The Low-Level IEP Curriculum
ESL 090 & 091
Updated January 6
th
, 2022
A. IEP Low Levels and Instructional Hours
The ELC’s Intensive English Program (IEP) offers five levels of non-credit English courses. Each level lasts
one semester, following the MSU academic calendar (Fall, Spring & Summer).
ESL 090 – true beginner
ESL 091 – elementary
IEP classes are in session for 20 hours a week. Students have 4-5 hours of class each Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday, and Friday. Courses are listed by level below (hours/week):
ESL 090
• Speaking / Listening / Grammar (10 hours)
• Reading / Writing / Grammar (10 hours)
ESL 091
• Speaking / Listening (8 hours)
• Reading / Writing (8 hours)
• Grammar (4 hours)
Instructional time per semester are as follows:
Fall/Spring IEP
Summer IEP
Weeks per
semester
15
13
Class hours per
week
18
18
Instructional
minutes per class
hour
50
50
Additional hours
as announced
as announced
B. Description of IEP Courses
Courses in the Intensive English Program are designed to offer level-appropriate skills development,
grammar instruction and practice, and vocabulary-learning experiences for students aspiring to improve
their academic English. Students are placed into levels consonant with their performance on the
MSUELT placement test and are promoted through the program in accordance with a combination of
class performance and test results. For more details, see the complete sets of objectives, learning
outcomes, and suggested methods of assessment that follow the overall descriptions.
The IEP Curriculum is reviewed on a regular basis by the Curriculum Committee.
ESL 090
This level is for true beginners and those who may have had only some small smattering of English
instruction but have no real communicative ability in the language. Courses at this level address the
most fundamental of skills. Instruction and practice in basic English grammar, exercising broadly useful
foundational vocabulary, are woven into instruction in oral/aural skills and reading/writing. As
appropriate, fundamentals of literacy in English may be taught and practiced.
ESL 091
Courses at this level are for beginning students, those with some communicative ability in English
regarding concrete topics. Students are at the threshold of reading, listening, speaking, and writing
about less-concrete topics as well, including aspirations, feelings, and predictions for the future. The
emphasis is on developing skills for success at a U.S. university, and students work on developing facility
with academic topics. Reading focuses on building basic vocabulary, apprehending common structures
of written presentation (e.g., patterns of presenting a topic and expanding on it with details), and
comprehending explicitly stated information. Writing focuses on sentence-level and paragraph-level
production. Elements of an effective writing process (idea-generation, planning, drafting, seeking and
understanding feedback, and revising) are taught and practiced. Cohesive devices appropriate to a given
purpose (e.g. because for cause/effect) are introduced. Listening work involves the understanding of
social functions as well as comprehension of the gist of short academic-style presentations. Speaking
focuses on transactions with daily utility, such as asking for help, expressing difficulties, and clarifying
one’s intent in a situation of missed communication. Grammar is taught explicitly and constitutes part of
each skills class as well. Some grammar topics emphasized at this level are present tense, introduction to
past and future time, nouns, pronouns. basic declarative and interrogative sentence patterns, basics of
word order, and an introduction to modals.
ESL 090 Speaking / Listening Objectives (last revised April 2017)
Listening
1. Objective: Understand key information presented in modified, scaffolded and/or highly
contextualized speech.
SLOs:
• Recognize and respond appropriately to
classroom instructions.
• Identify important information
presented in everyday listening contexts
and short modified passages.
• Record key words from the listening
when appropriate.
• Recognize the stress patterns of target
vocabulary.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers informally assess students’
ability to follow oral directions by
observing responses to instructions and
providing corrective feedback where
necessary.
• Teachers evaluate student responses on
worksheets, guided notes, quizzes, etc.
where students provide missing
information from a listening passage.
2. Objective: Recognize and utilize basic active listening and negotiation strategies to indicate
comprehension, lack of comprehension, and/or the need for additional or modified input.
SLOs:
• Recognize and use body language and
other forms of backchanneling to
indicate active listening and
comprehension or confusion.
• Negotiate meaning by asking and
answering questions in order to resolve
miscommunication.
• Recognize the topic being discussed and
participate by actively listening and
taking one or more turns when possible.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers informally assess students’
ability to follow oral directions by
observing responses to instructions and
providing corrective feedback where
necessary.
• Teachers evaluate student responses on
worksheets, guided notes, quizzes, etc.
where students provide missing
information from a listening passage.
Speaking / Vocabulary / Grammar
1. Objective: Express ideas intelligibly about every day or highly familiar topics.
SLOs:
Suggested MOAs:
• Convey meaning somewhat
comprehensibly about everyday topics or
topics being studied.
• Respond somewhat comprehensibly to
questions from their teacher or peers.
• Demonstrate appropriate stress patterns
of target vocabulary.
• Teachers observe students in pairs or
groups and provide informal feedback on
the effectiveness of their active listening
strategies.
2. Objective: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of common everyday vocabulary to
comprehend and convey basic ideas.
SLOs:
• Recognize high frequency vocabulary in
order to identify key pieces of
information in formal and informal
listening contexts about a variety of
concrete topics and everyday tasks /
needs.
• Appropriately employ vocabulary items
targeted in class to express their ideas
about concrete topics and everyday tasks
/ needs.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers evaluate students’
understanding of vocabulary on
assignments and quizzes.
• Teachers evaluate students’ choice of
appropriate target vocabulary in informal
mini presentations, group work, role
plays, responses to oral questions,
and/or dialogues, etc., using a rubric
where vocabulary is a category.
3. Objective: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of basic grammatical features and sentence
patterns covered in class to comprehend modified spoken English and communicate
effectively.
SLOs:
• In order to identify key information
presented in modified speech, recognize
the forms/functions/meanings of basic
grammar structures and simple sentence
patterns they hear.
• Employ basic grammar structures and
sentence patterns learned to effectively
express meaning about a variety of
concrete topics and everyday
tasks/needs.
• Demonstrate some ability to self-correct
with guidance from the instructor.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers evaluate students’
understanding of targeted grammar
structures on assignments and quizzes.
• Teachers evaluate students’ accuracy and
appropriateness of targeted grammar
structures in informal mini presentations,
group work, role plays, responses to oral
questions, and/or dialogues, etc., using a
rubric where grammar is a category.
ESL 091 Speaking / Listening Objectives (last revised April 2017)
Listening
1. Objective: Understand key information presented in modified, scaffolded and/or highly
contextualized speech.
SLOs:
• Recognize and respond appropriately to
classroom instructions.
• Identify important information
presented in everyday listening contexts
and short modified passages.
• Identify the connections between ideas
by recognizing obvious transition words
and phrases.
• Record key words from the listening
when appropriate.
• Recognize the suprasegmental features
of word stress, sentence stress, and
contracted or reduced speech.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers informally assess students’
ability to follow oral directions by
observing responses to instructions and
providing corrective feedback where
necessary.
• Teachers evaluate student responses on
worksheets, guided notes, quizzes, etc.
where students provide missing
information from a listening passage.
2. Objective: Recognize and utilize basic active listening and negotiation strategies to indicate
comprehension, lack of comprehension, and/or the need for additional or modified input.
SLOs:
• Recognize and use body language and
other forms of backchanneling to
indicate active listening and
comprehension or confusion.
• Negotiate meaning by asking and
answering questions in order to resolve
miscommunication.
• Recognize the topic being discussed and
participate by actively listening and
taking one or more turns.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers informally assess students’
ability to follow oral directions by
observing responses to instructions and
providing corrective feedback where
necessary.
• Teachers evaluate student responses on
worksheets, guided notes, quizzes, etc.
where students provide missing
information from a listening passage.
Speaking / Vocabulary / Grammar
1. Objective: Express ideas intelligibly about every day or highly familiar topics.
SLOs:
• Convey meaning comprehensibly about
everyday topics or topics being studied.
• Respond effectively to questions from
their teacher or peers.
• Demonstrate a degree of fluency by
speaking without lengthy pauses and
utilizing alternative vocabulary and body
language to circumlocute.
• Demonstrate the suprasegmental
features of word stress and sentence
stress.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers assess student production in
informal mini presentations, group work,
role plays, responses to oral questions,
and/or dialogues, etc. using a rubric with
specific descriptors for the SLOs noted.
2. Objective: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of common everyday vocabulary to
comprehend and convey basic ideas.
SLOs:
• Recognize high frequency vocabulary in
order to identify key pieces of
information in formal and informal
listening contexts about a variety of
concrete topics and everyday tasks /
needs.
• Appropriately employ vocabulary items
targeted in class to express their ideas
about concrete topics and everyday tasks
/ needs.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers evaluate students’
understanding of vocabulary on
assignments and quizzes.
• Teachers evaluate students’ choice of
appropriate target vocabulary in informal
mini presentations, group work, role
plays, responses to oral questions,
and/or dialogues, etc., using a rubric
where vocabulary is a category.
3. Objective: Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of basic grammatical features and sentence
patterns covered in class to comprehend modified spoken English and communicate
effectively.
SLOs:
• In order to identify key information
presented in modified speech, recognize
the forms/functions/meanings of basic
grammar structures and simple sentence
patterns they hear.
• Employ basic grammar structures and
sentence patterns learned to effectively
express meaning about a variety of
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers evaluate students’
understanding of targeted grammar
structures on assignments and quizzes.
• Teachers evaluate students’ accuracy and
appropriateness of targeted grammar
structures in informal mini presentations,
group work, role plays, responses to oral
questions, and/or dialogues, etc., using a
concrete topics and everyday
tasks/needs.
• Demonstrate some ability to self-correct
with guidance from the instructor.
rubric where grammar is a category.
ESL 090 Reading (last revision May 2013)
Vocabulary
1. Objective: Develop a variety of vocabulary-learning strategies (e.g., vocabulary logs, flash
cards, pictorial association, or rhyming).
SLOs:
• Practice a variety of vocabulary-learning
strategies and use them to learn new
vocabulary.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors check that students have
carried out a specified strategy and
evaluate students’ knowledge of
vocabulary.
2. Objective: Use picture dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, and begin to use online
dictionary resources.
SLOs:
• Look up words in dictionaries to find
meanings and information about usage
and context.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate students’ ability to
choose correct words and identify items
in pictures.
3. Objective: Use basic grammatical features (SVO word order, modifiers, pronouns, etc.) as
clues to the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary.
SLOs:
• Use known grammatical features to
glean clues to meaning.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors elicit possible meanings of
unknown vocabulary based on clues from
grammatical features.
Working with Ideas
1. Objective: Begin to recognize patterns of generalization and support in reading texts by
identifying topics and details.
SLOs:
• Demonstrate understanding of basic
patterns by underlining text that states
the topic of a reading and listing
details.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors assess students’
understanding by checking students’
underlining of topics in texts and lists.
2. Objective: Begin scanning for specific information, especially where obvious graphic
features like numbers or capital letters can help the reader spot the target information.
SLOs:
• While scanning, indicate this information
by highlighting.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate accuracy by eliciting
oral responses or visually checking.
The Reading Process
1. Objective: Learn to “sound out” the pronunciation of common words using simple rules of
spelling, syllable division, and phonics.
SLOs:
• Accurately sound out new words that
follow previously learned rules.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate students’ accuracy
by listening to them sound out words.
2. Objective: Understand simple written instructions in order to complete reading tasks.
SLOs:
• Independently follow instructions to
complete reading tasks, without verbal
input from teacher.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors assess students’ ability to
follow instructions.
3. Objective: Begin to develop pre-reading strategies (e.g., skimming subtitles and graphics,
predicting the topic, etc.).
SLOs:
• Answer questions about a text by using
pre-reading strategies
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate students’ accuracy
by checking answers.
Extensive Reading
1. Objective: With some direction from the teacher, select and read supplemental graded
readers, children’s books on non-fiction topics, and on-line materials from simple websites.
SLOs:
Suggested MOAs:
• Read from selected texts and report on
their reading using a guided reading
report process.
• Instructors evaluate completion and
comprehension of reading through the
reading reports.
Grammar
1. Objective: Recognize basic grammatical parts of speech (nouns, verbs, etc.) and features (plural,
word order, contraction, negation, etc.)
SLOs:
• When given example sentences, identify
the parts of speech based on word order.
• If certain sentences have other features
such as contractions or negatives,
identity those features as well.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors give students example
sentences and ask them to identify parts
of speech by labeling the words in the
sentence and sentence features by
circling or underlining them.
2. Objective: Comprehend simple sentence patterns (declarative, interrogative, imperative).
SLOs:
• Identify example sentences according to
their patterns and know appropriate
responses when needed (e.g., What is
your name? interrogative, response:
Jane Doe).
Suggested MOAs:
• Students are given example sentences
and identify them as questions or
statements.
3. Objective: Understand simple morphological endings, auxiliaries and word order in basic
verb tenses.
SLOs:
• Identify time frame by using endings,
auxiliaries and word order in a selected
reading.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors use follow up questions to
determine understanding.
ESL 091 Reading (last revision April 2014)
Vocabulary
1. Objective: Identify basic grammatical features and use them as clues to the meaning of
unfamiliar vocabulary.
SLOs:
• Analyze the contexts of unfamiliar words
and articulate how grammatical clues
(SVO word order, modifiers, pronouns,
etc.) point to meaning.
Suggested MOAs:
• Through assignments, classroom
exercises, and tests, instructors check
students’ ability to link meanings with
basic grammatical features in a text.
2. Objective: Develop a variety of vocabulary-learning strategies (e.g., vocabulary logs, flash
cards, pictorial association, or rhyming).
SLOs:
• Become acquainted with several
vocabulary-learning strategies and use
the one(s) that feels most comfortable.
Suggested MOAs:
• Through assignments and class
discussion, instructors check that
students can describe their preferred
vocabulary-learning strategies and that
they use them.
3. Objective: Begin to recognize explicit definitions within texts and use them to aid in
understanding.
SLOs:
• Highlight and understand clearly
signaled, explicit definitions in a text.
Suggested MOAs:
• Through assignments, classroom
exercises, and tests, instructors evaluate
student’s ability to correctly identify the
meaning of a word when its definition is
clearly given in the text.
4. Objective: Begin to use English-English learner's dictionaries (along with bilingual
dictionaries).
SLOs:
Suggested MOAs:
• Look up words in dictionaries to find
meanings and part-of-speech labels.
• Through assignments, classroom
exercises, and tests, instructors evaluate
students’ ability to locate words in a
dictionary and identify the context-
appropriate meaning and part of speech.
5. Objective: Begin to recognize and identify patterns in the main components of a paragraph.
SLOs:
• Identify the basic structural features of a
paragraph, including a topic sentence
with a controlling idea and supporting
details (and perhaps a concluding
sentence).
Suggested MOAs:
• Through assignments, classroom
exercises, and tests, instructors assess
students’ understanding of the basic
structural features of a paragraph.
6. Objective: Begin to scan for specific information.
SLOs:
• Identify target information through
the aid of easy-to-see text features
like numerals or capital letters.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate accuracy through
oral responses or visual checks.
The Reading Process
1. Objective: Understand simple written instructions to perform the reading task.
SLOs:
• Learn to follow written instructions with
some guidance from the instructor as
needed.
Suggested MOAs:
• Through assignments and classroom
exercises, instructors assess students’
understanding of instructions when
completing a reading task.
2. Objective: Begin to develop pre-reading strategies.
SLOs:
• Use pre-reading strategies (e.g.,
skimming headings and graphics,
predicting the topic) to answer
Suggested MOAs:
• Through assignments, classroom
exercises, and tests, instructors evaluate
preselected and student-generated
questions about a new text.
the students’ ability to form ideas about
texts via pre-reading.
3. Objective: Begin working to increase reading speed while maintaining accuracy.
SLOs:
• Complete repeated readings of a text,
each time trying to get farther in the text,
given the same amount of time, while
attempting accuracy.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors monitor that students read
farther in each subsequent reading of a
text and verify accuracy through
students’ responses to comprehension
questions.
4. Objective: With guidance, begin to select and read supplemental materials.
SLOs:
• Select some supplemental reading
materials on their own
• Begin to develop an awareness of
preferences, pace, comfortable reading
level, etc.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors monitor the completion of
self- selected reading materials through
reading reports or other instruments.
ESL 090 Writing (last revision February 2014)
Writing Fundamentals
1. Objective: Follow basic conventions of English handwriting and penmanship (letter
formation, staying on a line, capitalization, punctuation, etc.).
SLOs:
• Write words, phrases, and sentences
that follow writing conventions.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers evaluate students’ use of
handwriting conventions in discrete-
point exercises and writing assignments.
2. Objective: Learn the basic rules of English spelling (silent letters, doubled consonants, etc.).
SLOs:
• Apply patterns of orthography in
exercises and writing assignments.
Suggested MOAs:
• Teachers evaluate students’ spelling in
discrete-point exercises and writing
assignments.
3. Objective: Improve content of one’s writing based on instructor feedback.
SLOs:
• Revise individual sentences and groups
of sentences (short paragraphs) to
express information/ideas asked for by
the instructor.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors check sentences and groups
of sentences for improvements that
students were directed to make.
Composition Skills
1. Objective: Use guided writing such as fill-in-the-blank exercises to construct sentences.
SLOs:
• Correctly supply words to form complete
sentences.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate that students use
appropriate vocabulary and the correct
part of speech to create a logical,
grammatical sentence.
2. Objective: Write a few sentences on a single topic.
SLOs:
• Write sentences on a single theme.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate how effectively the
students stay on topic.
Language Use
1. Objective: Accurately use learned vocabulary in one’s own writing.
SLOs:
• Produce writing that includes
appropriate vocabulary learned
throughout the course.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate the effectiveness of
the vocabulary as used in the context of
the writing.
2. Objective: Identify and use basic grammatical parts of speech and word order.
SLOs:
• Identify parts of speech and write
sentences with correct word order.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors check that students have
correctly identified parts of speech and
written sentences that have the correct
word order.
3. Objective: Use simple sentence patterns (declarative, interrogative) in one’s own writing.
SLOs:
• Write sentences in varying patterns
(statements and questions).
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors check that students use the
correct pattern.
4. Objective: Edit for typical formatting/mechanics errors and beginning-level grammar errors
based on instructor feedback.
SLOs:
• Use instructor feedback to correct errors
of formatting/mechanics and basic
grammar.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors compare students’ drafts with
final assignment to check that they made
the appropriate changes.
5. Objective: Use conjunctions (and, but, or) to begin to combine words, phrases, or clauses.
SLOs:
• Begin to combine multiple items or ideas
(e.g., subject or object nouns).
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors check student coordination of
item lists or equal emphasis of ideas.
ESL 091 Writing (last revision April 2014)
Writing Process
1. Objective: Recognize the purpose of a paragraph one intends to write.
SLOs:
• Write paragraphs with clear purposes.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate student writing,
keeping in mind the intended purpose.
2. Objective: Be aware of and follow a writing process that includes drafting, revising, and
editing.
SLOs:
• Generate ideas for their writing.
• Write/revise drafts at each stage in the
writing process.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors monitor students’ drafts at
various stages in the process and
evaluate their effectiveness.
3. Objective: Revise one’s own writing using a set of guided questions.
SLOs:
• Revise their writing by answering the
instructor’s guided questions.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate how effectively
students apply guided questions to revise
their drafts.
Composition Skills
1. Objective: Identify and write the main parts of a paragraph.
SLOs:
• Point out structural features (topic
sentence with controlling idea,
supporting details, and concluding
sentence)
• Write a paragraph with support and
development.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate their students’
ability to recognize paragraph
components and write a paragraph.
2. Objective: Understand the concepts of cohesive devices by studying example paragraphs.
SLOs:
• Recognize and apply basic tools to their
writing, such as repeated words,
transitional devices, and use of
pronouns.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate students’
incorporation of these tools in their own
writing.
3. Objective: Recognize basic rhetorical styles through reading and begin to use them in a
paragraph.
SLOs:
• Identify basic rhetorical styles (narrative,
description, process) and produce them
in paragraphs.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate students’ production
of each basic rhetorical style.
Language Use
1. Objective: Use a variety of basic sentences patterns.
SLOs:
• Identify basic sentence patterns (simple
and compound) in example paragraphs
and will then write sentences and short
paragraphs.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors check that students can
accurately identify the different sentence
types and evaluate students’ production
of their own sentences for variety and
accuracy.
2. Objective: Accurately use a greater range of vocabulary in their writing.
SLOs:
• Use appropriate resources (e.g.,
dictionaries, textbooks, and social
interaction) in order to increase their
active vocabulary.
• Use acquired vocabulary in their writing.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors encourage students to use an
expanded vocabulary in their writing and
evaluate accuracy and development.
3. Objective: Understand and begin to edit for typical formatting/mechanics errors and
beginning level grammar errors (subject/verb and pronoun/antecedent agreement, tense,
word order, and word formation/choice).
SLOs:
• Learn to recognize their own mistakes.
• Respond to instructors’ editing
comments to develop a sense of self-
editing and accuracy.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors evaluate student
improvement in terms of grammar and
usage as they write throughout the
semester.
Low-Level Grammar Curriculum (last revised 2016)
Overview of Grammar Assignments by Skill
090
091
Grammar
N/A
verb tense:
• simple present & past
• present progressive
• future
question formation
modals
nouns
determiners
Writing
SVO
verb tense:
• simple present & past
clauses & connectors:
• simple sentences
question formation
nouns
determiners
adjectives
adverbs
SVO
clauses & connectors
• simple sentences
• compound sentences
there is/there are
adjectives
adverbs
prepositions
S/L
there is/there are
imperatives
modals
prepositions
imperatives
Content
N/A
N/A
ESL 090 Grammar
090: SVO
1. Objective: Use SVO word order.
SLOs:
• Recognize that English word order is
SVO.
• Identify the subject, verb, and object(s)
in a simple sentence.
• Produce simple sentences using SVO
word order.
Suggested MOAs:
● On a multiple-choice item, instructors ask
students to choose the correct answer to
“English word order is _____.”
● On a quiz, instructors give a simple
sentence containing familiar vocabulary
and evaluate students’ ability to label the
subject (S), verb (V) and object (O).
● On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
provide students with the pieces of a
simple sentence (e.g., likes / my dog /
chicken) and evaluate whether students
can put them in SVO order.
090: Verb Tense
1. Objective: Understand and use present simple in affirmative and negative statements with common
verbs and be.
SLOs:
• Recognize and produce accurate present
simple verb forms that agree with the
subject (including the irregular verbs be,
do and have.)
• Correctly spell 3
rd
person singular forms
with “-s”.
• Produce affirmative and negative
statements with common verbs in simple
present.
• Recognize common time signal words
used with present simple (always,
usually, today).
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors give
the base form of a verb and a subject and
ask students to produce the correct
present tense form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to edit sentences
that have errors of present simple form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
affirmative statements into negative
statements.
• In a paragraph, instructors ask students
to scan for and circle the time signal
words that go with present simple verbs.
2. Objective: Understand and use past simple in affirmative and negative statements with common
verbs and be.
SLOs:
• Recognize and produce accurate past
simple verbs (adding -ed for regular
verbs, and knowing the most common
irregular forms).
• Produce affirmative and negative
statements with common verbs in past
simple.
• Recognize common time signal words
used with past simple (yesterday, a
month ago, last week).
Suggested MOAs:
• On a dictation quiz, instructor reads a full
sentence aloud that contains a past tense
verb. Students have typed sentences
with blanks for the verbs and produce in
the verb they hear. Instructors evaluate
students’ responses for correct form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
simple present sentences into simple
past sentences.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to edit sentences
that have errors of simple past form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
affirmative statements into negative
statements.
• In simple sentences, students circle the
time signal words and fill in the missing
forms of the verbs to fit the context.
Instructors evaluate whether students
have chosen the correct tense (past or
present).
090: Clauses & Connectors
1. Objective: Produce simple sentences.
SLOs:
• Produce accurate simple sentences.
Suggested MOAs:
• On an assignment, the instructor
assesses whether students can write
simple sentences by providing them with
a subject and a long line and asking
students to complete the sentence. Or
the instructor provides the students with
a verb and asks the students to create a
sentence with that verb.
2. Objective: Produce compound sentences with and & but.
SLOs:
• Produce compound sentences with and
or but.
Suggested MOAs:
• On an assignment, the instructor
provides simple sentences and
conjunctions (and & but) then assesses
whether students can make correct
compound sentences with the pieces.
090: Question Formation
1. Objective: Ask and answer yes/no and wh- questions in present and past tenses of simple aspect.
SLOs:
• Recognize and understand wh- words
(who, what, where, when, why, how) and
wh- phrases (e.g., how many, how much,
how often, which one).
• Form accurate short answers to yes/no
questions.
• Understand and answer wh-questions
appropriately.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet, instructors ask students
to match wh- questions and answers.
• On quizzes or assignments, instructors
ask students to answer yes/no questions.
Instructors evaluate form of answer.
• On quizzes or assignments, instructors
ask students to answer wh- questions.
Instructors evaluate form of answer and
whether student understood the
question.
• In a short one-on-one interview,
instructors ask students questions about
their daily life and assess whether
students can answer appropriately.
090: There is / There are
1. Objective: Understand and use there is/there are in present tense.
SLOs:
• Recognize that in there is/there are
constructions, the be verb agrees with
the first noun that follows.
• Form the contractions there’s, there
isn’t, there aren’t.
• Use there is/are to describe a place
(affirmative and negative).
• Produce questions and short answer
responses with there is/are.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a quiz, instructors ask students to fill
in the missing form of be. Instructors
evaluate the form for subject/verb
agreement.
• On a quiz, instructors provide students
with a sentence (e.g., “There is a pencil
on the table” and assess students’ ability
to form the contraction “There’s a pencil
on the table”).
• Given a picture of a place, students
describe what they see using there
is/are/isn’t/aren’t. Instructors award
points for correctly formed sentences.
• Instructors ask students to complete
question and answer sets with there
is/are/isn’t/aren’t (e.g., Q: Is there class
tomorrow? A: No, ____________).
090: Imperatives
1. Objective: Understand common imperatives (instructions).
SLOs:
• Recognize simple classroom instructions
phrased as imperatives.
• Follow simple classroom instructions and
commands.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors ask students to open to a
page in their textbook and circle all of the
imperative forms they find. (Any page
with exercises will have plenty of
instructions.)
• Instructors assess whether students can
follow oral instructions in class (e.g., Take
out a piece of paper. Number from 1 to
10. Circle numbers 2 and 3. Underline
numbers 4 and 5. Cross out numbers 7
and 8).
• Instructors assess whether students can
follow written instructions on a quiz.
090: Modals
1. Objective: Understand and use simple modals of permission/ability (can), and requests/desires
(would like).
SLOs:
• Correctly form modal verb phrases with
can, should, and would like to express
permission, ability, requests/desires, and
necessity in focused exercises with
affirmative and negative statements.
• Correct modal + base errors in
affirmative and negative statements and
questions.
Suggested MOAs:
• On homework or quizzes, instructors
assess students’ ability to write correct
modal forms. Given two blanks (with
possible modals and main verbs
provided), students will complete the
blanks correctly with the modal + base
form.
• On a test, instructors evaluate students’
ability to correct sentences with modal +
• Use the modal can to express or ask for
permission.
• Use the modal-like expression would like
to make requests or express desires.
base errors (e.g., He cans come. He can
comes.)
• On assignments or tests, instructors
assess students’ ability to choose the
correct modal (can or would like) to
complete a sentence.
• Instructors assess whether students can
follow written instructions on a quiz.
090: Nouns
1. Objective: Understand that a noun can be the subject or the object in a sentence.
SLOs:
• Identify nouns in simple sentences.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors write simple sentences and
ask students to underline the nouns.
2. Objective: Distinguish between proper and common nouns.
SLOs:
• Recognize that nouns with capital letters
are names of people, places, or things.
• Capitalize proper nouns (names).
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors ask students to scan a
paragraph and circle proper nouns
(names).
• In textbook exercises or worksheets
written by the instructor, students
correctly identify and capitalize all proper
nouns.
3. Objective: Form singular and plural nouns.
SLOs:
• Form regular plurals by adding -s /-es to
a noun, following spelling change rules.
• Produce common irregular plural forms.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a quiz, instructors give a singular
noun and ask students to write the plural
form. Instructors assess for correct
spelling.
• On a quiz, instructors give a singular
noun and ask students to write the
irregular plural form. Instructors assess
for correct spelling.
090: Determiners
1. Objective: Understand and use the demonstratives this, that, these, & those.
SLOs:
• Use demonstratives accurately.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors provide a cue (near or far)
and a picture of an object and ask
students to complete a sentence (e.g.,
Those glasses are mine).
090: Adjectives
1. Objective: Recognize and understand adjectives in noun phrases and after be.
SLOs:
• Recognize common adjectives in
sentences.
Suggested MOAs:
• On assignments, instructors evaluate
students’ ability to identify adjectives in
sentences by giving them simple
sentences and asking the students to
circle the adjectives.
• On a multiple-choice item, instructors
provide a picture and a descriptive
sentence with choices of adjective.
Instructors evaluate students’ ability to
choose the accurate adjective to describe
the picture.
090: Adverbs
1. Objective: Recognize and form common adverbs.
SLOs:
• Identify adverbs with -ly.
• Form adverbs with -ly.
• Form the common irregular adverbs:
well, fast, hard.
• Produce simple sentences with adverbs.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet with a number of simple
sentences, instructors ask students to
underline all verbs and circle all adverbs.
• On a quiz, the instructors give a sentence
with an adjective, and then a similar
sentence with a missing adverb (e.g., He
is a slow runner. He runs ________).
Instructors assess the form of the
response.
• On a worksheet, the instructors give a list
of adverbs, and evaluates whether
students can write logical, accurate
sentences containing the adverbs.
2. Objective: Understand and use adverbs of frequency with present simple.
SLOs:
• Understand common adverbs of
frequency (always, usually, often,
sometimes, rarely, never).
• Use adverbs of frequency with simple
present to express habits or routines.
• Ask and answer questions with how
often.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet, instructors give a
starting sentence such as “I brush my
teeth every morning and every night.”
Students must then choose the best
adverb to complete a sentence with the
same meaning: “I always / never /
sometimes / usually brush my teeth.”
• Given a printout of someone’s monthly
calendar, students write true statements
using adverbs about the person’s
routine. Instructors evaluate sentences
for accurate adverb choice and word
order.
• Instructor assesses students’ ability to
complete a dialogue about routines that
has some questions and some answers
left blank. Instructors evaluate responses
for logic and form.
090: Prepositions
1. Objective: Understand and use simple prepositions to describe place (at, in, on, next to).
SLOs:
• Recognize and use prepositions that
describe place.
Suggested MOAs:
• As an oral class activity, instructors
assess students’ ability to use a limited
set of prepositions by providing them
with a picture of a room in a house and
asking students to describe the picture
using prepositions of place.
ESL 091 Grammar
091: SVO
1. Objective: Use SVO word order.
SLOs:
• Recognize that English word order is
SVO.
• Identify the subject, verb, and object(s)
in a simple sentence.
• Produce simple sentences using SVO
word order.
Suggested MOAs:
● On a multiple-choice item, instructors ask
students to choose the correct answer to
“English word order is _____.”
● On a quiz, instructors give a simple
sentence containing familiar vocabulary
and evaluate students’ ability to label the
subject (S), verb (V) and object (O).
● On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
provide students with the pieces of a
simple sentence (e.g., likes / my dog /
chicken) and evaluate whether students
can put them in SVO order.
091: Verb Tense
1. Objective: Understand and use present simple in affirmative and negative statements with common
verbs and be.
SLOs:
• Recognize and produce accurate present
simple verb forms that agree with the
subject (including the irregular verbs be,
do and have.)
• Correctly spell 3
rd
person singular forms
with “-s”.
• Correctly pronounce the -s ending (/s/,
/z/, or /əz/).
• Recognize and produce the contractions
of am/is/are and not.
• Produce affirmative and negative
statements with common verbs in simple
present.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors give
the base form of a verb and a subject and
ask students to produce the correct
present tense form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to edit sentences
that have errors of present simple form.
• In class, instructors call on students one
by one and say a base form verb. The
student responds with the 3
rd
person
singular form. The instructor awards
points for accurate pronunciation of -s.
• On a worksheet or quiz, students can
transform contractions to full forms and
full forms to contractions (e.g., He’s a
runner = He is a runner. He is not a
runner = He isn’t a runner / He’s not a
runner).
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
affirmative statements into negative
statements.
2. Objective: Understand and use present progressive tense in affirmative and negative sentences
with common regular and irregular verbs and be.
SLOs:
• Produce accurate present progressive
verb forms.
• Recognize and produce the contractions
of am/is/are and not in present
progressive.
• Produce affirmative and negative
sentences with common verbs in present
progressive.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors give
the base form of a verb and a subject and
ask students to write the correct present
progressive form.
•
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to edit sentences
that have errors of present progressive
form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, students can
transform contractions to full forms and
full forms to contractions (e.g., He’s
running = He is running. He is not running
= He isn’t running / He’s not running).
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
affirmative statements into negative
statements.
3. Objective: Understand and use past simple in affirmative and negative statements with common
regular and irregular verbs and be.
SLOs:
• Recognize and produce accurate past
simple verbs (adding -ed for regular
verbs, and knowing the most common
irregular forms).
• Correctly pronounce the -ed ending (/d/,
/t/, or /əd/).
• Produce affirmative and negative
statements with common verbs in past
simple.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a dictation quiz, instructor reads a full
sentence aloud that contains a past tense
verb. Students have typed sentences
with blanks for the verbs and produce in
the verb they hear. Instructors evaluate
students’ responses for correct form.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
simple present sentences into simple
past sentences.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to edit sentences
that have errors of simple past form.
• In class, instructors call on students one
by one and say a base form verb. The
student responds with the regular past
form. The instructor awards points for
accurate pronunciation of -ed.
• On a worksheet or quiz, instructors
assess students’ ability to transform
affirmative statements into negative
statements.
4. Objective: Understand when to choose between different tenses (present simple or present
progressive) based on context.
SLOs:
• State that verb tense has two parts: time
& aspect. They identify the time of any
verb, even if they don't understand the
meaning yet because time is marked on
the first word in a verb phrase
• Recognize common time signal words
used with present simple (always,
usually, today), present progressive (right
now), and past simple (yesterday, a
month ago, last week).
• Understand that present simple is used
to generalize or relate facts.
• Understand that present progressive is
used to describe an action or event that
is happening right now or at the same
time as another action or event.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors give students a set of
sentences with verbs underlined and ask
them to identify the time of each verb
(past, present, or future).
• In a paragraph, instructors ask students
to circle the time signal words and fill in
the missing forms of the verbs to fit the
context. Instructors assess students’
ability to supply the correct tense.
• Instructors assess understanding through
a multiple-choice exercise in which
students select the best verb to complete
a sentence (present simple or
progressive) using time signal words and
context.
5. Objective: Understand and use basic expressions of the future (will & be going to).
SLOs:
• Recognize and produce accurate future
forms (will + base / be going to + base)
• Recognize and produce accurate future
contractions (e.g., I’ll, He won’t. He’s
going to.)
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet or quiz, students can
transform contractions to full forms and
full forms to contractions (e.g., He’ll
come. = He will come).
• Instructors ask students to circle the time
signal words in a paragraph and fill in the
• Recognize common time signal words
used with future verbs (e.g., tomorrow,
this weekend, on Saturday, later).
• Understand that will is used with
promises, predictions, and decisions
made at-the-moment. It is not used to
talk about future plans.
• Understand that be going to is used to
make predictions and to talk about
future plans.
• Understand that present simple is often
used to talk about future appointments,
trips, or other scheduled events.
• Understand that present progressive is
often used to talk about future plans.
missing forms of the verbs to fit the
context (future or present).
• On a multiple-choice exercise, instructors
evaluate students’ ability to select the
best future form to complete a sentence.
091: Clauses & Connectors
1. Objective: Produce simple sentences.
SLOs:
• Produce accurate simple sentences.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a test, the instructor assesses
whether students can write simple
sentences by providing them with a
situation and asking students to create 3
sentences about that situation (e.g.
Situation: student arrives at new school.
Student writes: The students go to class.
The instructor asks questions. Classmates
are fun).
2. Objective: Produce compound sentences with and & but.
SLOs:
• Produce compound sentences with and
or but.
Suggested MOAs:
• On an assignment, instructors provide
students with a set of compound
sentences with the conjunctions missing
and assess whether students can logically
complete the sentences with and or but.
• Instructors ask students to look at a
paragraph or list of simple sentences
they’ve written and add more details
with compound sentences (e.g., The
winter in Michigan is very cold. → Winter
in Michigan is very cold, but the snow is
very beautiful). Instructors evaluate new
compound sentences for logic and form.
091: Question Formation
1. Objective: Ask and answer yes/no and wh- questions in present and past tenses of simple aspect.
SLOs:
• Recognize and understand wh- words
(who, what, where, when, why, how) and
wh- phrases (e.g., how many, how much,
how often, which one).
• Form accurate written…
o …yes/no questions.
o …wh- questions about the subject.
o …wh- questions about the object.
o …questions in present simple,
present progressive, and past simple.
o …questions with “be” as the main
verb.
• Form accurate questions when speaking.
• Form accurate short answers to yes/no
questions.
• Understand and answer wh- questions
appropriately.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet, instructors ask students
to match wh- questions and answers.
• On quizzes or assignments, instructors
ask students to transform statements
into yes/no questions and wh-questions.
Instructors evaluate correct question
form.
• Instructors lead students in an oral game
of Twenty Questions. Instructors assess
for accurately formed yes/no questions.
• On quizzes or assignments, instructors
ask students to answer yes/no questions.
Instructors evaluate form of answer.
• On quizzes or assignments, instructors
ask students to answer wh- questions.
Instructors evaluate form of answer and
whether student understood the
question.
• In a short one-on-one interview,
instructors ask students questions about
their daily life and assess whether
students can answer appropriately.
091: There is / There are
1. Objective: Understand and use there is/ there are in present, past, and future tenses.
SLOs:
• Recognize that in there is/there are
constructions, the be verb agrees with
the first noun that follows.
• Form the contractions there’s, there isn’t,
there aren’t.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a quiz, instructors ask students to fill
in the missing form of be. Instructors
evaluate the form for subject/verb
agreement.
• Use there is/there are to describe a place
(affirmative and negative).
• Produce questions and responses with
there is/are in present, past, and future
tense.
• On a quiz, instructors provide students
with a sentence (e.g., There is a pencil on
the table.) and assess students’ ability to
form the contraction. (There’s a pencil on
the table).
• On a quiz or worksheet, given a set of
“find the difference” pictures, students
describe how the second picture is
different using there is/are/isn’t/aren’t
sentences. Instructors assess students’
sentences for correct form and content.
• To assess use of present tense there
is/are, instructors hand out a copy of the
“MSU Facts” page from MSU’s website.
Students write out questions about the
statistics, then exchange papers with a
partner and answer the partner’s
questions (e.g., How many buildings are
there at MSU? There are 538 buildings).
• To assess use of past tense there
was/were, the instructor types up a short
history of MSU (not using there
was/were). Students complete questions
and answers on a worksheet (e.g., In
1855__________ female students).
Instructor evaluates form.
• To assess the use of future tense, the
instructor asks students to write
questions about the future of MSU and
guess the answers. (e.g., Q: In 100 years,
will there be an MSU football team? A: I
think there won’t be a football team).
091: Imperatives
1. Objective: Understand and use common imperatives (instructions).
SLOs:
• Recognize simple classroom instructions.
• Follow simple classroom instructions and
commands.
• Form affirmative and negative
imperatives with the base form of a verb
and no subject.
• Soften commands by adding please.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors ask students to open to a
page in their textbook and circle all of the
imperative forms they find. (Any page
with exercises will have plenty of
instructions).
• Instructors assess whether students can
follow oral instructions in class (e.g., Take
• Form suggestions with Let’s + base form.
• Understand the difference between
commands and suggestions.
out a piece of paper. Number from 1 to
10. Circle numbers 2 and 3. Underline
numbers 4 and 5. Cross out numbers 7
and 8).
• Instructors assess whether students can
follow written instructions on a quiz.
• On an assignment, given a picture of a
child’s messy room and a list of verbs,
instructors ask students to say or write
commands using imperatives. (e.g., Pick
up the clothes. Close the window. Put the
books on the shelf).
• On a quiz, instructors assess whether
students can edit for errors of imperative
form. (e.g., Not do your homework. →
Don’t do your homework).
• Instructors give a list of commands and
ask students to make them more polite.
Students should add please.
• Instructors give a situation and ask
students to give a suggestion. (e.g.,
situation: The test will be hard.
suggestion: Let’s study together tonight).
• On a quiz, instructors assess students’
ability to choose the logical form to
complete a sentence (e.g., I’m bored. Go
/ Let’s go to the movies).
091: Modals
1. Objective: Understand and use simple modals of permission and ability (can, could, may).
SLOs:
• Recognize correct verb phrases with can,
could, and may.
• Differentiate between expressions of
permission and ability that use can,
could, and may.
• Form short answers to yes/no questions
with modals. (e.g. Can I go to the movies?
Yes. Or Yes, you can).
Suggested MOAs:
• On a multiple-choice item, instructors ask
students to choose the correct form of a
modal to complete a sentence (e.g., He
can / cans sing. )
• On a multiple-choice item, instructors ask
students to choose the correct form of a
main verb to complete a sentence (e.g.,
He can sing / to sing / sings. )
• On a test, instructors evaluate students’
ability to correct sentences with modal +
base errors (e.g., He cans come. → He
can comes. )
• On a quiz, instructors ask students to
label sentences with can, could, or may
as permission or ability statements.
• On a test, instructors assess the form of
students’ short answers to permission or
ability questions.
2. Objective: Understand and use simple modals of requests and desires (would like, would, could,
can).
SLOs:
• Correctly transform imperatives into
polite requests using the modal + base
form with would like, would, could, and
can.
• Identify and correct modal + base errors
in affirmative and negative statements
and questions.
• Differentiate among requests, offers,
and desires that employ the modals
would (like), could, and can.
Suggested MOAs:
• On homework or quizzes, instructors
check students’ understanding of form
and meaning by giving students an
imperative sentence and then asking the
students to write the same information
as a polite request (e.g. Hand me your
pencil. → Could you hand me your
pencil?)
• On a test, instructors assess students’
ability to edit sentences with errors of
modal form, main verb form, or word
order.
• On assignments or tests, instructors
assess students’ ability to understand the
meaning of modals by giving them a
sentence and asking them to label it as a
request, offer, or desire.
3. Objective: Understand and use modals of necessity (have to, must).
SLOs:
• Recognize have to and must as
expressions of necessity in affirmative
and negative statements and questions.
• Differentiate between true modals and
“modal-like expressions” (e.g., have to)
which express meanings similar to
modals, but follow different grammar
rules: subject-verb agreement, question
formation, etc.
• Transform statements with have to and
must into questions (adding do to make a
question with have to).
Suggested MOAs:
• On an assignment, instructors assess
students’ ability to identify expressions
of necessity by giving students a
paragraph containing have as a main
verb, have to as a modal-like expression
of necessity, and must. Students
underline only have to and must as the
expressions that shows necessity (e.g. I
have a test on Friday and I have to study
at least two hours before then.)
• Orally or on paper, instructors ask
students to list the true modals (will,
• Understand the difference between
must not and don’t have to.
• Produce correct affirmative and negative
expressions of necessity using must and
have to in focused exercises.
• Identify and correct errors in affirmative
and negative statements and questions
of necessity.
would, can, could, may, might, shall,
should, must). Any other expression
covered in this unit is modal-like.
• On a quiz, instructors assess students’
ability to transform statements into
accurate questions. Instructors evaluate
verb form and word order.
• On a multiple-choice item, instructors ask
students to choose the correct sentence
to fit a context (e.g., Context: You have
an optional assignment. Choices: You
must not turn in the assignment / You
don’t have to turn in the assignment.)
• On an assignment, instructors assess
students’ accuracy of form by giving
them a picture and a clue and asking
them to write a correct statement
(affirmative or negative depending on
picture) to show necessity (e.g. From a
picture of doctor’s office with a sign
saying “No cellphones!” student writes
You must not use a cellphone in the
doctor’s office.).
• On a test, instructors assess students’
ability to edit errors of form and word
order in necessity expressions.
091: Nouns
1. Objective: Understand that a noun can be the subject or the object in a sentence.
SLOs:
• Recognize nouns in subject and object as
positions in a sentence.
• Identify nouns in simple sentences.
Suggested MOAs:
• Instructors write simple sentences and
ask students to underline the nouns.
• Instructors assess whether students can
find the nouns in the subject and object
parts of a sentence.
2. Objective: Distinguish between proper and common nouns.
SLOs:
• Recognize that nouns with capital letters
are names of people, places, or things.
Suggested MOAs:
• Capitalize proper nouns (names).
• Instructors ask students to scan a
paragraph and circle proper nouns
(names).
• In textbook exercises or worksheets
written by the instructor, students
correctly identify and capitalize all proper
nouns.
3. Objective: Form singular and plural nouns.
SLOs:
• Form regular plurals by adding -s /-es to
a noun, following spelling change rules.
• Produce common irregular plural forms.
• Recognize and pronounce the -s ending
correctly.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a quiz, instructors give a singular
noun and ask students to write the plural
form. Instructors assess for correct
spelling.
• On a quiz, instructors give a singular
noun and ask students to write the
irregular plural form. Instructors assess
for correct spelling.
• Instructors give students a table with 4
columns. In the first column is a regular
plural noun ending in -s/-es. In columns
2-4 are the possible pronunciations /s/
/z/ /ez/. The instructor reads each plural
noun and students circle the sound they
hear.
• Instructor asks students to read aloud
plural nouns and awards points for
accurate pronunciation.
4. Objective: Recognize and understand count and non-count nouns.
SLOs:
• Identify a noun (in a sentence) as count
or non-count.
• Recognize that only count nouns have a
plural form.
Suggested MOAs:
• In a sentence with an underlined noun,
instructors ask students to label it C or
NC.
• On a classwork exercise, instructors give
a list of new words and ask students to
look them up in the dictionary and then
label them C or NC.
• In a cloze exercise, instructors assess
students’ ability to choose the correct
form of nouns from a list including some
incorrect distractors of non-count nouns
with -s.
5. Objective: Form and understand possessive nouns.
SLOs:
• Form accurate possessive nouns.
• Use possessive nouns correctly.
Suggested MOAs:
• In simple sentences, instructors ask
students to add apostrophes (with or
without -s) to make underlined nouns
possessive.
• On a cloze exercise, instructors ask
students to select the correct form
(plural or possessive) to complete a
sentence logically (e.g., Leahs /Leah’s
parents / parents’ moved to Michigan
last year).
6. Objective: Understand and use subject, object, and possessive pronouns.
SLOs:
• Produce the subject, object, and
possessive forms of pronouns.
• Use subject, object, and possessive
pronouns accurately.
• Produce questions with whose.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a quiz, instructors ask students to fill
in missing parts of a chart containing
subject, object, and possessive pronouns.
• On a multiple-choice item, instructors
evaluate whether students can supply
the correct pronoun form to complete a
simple sentence.
• On a quiz, instructors write a dialogue
containing questions and answers with
possessives. Instructors assess whether
students can fill in missing words or
phrases to complete the dialogue (Whose
book is that? It’s Marco’s book).
091: Determiners
1. Objective: Recognize the correct determiners to use with count and noncount nouns (a/an, some,
any).
SLOs:
Suggested MOAs:
• Differentiate between a/an, some, and
any.
• In a cloze exercise, instructors assess
whether students can select the correct
determiner (a, an, some, any) to
complete a statement or question.
2. Objective: Use many / much /a lot of correctly with count and noncount nouns.
SLOs:
• Use many + a plural, count noun.
• Use much + noncount noun in negative
statements and questions.
• Use a lot of + noncount noun or plural,
count noun in affirmative statements and
questions.
• Produce questions with how many/how
much.
Suggested MOAs:
• In a cloze exercise, instructors assess
whether students can supply the correct
quantifier (many, much, a lot of) to
complete a statement or question.
• In a cloze exercise, instructors assess
whether students can supply the logical
phrase (How many, How much) to
complete a question.
091: Adjectives
1. Objective: Understand and use adjectives in noun phrases and after be.
SLOs:
• Recognize adjectives by their function
(description) and placement in the
sentence (either before a noun or after
be).
• Recognize the form and meaning of
common adjectives.
Suggested MOAs:
• On assignments, instructors evaluate
students’ ability to identify adjectives in
sentences by giving them simple
sentences and asking the students to
circle the adjectives.
• On a test, instructors evaluate students’
ability to recognize adjectives by
providing a list of words with different
parts of speech and asking them to circle
the adjectives (only ones that were
previously given on a study list).
• On a multiple-choice item, instructors
provide a picture and a descriptive
sentence with choices of adjective.
Instructors evaluate students’ ability to
choose the accurate adjective to describe
the picture.
091: Adverbs
1. Objective: Recognize and form common adverbs.
SLOs:
• Understand that adverbs describe verbs,
adjectives, or other adverbs.
• Recognize adverbs with -ly.
• Form adverbs with -ly.
• Form the common irregular adverbs:
well, fast, hard.
• Produce simple sentences with adverbs.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a multiple choice item, students circle
the correct answer(s) to “An adverb
describes….”
• On a worksheet with a number of simple
sentences, instructors ask students to
underline all verbs and circle all adverbs.
• On a quiz, the instructors give a sentence
with an adjective, and then a similar
sentence with a missing adverb (e.g., He
is not a slow runner. He runs ________).
Instructors assess the form of the
response. Correct answers include
quickly and fast.
• On a worksheet, the instructors give a list
of adverbs, and evaluate whether
students can write logical, accurate
sentences containing the adverbs.
2. Objective: Understand and use adverbs of frequency with present simple.
SLOs:
• Understand common adverbs of
frequency (always, usually, often,
sometimes, rarely, never).
• Use adverbs of frequency with simple
present to express habits or routines.
• Place adverbs appropriately (at the
beginning, middle, or end of the
sentence).
• Ask and answer questions with how
often.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a worksheet, instructors give a
starting sentence such as “I brush my
teeth every morning and every night.”
Students must then choose the best
adverb to complete a sentence with the
same meaning: “I always / never /
sometimes / usually brush my teeth.”
• Given a printout of someone’s monthly
calendar, students write true statements
using adverbs about the person’s
routine. Instructors evaluate sentences
for accurate adverb choice and word
order.
• Instructor assesses students’ ability to
complete a dialogue about routines that
has some questions and some answers
left blank. Instructors evaluate responses
for logic and form.
091: Prepositions
1. Objective: Understand and use prepositions to describe place.
SLOs:
• Recognize correct prepositions to
describe place.
• Use correct prepositions to describe
place.
Suggested MOAs:
• On an assignment, instructors assess
students’ ability to use a limited set of
prepositions by providing them a
sentence and a picture and asking
students to fill in the blank with the
appropriate preposition of place that
describes the picture.
• During a small group activity, instructors
evaluate students’ ability to use a limited
set of prepositions by asking them to
describe a room in their house using
correct prepositions of place.
2. Objective: Understand and use simple prepositions to describe time.
SLOs:
• Recognize correct prepositions to
describe time.
• Use correct prepositions to describe
time.
Suggested MOAs:
• On a test or quiz, instructors evaluate
students’ ability to use a limited set of
prepositions by providing them with an
incomplete conversation about plans and
asks students to fill in the blank with the
correct prepositions of time.
• During a small group activity, instructors
evaluate students’ ability to use a limited
set of prepositions by asking them to
describe their week’s schedule to their
partner using correct prepositions of
time.
