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Language Primer

$50.00

Language Primer

One of Poynter’s all-time most popular courses, the Language Primer has been fully updated and revised for 2023. It has helped thousands and thousands of writers gain proficiency in the fundamentals of grammar, punctuation and word use in the English language.

This course can be taken independently or as part of the ACES Certificate in Editing.

Start Anytime

Overview

  • Take this course independently or as part of the ACES Certificate in Editing.
  • Become an authority on the fundamentals of the English language, including grammar, punctuation and word use.
  • Work through a series of readings and lessons to improve your understanding of foundational concepts.
  • Engage in a variety of practice quizzes that will reward your correct answers and explain your incorrect responses.
  • Work at your own pace.
  • Join the thousands of writers who gained more confidence in their abilities after completing Poynter’s Language Primer.

$50.00

SKU: NUSDT01-14 Learning Path: Tags: , ,

Learning Outcomes

This course covers the rules and principles of grammar, punctuation and word use in the English language. It specifically addresses the following topics:

  • Dangling and misplaced modifiers
  • Personal pronouns, newly revised for 2023
  • Sentence structure concepts, including active and passive voice, sentence fragments and subject-verb agreement
  • Apostrophe usage with contractions, possessive pronouns and plural words
  • Comma usage
  • Essential and non-essential clauses
  • General word usage and common spelling mistakes

$50.00

Overview

  • Take this course independently or as part of the ACES Certificate in Editing.
  • Become an authority on the fundamentals of the English language, including grammar, punctuation and word use.
  • Work through a series of readings and lessons to improve your understanding of foundational concepts.
  • Engage in a variety of practice quizzes that will reward your correct answers and explain your incorrect responses.
  • Work at your own pace.
  • Join the thousands of writers who gained more confidence in their abilities after completing Poynter’s Language Primer.

Training five or more people?
Check out our custom training.

The basics of composition and writing can be challenging to even the best writer. Poynter’s popular Language Primer focuses on the fundamentals, giving you access to essays, practice drills and feedback. Once you successfully complete the course’s final assessment, you will receive a certificate you can use to prove your proficiency as an authority on language.

This self-paced course is broken into three sections: grammar, punctuation and word use.

Each section includes essays that explore why the fundamentals matter and what you need to know to succeed as a writer. In addition, each section features a variety of practice quizzes. You’ll not only see what you get right or wrong, you’ll also learn why.

Whether you’re stumped by the difference between active and passive voice, unsure about the different spellings of “they’re,” “their” and “there,” or simply need a refresher on dangling modifiers, this course will help you write and edit with greater confidence.

This course has been newly updated in 2023. It can be taken independently or as part of the ACES Certificate in Editing.

Questions?

If you need assistance, email us at info@poynter.org.

Once you enroll in this online course, you can start any time and take the lessons on your own schedule. 

Who should enroll

This course is for anyone who grapples with the basics of English grammar, word usage and punctuation, or who wants to expand their knowledge in those areas. It also can be used as a review of the fundamentals or to diagnose and correct specific problems.

Cost

$50.00 

Instructors

Edited by

  • Mary Bishop-Baldwin
    Assistant Editor, Tulsa World
    Mary Bishop-Baldwin has been an editor at the Tulsa (Oklahoma) World since 1995. She previously was an assistant professor of journalism at East Central University...
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Instructors

  • Roy Peter Clark
    Senior Scholar, Poynter
    Roy Peter Clark is known as America’s writing coach, devoted to creating a nation of writers. A PhD in medieval literature, he is widely considered...
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  • Pamela Hogle
    Freelance writer and editor
    Pamela Hogle is a freelance writer and editor. She holds master’s degrees in journalism and canine studies. Pam has taught editing at USFSP and worked...
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  • Merrill Perlman
    Independent writing and editing consultant
    Merrill Perlman spent 25 years at The New York Times in jobs ranging from copy editor to director of copy desks, in charge of all...
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Course Contributors

  • Mark Allen
    Freelance Editor; Board member of ACES: The Society for Editing
    Mark Allen is an editor by trade and a teacher by passion with 30 years of professional experience working with words (including numbers). After a...
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  • Andy Bechtel
    Assistant professor, University of North Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication
    Andy Bechtel is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he teaches editing and newswriting. He...
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  • Sue Burzynski Bullard
    Sue Burzynski Bullard teaches editing, reporting and multimedia at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty in August 2008 after a year...
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Thank you to our training partner

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