English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Which text is most formal?
Which text is most formal?
What you'll learn
- Identify the key characteristics of formal and informal language in three different texts with 80% accuracy.
- Analyze the diction, syntax, and tone of three texts to determine the level of formality, providing specific textual evidence for each analysis.
- Evaluate the suitability of formal and informal language for different audiences and purposes, justifying their reasoning in a written paragraph.
- Apply their understanding of formal language by rewriting a provided informal text passage into a formal equivalent, adhering to the conventions of formal writing.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the key linguistic features of formal and informal writing.
Analyze how an author's word choice (diction) and sentence structure (syntax) contribute to a text's level of formality.
Compare and contrast multiple texts to evaluate their relative formality.
Explain how audience and purpose dictate the appropriate level of formality in a text.
By a the end of this lesson, students will be able to articulate a clear claim about a text's formality and support it with specific textual evidence.
Differentiate between a text's tone (e.g., serious, humorous) and its level of formality (e.g., formal, informal).
Would you write an email to your principal the same way you'd text your best friend? 🤔 Of course not! Understanding *why*...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
FormalityThe level of adherence to standard English conventions and the degree of distance a writer maintains from the reader. It exists on a spectrum from highly formal to very informal (or colloquial).Formal: 'The investigation yielded inconclusive results.' vs. Informal: 'The search didn't really turn up anything.'
AudienceThe intended reader or group of readers for a piece of writing. The audience's expectations, knowledge, and relationship to the writer heavily influence the text's formality.The audience for a scientific journal is other scientists (requiring formal language), while the audience for a personal blog is the general public (allowing for informal language).
PurposeThe reason an author is writing a text—to inform, t...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Rule of Objectivity and Point of View
Formal writing typically uses the third-person point of view (he, she, it, they) to maintain an objective distance from the subject matter.
Avoid using first-person pronouns like 'I think' or 'In my opinion,' and second-person pronouns like 'you' or 'your.' This creates a more authoritative and less personal tone, which is a hallmark of academic and professional writing.
The Convention of Precise Diction
Formal writing avoids conversational language, including slang, clichés, abbreviations, and contractions.
Instead of 'a lot of,' use 'numerous' or 'a significant amount.' Instead of 'can't,' write 'cannot.' This precision demonstrates credi...
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Challenging
Read the two passages. Which is MOST formal?
A.Passage A: 'I believe the evidence convincingly demonstrates a correlation between the two variables. However, we must be careful not to assume causation, as other factors could be at play. Future research should look into this possibility.'
B.Passage B: 'A correlation between the two variables is demonstrated by the evidence. Nevertheless, an assumption of causation is not warranted, as extraneous factors may be influential. Subsequent research is required to investigate this contingency.'
C.Passage A is more formal because it clearly states the author's opinion.
D.Passage B is more formal because it uses more complex vocabulary and a passive voice construction to create an objective tone.
Challenging
A grant proposal for a scientific research project must be written in a highly formal style. Which of the following passages would be LEAST appropriate for this purpose?
A.The methodology involves a double-blind study with a sample size of five hundred participants.
B.Preliminary data suggest a statistically significant outcome, warranting further investigation.
C.The research team possesses the requisite expertise to execute the proposed study's objectives.
D.We're really excited about this project and we think it's got a great shot at changing the game in our field.
Challenging
Analyze the following sentence: 'The committee, after reviewing all the data—which wasn't easy, let me tell you—ultimately decided to postpone the project.' What is the most accurate assessment of its formality?
A.It has mixed formality; the syntax is complex and the diction is somewhat formal, but the parenthetical aside is highly informal.
B.It is completely formal because it discusses an official committee decision.
C.It is completely informal because it uses a conversational phrase.
D.It is formal, but the author's tone is sarcastic.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Which text is most formal?"?
Which text is most formal? is a Grade 9 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Which text is most formal??
You'll be able to: Identify the key characteristics of formal and informal language in three different texts with 80% accuracy; Analyze the diction, syntax, and tone of three texts to determine the level of formality, providing specific textual….
Is "Which text is most formal?" free to practice?
Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with Which text is most formal??
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.