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English 1

Teachers: Mathew Pentecost '95, Sarah Gacina
Open to: Freshmen
Length: 2 Semesters

The freshman year English course establishes the foundation for the study of composition and literature. Beginning with How to Get Good Grades, freshmen are both tested on and expected to establish these habits for success not only in English but in their other classes. The study of composition begins with a focus on grammar (parts of speech, parts of sentence, phrases, and clauses) as well as punctuation and agreement rules. Students will practice writing in various sentence patterns; they will also write letters, paragraphs and multi-paragraph essays, practicing narrative, descriptive, expository, and argumentative modes of discourse. The study of vocabulary takes an etymological approach so that students learn to build meaning rather than memorize definitions. Literature samples each of these genres: short story, essay, poetry, drama, and novel. A three-day library overview immerses students in the basics of navigating all resources available through Burns’ Library.

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