COMMUNICATION ESSENTIALS (B.Tech 1st Year) P.T.U. - Dr. Mohinderpal Kaur Sandhu

Dr. Mohinderpal Kaur Sandhu is an accomplished academic and writer with over 20 years of teaching experience. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of English at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College, Fatehgarh Sahib. Known for her dedication to developing articulate and thoughtful communicators, she is a respected figure in language and communication studies.

She has authored two significant literary works:

Voicing Resistance Against Civil Oppression – explores dissent and social awareness.

Echoes of the Heart – a poetic reflection on human emotions, identity, and resilience.

Her work emphasizes the transformative power of language and positions communication as a vital tool for connection and empowerment. Her writing blends academic rigor with creative expression, making her contributions both relevant and enduring.

Course Overview

University: I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University
Course Code: BTHU-101-18
Title: English (Credits: 2)
Target Audience: Primarily first-year B.Tech. students, also useful for professionals in technical fields.

Course Outcomes

Independent English Usage: Develop ability to use English independently.

Skill Development: Improve reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Technical English Comprehension: Understand written/spoken technical English.

Fluent Communication: Enable fluent conversation in English.

Effective Writing: Produce clear, coherent texts.

Detailed Course Units

Unit 1: Vocabulary Building & Basic Writing Skills

Vocabulary Development:

Word formation, root words, prefixes/suffixes, synonyms/antonyms, abbreviations.

Sentence Construction:

Phrases and clauses, punctuation, coherence, paragraph organization, precise writing.

Unit 2: Identifying Common Errors in Writing

Grammar topics: subject-verb and noun-pronoun agreement, misplaced modifiers, articles, prepositions, redundancies.

Unit 3: Mechanics of Writing

Structuring texts: Introductions/conclusions, describing/classifying ideas, using evidence/examples.

Unit 4: Writing Practices

Practical writing: comprehension, précis, essays, business letters/emails, reports, resumes.

Chapters from Table of Contents (with page numbers)

• Vocabulary Development - p.1
• Basic Writing Skills - p.34
• Punctuation & Paragraph Writing - p.45
• Coherence in Writing - p.51
• Organizing Paragraphs - p.56
• Grammar Issues (e.g., agreement, modifiers) - p.70
• Prepositions/Redundancies - p.84
• Mechanics of Writing - p.91
• Writing Practices - p.99
• Comprehension Passages - p.104
• Precis Writing - p.130
• Essay Writing - p.134
• Business Letters - p.141
• Business Email - p.164
• Report Writing - p.168
• Resume Writing - p.197