Course contents and teaching method
This course is designed for learners at the B1 or B2 level who wish to strengthen or refresh their academic English grammar and vocabulary skills. It provides a structured and supportive environment for developing the language needed for academic study, writing, and presentations in English-medium settings. Each 90-minute session is divided into two focused segments:

• 45 minutes dedicated to academic vocabulary development, including university-specific terms, topic-based vocabulary, and essential academic phrases.
• 45 minutes focused on targeted grammar instruction and practice, reinforcing core structures frequently used in academic contexts.

The course places a strong emphasis on real-life academic application, helping learners to read more effectively, write more clearly, and speak more precisely in academic settings.

Grammar Topics Covered:

• Simple, continuous, and perfect tenses
• Passive voice
• Modal verbs for obligation, possibility, and speculation
• Conditionals (real and hypothetical situations)
• Reported speech and use of reporting verbs
• Relative clauses (defining and non-defining)
• Comparatives and superlatives
• Complex noun phrases, including articles, determiners, and quantifiers
• Academic prepositions (e.g., focus on, consent to, account for)

Vocabulary Focus Areas:

• University-specific and subject-related vocabulary
• General academic verbs and nouns (e.g., analyse, data, method)
• Connectors and linking devices (e.g., therefore, however)
• Phrasal verbs and collocations common in academic writing
• Language for identifying sources and referencing
• Describing trends and processes
• Expressing opinions and hedging
• Transition and signposting vocabulary for clarity in argumentation

Workload and evaluation
Participants will complete fortnightly (every 2 weeks) grammar and vocabulary multiple-choice progression tests. Each test will be marked on a Pass/Fail basis, designed to monitor progress and reinforce key learning points. 

Attendance and regular participation in the course is compulsory. Participants must attend 80% of the classes to pass the course. 

Materials
All materials will be provided to students.

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Use a broad range of academic vocabulary, including university-specific terms, general academic verbs, collocations, and phrasal verbs.
• Organise and connect ideas clearly using appropriate linking and transition words.
• Accurately apply core academic grammar structures: verb tenses, passive voice, modal verbs, conditionals, reported speech, and relative clauses.
• Build complex noun phrases and use articles, quantifiers, and academic prepositions correctly.
• Describe trends, report on sources, and express opinions using formal academic language.
• Demonstrate progress through fortnightly vocabulary and grammar assessments (Pass/Fail).

Target audience

This course is for participants whose level corresponds to level B1 or B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Please only register if your level corresponds to the course. Participants of our partner institutions and Unifr employees can contact us to take a placement test if they are unsure of their level. Unifr students are automatically guided to the placement test when registering for a course on MyUnifr.

Prerequisites

The General Conditions for Participation in Language Courses apply. 

Responsibles and speakers

Responsibles

• Esmonde Chloe

Dates and locations

Period	Location
16.09.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
23.09.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
30.09.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
07.10.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
14.10.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
21.10.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
28.10.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
04.11.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
11.11.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
18.11.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
25.11.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
02.12.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
09.12.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117
16.12.2025 from 10:15 to 12:00	Salle ordinateurs, S-1.117