RAMON
MAGSAYSAY
MEMORIAL
COLLEGES
MARBEL
INC.
COLLEGE OF
TEACHER
EDUCATION
ELT 9:
Technical Writing
Instructor:
Frenzy Mar D. Damole,
LPT
ELT 9: Technical Writing FRENZY MAR D. DAMOLE, LPT
Instructor
Course Name ELT 9
Descriptive Title Technical Writing
Course The course develops pre-service teachers’ technical and scientific writing
Description skills necessary for information and communication across disciplines
using global language in a multilingual context. It will provide them
extensive reading background and considerable knowledge on the
components and characteristics that determine technicality of language
and concepts in a technical and scientific work. They will analyze a variety
of professional rhetorical situations and write different technical reports
to demonstrate their proficiency in the written communication.
Course Learning At the end of the course, students should be able to:
Outcome
1. demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the components and
characteristics that determine the technicality of language and
concepts in technical and scientific writing;
2. analyze professional rhetorical situations and effectively apply
theoretical knowledge of technical writing to compose clear, accurate,
and context-appropriate technical reports;
3. demonstrate proficiency in written communication by composing
various types of technical reports that are precise, well-structured,
and suited to a multilingual and global context; and
4. utilize technology tools to enhance the process of technical writing,
including research, drafting, and editing, to create professional-level
documents
Credit Unit 3
Time Allotment 54 Hours
Course Content and Time Frame
Examination
Week Course Content or Topic
Coverage
1 Review on the Structure of English
Prelim
2 Introduction to Technical Writing
3 Five Traits of Technical Writing
Midterm Technical Writing Assignments: Sales Letters, Letters of Inquiry, Memos,
4
and E-Mail
Technical Writing Assignments: Reports, The Job Search, Instructions, Web
5
Final Pages, and PowerPoint
6 Technical Writing Assignments: Brochures, Newsletters, Fliers, Interview
Course Requirements
1. Examination
2. Portfolio of Written Projects
3. Class Attendance, Assignments, Quizzes, Recitation, Class Participation
4. Google e-mail account
5. Quipper
ELT 9: Technical Writing FRENZY MAR D. DAMOLE, LPT
Instructor
CHAPTER 1: REVIEW ON THE
STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH
This lesson aims to provide a clear understanding of the structure of the English language,
focusing on the rules and components that form grammatically correct sentences. It will cover key
elements such as sentence construction, word order, parts of speech, and their proper arrangement
to ensure effective communication. Mastery of these foundational concepts is essential for building a
solid grasp of Technical Writing.
Topic Learning Outcomes:
At the end of these weeks, the pre-service teachers (PSTs) should be able to:
1. demonstrate mastery of content knowledge on grammar and sentence structure;
2. analyze and correct common writing errors ensuring their proper usage in professional
technical and scientific writing; and
3. apply theoretical knowledge of language structure in creating well-structured and
grammatically correct paragraphs.
Lesson 1: Rules On Subject-Verb Agreement
1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a
plural subject requires a plural verb.
o The dog growls when he is angry.
o The dogs growl when they are angry.
2. Words between the subject and verb do not affect agreement. Don't get confused by the
words that come between the subject and verb. They do not affect subject-verb agreement.
o The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb do not affect agreement.
o The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
4. When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject is placed after the verb. Care
needs to be taken to identify the subject correctly.
o There is a problem with the balance sheet.
o Here are the papers you requested.
5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you identify the subject
correctly before choosing the appropriate verb form.
o Where are the pieces of this puzzle?
6. If two subjects are joined by “and,” they typically require a plural verb form.
o The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
7. The verb is singular if the two subjects connected by “and” refer to the same person or
thing.
o Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.
ELT 9: Technical Writing FRENZY MAR D. DAMOLE, LPT
Instructor
8. If one of the words “each,” “every,” or “no” comes before the subject, the verb is
singular.
o Every man and woman is required to check in.
o No smoking or drinking is allowed.
9. If the subjects are singular and connected by “or,” “nor,” “neither/nor,” “either/or,” or
“not only/but also,” the verb is singular.
o Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.
10. When “some,” “half,” “none,” “more,” or “all” are followed by a prepositional phrase,
the object of the preposition determines the verb form.
o All of the chicken is gone.
o All of the chickens are gone.
11. The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.
o Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.
12. If two plural subjects are connected by “or,” “nor,” “neither/nor,” “either/or,” or “not
only/but also,” the verb is plural.
o Either the students or the teachers are attending the meeting.
13. If one subject is singular and one is plural, and they are connected by “or,” “nor,”
“neither/nor,” “either/or,” or “not only/but also,” use the verb form of the subject
nearest the verb.
o Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.
o Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.
14. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs.
o Everybody wants to be loved.
15. Except for the pronouns “few,” “many,” “several,” “both,” “all,” and “some,” which
always take the plural form.
o Few were left alive after the flood.
16. If two infinitives are separated by “and,” they take the plural form of the verb.
o To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
17. When gerunds are used as the subject, they take the singular form of the verb. However,
if two gerunds are linked by “and,” they take the plural form.
o Standing in the water was a bad idea.
o Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.
18. Collective nouns usually take a singular verb form.
o The herd is stampeding.
19. Titles of books, movies, novels, etc., are treated as singular and take a singular verb.
o The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.
ELT 9: Technical Writing FRENZY MAR D. DAMOLE, LPT
Instructor
[Link] Rule - Only the subject affects the verb. Remember that the subject is the only
factor that determines the verb form, not other parts of the sentence.
Special Rules on Subject-Verb Agreement
1. A noun that is always plural in form but singular in meaning (physics, mathematics,
economics, ethics, measles, mumps, etc.) takes the singular verb.
o Mathematics is a difficult subject.
o What is the latest news about ABS-CBN franchise?
2. A noun that is always plural in form and plural in meaning (eyeglasses, pants, shorts,
pliers, tongs, etc.) takes a plural verb.
o His shorts are designed with different colors and drawings.
3. The singular form of the verb is required when the expression “a pair of” (or its
equivalent) is used with a noun that is always plural in form (see #2).
o A pair of shorts is designed by Alona.
o A set of utensils is on display.
4. When the subject comes after the verb, the subject and verb still must agree with each
other in number.
o Near the fence are growing many red tulips.
5. Adjectives preceded by “the” and used as plural nouns take a plural verb.
o The rich get richer.
o The poor face many hardships.
6. The expression “a number” takes the plural verb; “the number” takes the singular.
o A number of teachers are on the training program.
o The number of teachers on the training program increases.
7. The expression “many a” implies a large number, but takes a singular verb.
o Many a child wants to be famous someday.
8. The introductory “it” is always singular.
o It is my duty to teach the students.
9. With fractions and percentages, the verb agrees with the preceding noun or clause.
o One-third of this article is taken up with statistical analysis.
o Fifty percent of the job is routine.
10. With a plural noun, use a plural verb:
o One-third of the students have graduate degrees.
o Half of his articles are peer-reviewed.
o Fifty percent of the computers have CD-ROM drives.
ELT 9: Technical Writing FRENZY MAR D. DAMOLE, LPT
Instructor
11. A collective noun takes a singular verb when the noun refers to the group as a unit. A
collective noun takes a plural verb when the noun refers to the individual parts or
members of the group.
o The committee releases its stand on the issue.
o The committee discuss the issue at hand.
ELT 9: Technical Writing FRENZY MAR D. DAMOLE, LPT
Instructor