• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Formal and informal vocabulary). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which is the most FORMAL way to say "find out"? (discover / dig up / figure out / suss out) → discoverPrompt: Formal words suit official letters, reports and essays.
2. Which is the most FORMAL way to say "need"? (require / wanna / could do with / gotta have) → requirePrompt: Formal words suit official letters, reports and essays.
3. Which is the most FORMAL way to say "help"? (chip in / assist / pitch in / give a hand) → assistPrompt: Formal words suit official letters, reports and essays.

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Formal register and tone. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: An essay paragraph analysing a poem. Which sentence is most appropriate?
• Step 1: Match your register to your audience and purpose; formal tasks need formal, precise language.
• Step 2: So the answer is: The poet's repeated images of grey skies create a bleak and lifeless atmosphere.
• Answer: The poet's repeated images of grey skies create a bleak and lifeless atmosphere.
• 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 complaint letter to a company about a broken product. Which sentence is most appropriate? (Lol the lamp broke already. / Unfortunately, the lamp I purchased stopped working after two days. / Your lamp is junk and I want my money back now. / 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. A speech to the town council about traffic. Which sentence is most appropriate? (Residents have reported serious concerns about speeding on Mill Road. / Mill Road is basically a racetrack, no joke. / Sort out Mill Road, it's a nightmare. / People are well annoyed about cars zooming down Mill Road.) → Residents have reported serious concerns about speeding on Mill Road.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 6 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. An essay paragraph analysing a poem. Which sentence is most appropriate? (The poem is pretty depressing tbh. / The poet goes on and on about grey stuff. / I didn't really get the poem but it's sad. / The poet's repeated images of grey skies create a bleak and lifeless atmosphere.) → The poet's repeated images of grey skies create a bleak and lifeless atmosphere.Prompt: Who is the audience, and what is the purpose?
2. A speech to the town council about traffic. Which sentence is most appropriate? (People are well annoyed about cars zooming down Mill Road. / Sort out Mill Road, it's a nightmare. / Residents have reported serious concerns about speeding on Mill Road. / Mill Road is basically a racetrack, no joke.) → Residents have reported serious concerns about speeding on Mill Road.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-7.