Prepositions Lecture6m
8 readings
Lecture Objectives10m
Confusing Pronouns Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Confusing Nouns and Verbs Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Confusing Prepositions Practice10m
5 practice exercises
Confusing Pronouns Practice Quiz6m
Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs Practice Quiz8m
Confusing Nouns and Verbs Practice Quiz8m
Confusing Prepositions Practice Quiz8m
Graded Quiz22m
Week
44 hours to complete
Phrasal Verbs and Collocations
There are a few more tricky English points that we want you to learn. In the final week, you will learn about phrasal verbs and collocations. These are two big grammar points that often give language learners difficulty, but you will get lots of practice with them. Finally, you’ll have a review lesson of all of the tricky English grammar that you have learned in this course.
6 videos (Total 34 min), 7 readings, 5 quizzes
6 videos
Phrasal Verbs Review Lecture7m
Problems with Phrasal Verbs Lecture9m
Collocations Review Lecture2m
Tricky Collocations Lecture7m
Tricky English Review6m
7 readings
Lecture Objectives10m
Phrasal Verbs Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Collocations Practice10m
Lecture Objectives10m
Tricky English Final Practice10m
Learn More!10m
4 practice exercises
Phrasal Verbs Practice Quiz8m
Collocations Practice Quiz6m
Tricky English Practice Quiz6m
Graded Quiz18m
4.8
144 Reviews38%
started a new career after completing these courses
42%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
27%
got a pay increase or promotion
Top reviews from Tricky English Grammar
I found this course is very useful for me. I'd recommend for the learners who want to review or improve grammar. Thanks to all instructors from UC Irvine, They did very excellent job!
I am really pleased to be part of this course. So many new concepts to learn in a fun way.Highly recommended to all non-native speakers of English.
Instructors
Tamy Chapman
Instructor, International ProgramsUniversity of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education
Helen Nam
InstructorInternational Programs, UCI Extension
About University of California, Irvine
Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.
About the Learn English: Intermediate Grammar Specialization
This specialization covers common topics in intermediate grammar, such as perfect verb tenses and adjective clauses. It will also cover "tricky English" grammar topics that learners of English often find frustrating. The capstone will give you a chance to review all of the knowledge you've learned in the courses and create a multi-media "scrapbook" of grammar to keep with you after the specialization ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.