Explicit Advanced Grammar 3.0
The third edition of a course entirely focused on Advanced Grammar
This course is currently available to be taken asynchronously.
Who is this course for?
This course is for English teachers and students of the English language who want to dive deep into advanced English grammar and learn more about syntax.
The rationale behind this course
Preparing students to pass advanced Cambridge exams, I've noticed that even though they have knowledge of a lot of advanced structures and grammar rules, they struggle to create complexity in writing. I believe that certain aspects of the language need to be explored more deeply if a student wishes to write at a proficient level.
What makes this course a must?
This course will help learners become familiarized with concepts that lay the foundations for advanced grammar before dealing with advanced grammar itself. In this way, besides understanding what complexity is, learners will be able to analyze in-depth different reading and listening passages in their day-to-day life while noticing complex language. As an inevitable result, students who take this course become able to create complexity in writing. In addition to that, this course is particularly enriching for teachers who want to understand grammatical structures beyond structures. By doing so, they will become better equipped to deal with grammar in their own lessons. It's my belief that a teacher who has great command of the language will be better at teaching grammar in an implicit way.
Content of the course
In this course, you will learn:
• What complexity is
• Phrases
- noun phrases, adjective phrases, adverbial phrases, prepositional phrases, infinitive phrases, gerund phrases, participle phrases.
• Clauses
- dependent x independent
• Sentences
- Simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, compound-complex sentences.
• Clauses x Sentences
- Finite clauses x non-finite clauses
- Noun clauses
- Relative clauses
- Adjective clauses
- Reduced clauses
- Participle clauses
• Conditional sentences
• Cleft sentences
• Negative adverbials
• Inversion and fronting
The slides and documents used in class will be shared with students.
Course format
This is a group course.
Minimum number of students: 5
Maximum number of students: 8
The duration of each session is 1 hour and 15 minutes. If the student is not able to attend the session, they will have access to the recording, which will be made available for 30 days.
What the course includes
20 live sessions (75min long)
3 Q&A sessions (45min)
3 Surgical table sessions (45min)
Access to a discussion forum with tasks posted every week (students will get direct feedback from me)
How the live sessions work
Each session consists of active work, in which students discover, produce, and analyze complex language.
How the Q&A sessions work
Students are free to bring any questions they might have that are related to complex grammar.
How the Surgical Table sessions work
Students are presented with problematic writing passages to be analyzed. The goal is to discuss whether the paragraph in question contains grammatical complexity that would be considered advanced/proficient.
How the discussion forum works
After every class, a task will be posted with a view to exercising what was discussed in class. Students should notice and analyze language in addition to explaining what they've noticed; they will receive direct feedback from me on a weekly basis.
Dates and course duration
This is a 30-hour course consisting of
25 hours of synchronous weekly live sessions an
3 Q&A sessions (45min each)
3 Surgical Table sessions (45min each)
In 2024, I will be offering groups on Wednesdays and Fridays. These are the schedules:
Wednesday Group
From January 24th to June 26th
3pm BRT to 4:15pm
Jan 24th, 31st
Feb 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
March 6th, 13th, 20th
Recess from March 22nd to April 8th
April 10th, 17th, 24th
May 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
June 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
Friday Group
From January 19th to June 28th
3pm BRT to 4:15pm
Jan 19th, 26th
Feb 2nd, 16th, 23rd
March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd
Recess from March 22nd to April 8th
April 12th, 19th, 26th
May 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th
Jun 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
The time zone in Brazil is GMT-3. To check time zones, click here. Make sure to consider daylight saving policies in your own country.
What if I can't attend a session?
The recording of each session will be made available for as long as the course lasts. Missing a lesson with your chosen group doesn't allow you to make up for the missed lesson with the other group. In other words, if you choose to take lessons with the Friday group, you will not, under any circumstances, be able to attend a lesson on Wednesday, and vice versa.
What people who took part in previous editions have to say about the course:
"I love how well the materials are well prepared and easy to follow even when I need to go back to them to review. I especially appreciate your different approach to look at language and the tasks. It is different from all the language development courses I've taken. However hard some tasks are, I always see the purpose and I'm know more used to it."
Ms. Costa from Brazil 🇧🇷
"Fernanda has, once again, surprised me with the Explicit Advanced Grammar Course! This was definitely the best grammar course I've ever taken. We were able to extensively explore grammar issues in a very smooth way. Needless to say, I feel much more confident now when teaching advanced students."
Ms. Herker from Brazil 🇧🇷
"Your explanation is very clear and precise, it’s so easy to understand everything. The colourful sentences make everything comprehensible, you illustrate the examples in a really meaningful way. Thank you very much for this course."
Ms. Mikulskiene from Lithuania 🇱🇹
I was writing and essay for CPE today and the truth is that I didn't even want to face that moment because it has been so long since I last wrote under exam instructions that I thought I was going to find it painfully difficult and boring. Guess what, it's probably my best piece of writing ever, I'M PROUD OF MYSELF, and I suffered from an underground level of self-esteem. And you know why I did it right (at least that's my impression)? because of the explicit grammar course, NO DOUBT IN MY MIND ABOUT IT. THANKS A MILLION!!"
Ms. Sancho from Spain 🇪🇸
"I'm challenged in many new ways! I appreciate the mix of direct instruction from you and group work, and I really like that you offer one focus per session. This approach of building our awareness and expanding on it from week to week is very manageable."
Ms. Angus from Canada 🇨🇦
"I adore every bit of the course. It is well-structured and perfectly organised. The classes are always dynamic, light and smooth; the tasks are manageable and designed to make us willing to fulfil them. While doing some courses before, I hated working in break-out rooms because it always seemed to be kind of meaningless whereas on this course I absolutely love it, and I totally understand the purpose of this. Last but not least, I am happy to have the teacher who I trust and look up to."
Ms. Verzhykovska from Ukraine 🇺🇦
I like the hands-on approach, and I also feel that we are gradually building on knowledge in a logical way. To my mind, this really makes the course stands out because we can see how every concept is connected."
Ms. Borba from Brazil 🇧🇷
"Taking this advanced grammar course was a game-changer for me. I see language with different eyes now. This journey with Fernanda and other outstanding teachers brought me enough awareness to change how I perceive language and its nuances. The way I consume language has dramatically changed. It looks as if something was unveiled bringing more clarity and easiness using English. I am forever grateful for Fernanda's kindness and support."
Ms. Elaine Costa from Brazil 🇧🇷
Investment
The price for the course is the same whether you choose the Wednesday or the Friday group. Choose yours below.
Wednesday Group
Option 1:
R$ 2400,00
payment by Pix
*available for Brazilians only
Option 2:
R$ 2600,00
in 1 installment via Paypal.
*available for foreigners
Friday Group
Option 2:
R$ 2600,00
in 1 installment via Paypal.
*available for foreigners
Option 3:
R$ 2800,00
in up to 7 installments of R$ 400,00 via Paypal.
*available for Brazilians only
Option 3:
R$ 2800,00
in up to 7 installments of R$ 400,00 via Paypal.
*available for Brazilians only