ReadWriteThink
Style-Shifting: Examining and Using Formal and Informal Language Styles
Your high schoolers are probably versed in two languages: formal language, and informal conversation. Help them identify the correct language style for their audience and context with a thorough lesson plan and examples of different...
Curated OER
Formal and Informal Language Resources
Yo! Check it out. Here's a lesson on formal and informal language. And the packet includes a game. What fun!
Curated OER
Create a Community that Promotes Academic Language
Set your elementary, middle, and high schoolers up for success by implementing a variety of strategies to build academic language.
University of Arizona
Language Registers
Do you speak to your parents the same way you speak to your friends? The differences between formal and informal language are highlighted in this exercise. Groups are asked to select a scenario and script different dialogues that might...
University of North Carolina
Should I Use “I”?
Despite the formal nature of academic writing, personal pronouns frequently appear in high school and college papers. While your first instinct may be to cross them out, sometimes it's okay to use them, an idea covered in a handout that...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.6
Sometimes it's all too easy to slip into informal language, ya know? Help your class master code-switching with the activity and drill provided here. The activity is a literature discussion where formal language is required. The...
Saskatchewan Elocution and Debate Association
Grab ‘N Go Debate
Here's a resource that provides debaters with the background information and worksheets they will need when planning a policy debate. Templates and sentence frames, as well as a rationale for using debates in the classroom, are included...
Curated OER
Parts of Speech
This online multiple choice quiz focuses on upper-level grammar concepts. In addition to covering simple parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives, this resource also covers more advanced information, such as transitive vs....
Curated OER
Punctuation
Cover higher-level punctuation concepts such as the difference between the en-dash and em-dash. This punctuation review is for formal writing and scholarly articles and is based mainly on APA style. The presentation is very...
Curated OER
Parentheses
Point out the proper uses of parentheses with this informational handout! This resource explains how to use parentheses for side comments, numbers in a list, and citations of outside sources. Learners can read a series of examples for...
New York City Department of Education
What Did I Do to Be so Black and Blue: How Did Jazz Influence Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man
How did jazz influence Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man? Class members read some of Ellison's non-fiction writings about blues and jazz, listen to records, watch videos, and engage in student-centered discussions. They then produce podcasts...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.4
Study allusions with a research and presentation project. Pupils are assigned a specific allusion, the phoenix for example. They research the origins, compose a summary, explain the concept, and explore this allusion within various...
Curated OER
Word Wake
Put your common writing errors to rest with this resource, which prompts high schoolers to create eulogies and tombstones for overused and incorrect words. They work on correcting common errors in spelling and usage mistakes in their own...
Curated OER
Rewriting Bloated Sentences
In this online interactive grammar worksheet, students answer 10 short answer questions regarding inflated sentences. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Emotion or Reason?
Students use persuasive devices to construct oral or written arguments. For this arguments lesson, students discuss the types of persuasive devices used in arguments and form groups to select a topic to research. Students create a...
Curated OER
Illogical Comparisons & Mixed Constructions
In this online interactive grammar skills activity, students answer 10 multiple choice questions regarding illogical comparisons and mixed construction. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
General Grammar Exam
For this online interactive English skills worksheet, students answer 50 multiple choice questions regarding appropriate grammar. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
General Grammar Exam
In this online interactive grammar skills learning exercise, learners answer 47 multiple choice questions regarding grammar skills. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
General Grammar Exam
In this online interactive grammar skills worksheet, students answer 50 multiple choice questions regarding general vocabulary and grammar skills. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Eden's Last Stand: Why Did Anthony Eden Resign in 1938?
Students investigate the politics of England by reading historic letters. In this world history lesson, students research the Conservative British Government during the beginning of World War II. Students examine an authentic letter...
Curated OER
Candy Chemosynthesis
Learners explain chemosynthesis and photosynthesis using candy. In this chemosynthesis instructional activity, students work cooperatively to create a visual explanation of the chemical equations of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis.