General English
General English
1. Course Description
This is a general English course designed to develop students’ proficiency in grammar,
vocabulary, reading and academic writing. The grammar component includes elements
ranging from tenses to transformation. Vocabulary component covers words from
different academic fields. The reading component deals with a wide range of carefully
selected authentic texts on contemporary and critical issues classified into various
themes. The writing component engages the students in the process of academic writing
through guided activities.
2. General Objectives
The general objectives of this course are as follows:
To help students use grammatically correct English.
To expand students’ repertoire of general and academic vocabulary.
To develop students’ ability to comprehend and interpret different kinds of written
texts.
To enable students to compose different kinds of writings for effective
communication on matters of general and academic interests.
To enhance students’ academic and creative writing skills.
1
Rewrite given texts in different forms. Unit IV: Writing (30)
Compose short and long texts in the 4.1 Rewriting: rephrasing, paraphrasing
given topics. 4.2 Parallel writing
Maintain coherence and cohesion in 4.3 Completing a text
writing. 4.4 Organizing a text: sequencing instructions,
Write letters, resumes, summaries, ordering information, connecting ideas
reports and news. 4.5 Writing summaries
4.6 Writing personal and official letters
4.7 Writing curriculum vitae (resume) and job
application
4.8 Writing reports: events and news
List the points from research for writing Unit IV: Academic Writing (40)
Write various essays using academic 4.1 The researched essay
English 4.2 Comparison-contrast essays
Write with proper citation 4.3 Cause-and-effect essays
Avoid plagiarism in writing 4.4 Argumentative essays
4.5 Classification essays
4.6 Reaction essays
4.7 Avoiding plagiarism
Note: The figures in the parentheses indicate the approximate period for that unit.
4. Instructional Techniques
The instructional techniques for this course are divided into two groups. First group
consists of general instructional techniques applicable to most of the units. The second
group consists of specific instructional techniques applicable to specific units.
2
Unit III Individual study, pair work for writing tasks and presentation.
Unit IV Individual assignment on various academic writing tasks, small group
discussion and presentation.
This is a theoretical course. Hence, the learning of the students will be assessed through
annual examination held by the Office of Controller of Examinations. The types and
number of questions in the annual examination are given in the following table:
Recommended Books
Awasthi, J. R.,Bhattarai, G. R. &Rai, V. S. (eds.(2015). English for the New Millennium.
Kathmandu: EKTA Books.(For units II to III)
Davis, J. &Liss, R. (2012). Effective Academic Writing The Essay. Oxford: Oxford University
Press. (For Unit IV)
Lloyd, M. and Day, J. (2011). Active Grammar, Level 3. Cambridge. Cambridge University
Press. (Unit I)
Reference Materials
Hornby. A.S. (2010). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (8thEdition). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.