• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Formal register and tone; Concision: cutting wordiness and redundancy). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. A complaint letter to a company about a broken product. Which sentence is most appropriate? (Lol the lamp broke already. / Your lamp is junk and I want my money back now. / Unfortunately, the lamp I purchased stopped working after two days. / The lamp's dead. Rubbish.) → Unfortunately, the lamp I purchased stopped working after two days.Prompt: Who is the audience, and what is the purpose?
2. She returned back to the house in order to collect her keys. Which revision is the most concise? (She returned to the house to collect her keys. / She went and returned back to the house to collect her keys. / She returned back to the house to collect her keys. / She returned back home to the house in order to collect her keys.) → She returned to the house to collect her keys.Prompt: Look for words that repeat an idea already expressed.
3. A speech to the town council about traffic. Which sentence is most appropriate? (Sort out Mill Road, it's a nightmare. / Mill Road is basically a racetrack, no joke. / People are well annoyed about cars zooming down Mill Road. / Residents have reported serious concerns about speeding on Mill Road.) → Residents have reported serious concerns about speeding on Mill Road.Prompt: Who is the audience, and what is the purpose?

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Style, tone and word choice (ACT English). Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: A scientific abstract: "We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients a bit, perhaps." Which revision is appropriately cautious but not wordy?
• Step 1: Effective style matches tone to purpose and uses precise, economical language.
• Step 2: So the answer is: The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.
• Answer: The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. A report on a charity's work: "The charity helped a whole bunch of families with stuff." Which revision is most precise? (The charity helped many families with things. / The charity helped heaps of families with various stuff. / The charity was helpful to families in lots of ways and stuff. / The charity provided food and housing support to 340 families.) → The charity provided food and housing support to 340 families.Prompt: Who is the audience and what is the purpose?
2. A scientific abstract: "We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients a bit, perhaps." Which revision is appropriately cautious but not wordy? (The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients. / Perhaps, maybe, the drug could possibly help. / We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients. / The drug definitely cures all patients.) → The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.Prompt: Who is the audience and what is the purpose?

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 5 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. A eulogy for a beloved teacher: "Mr Osei was okay and stuff and people kind of liked him." Which revision best suits the occasion? (Mr Osei was okay and people liked him, mostly. / Mr Osei's patience and humour shaped the lives of countless students. / Mr Osei? Yeah, decent guy. / Mr Osei was a teacher who taught.) → Mr Osei's patience and humour shaped the lives of countless students.Prompt: Who is the audience and what is the purpose?
2. A travel article aims to evoke the atmosphere of a night market: "There were a lot of people and some food." Which revision best achieves the writer's goal? (The market had people in it, plus food. / Crowds jostled between stalls where skewers hissed over glowing coals. / People were there. Food was there too. / There were many people and also some food items.) → Crowds jostled between stalls where skewers hissed over glowing coals.Prompt: Who is the audience and what is the purpose?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-12.