Course Information for ESL 85 students

What is ESL 85?

• ESL 85 is a 3-unit advanced grammar and editing course; it is  100% online. For Fall 2025, there will be only two required Zoom meetings: Thursday, August 21st and Thursday, September 4th at 7pm (lasting about 70 minutes), but you must attend those two. After that, I will offer optional Zoom meetings--those are not required. 

• ESL 85 is designed to help students needing extra grammar support at the advanced level in the writing courses. It is an elective; it is not a requirement for advancement or graduation.  It meets requirements for the Certificate of Academic Accomplishment in Advanced Academic English as a Second Language. 

• After you register, you'll receive a welcome message with information about the course with more detailed information.. 

ESL 85 online FAQ

Is ESL 85 is the right level for me?

Before taking this course, you should use the credit ESL Placement tool.  When you see the results, you will know if this course is the right level for you.

• If your level is 182 or 184, you need ESL 75 

• If your level is 186, this is probably the right course for you. 

• If your level is ESL 188 or English 1A, you probably want to take ESL 95; however, if you have more serious basic grammar problems, ESL 85 might be better. You're welcome to email me to discuss your situation: nicole.trahan@mail.ccsf.edu

What if I don't want to take a writing course this semester?

It's best to take this course while taking a writing course; however, it's not necessary to take both at the same time. If you don't have much time in your schedule but you want grammar help with writing, you can just take 85 if it's the right level for you.

Is ESL 85A 100% online? 

Yes, ESL 85 is completely online; there are no required on-campus meetings. However, I will hold a live Zoom orientation at the beginning of the semester (you'll receive more information after you register). I will also have optional Zoom meetings every two weeks; I will arrange the time by students' schedules.

What do we learn in ESL 85?

• Verb tenses and forms

• Sentence structure

• Modal verbs

• Active and passive voice 

• Subject-verb agreement

• Gerunds and infinitives

• Adjective, adverb, and noun clauses

• Conjunctions

• Reported speech

• Conditionals

• Parallelism

• Punctuation

• Word forms

• Lots of extra strategies to help you write and edit better!

Do I need a lot of computer skills?

You don't need to be a computer expert! We use the Canvas system for our class (see below for more information about Canvas), which isn't difficult to learn. But you need the ability to:

• use e-mail

• take photos with your phone or camera (or use a scanner)

• use basic word processing skills (type/save/open documents)

• watch videos online (all videos have captions)

• make short videos of yourself with phone or webcam (not absolutely required; talk to me if this will be a problem)

It's also advisable to be able to connect to Zoom, but not absolutely required. 

How much work is it?

You should expect to spend about 7-10 hours per week total, including reading instructions, learning information, and completing assignments.

Can I really learn English online? 

Well, it's probably difficult to learn the whole language just online. But you can certainly get some extra grammar help online; that's what this course will give you. 

Isn't online learning difficult?

It's not necessarily more difficult than a face-to-face class, but it's different. 

OK, I want to take this class. How do I start?

First, are you already a City College student? If not, you need to apply for admission first. See the apply for admissions page.  After you are accepted and ready, register in your Student Portal as soon as possible (the class may fill up quickly!).  

ESL 85  starts in Canvas on Saturday, August 16th (for the Fall 2025 semester). On that day, you can login to Canvas and start the course.  There are many online Canvas guides (see below) to show you how Canvas works.  Again, you must also attend the 2 required Zoom meetings on August 21st and September 4th. 

What if I have more questions?

During the semester, if you're in my online class, please use the Canvas inbox to contact me.  See below for login instructions if you can't get into Canvas.

If you're a future student, you're welcome to e-mail me at: nicole.trahan@mail.ccsf.edu; see above for more contact information.

I answer messages in 24 hours or less Tuesday 9am- Saturday 5pm.