• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Thesis statements and supporting evidence; Active and passive voice). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which sentence is the passive version of this sentence? The dog chased the cat. • The dog was chased by the cat. • The cat is chasing by the dog. • The cat chased the dog. • The cat was chased by the dog. (The dog was chased by the cat. / The cat is chasing by the dog. / The cat chased the dog. / The cat was chased by the dog.) → The cat was chased by the dog.Prompt: In a passive sentence, the thing the action is done TO becomes the subject.
2. Thesis: Public parks are essential to healthy cities. Which is the most convincing supporting evidence? (My friend likes going to the park. / Some parks have cafés. / Parks have trees. / A study of ten cities found that residents living near parks reported 20% lower stress levels.) → A study of ten cities found that residents living near parks reported 20% lower stress levels.Prompt: A strong thesis takes a clear, arguable position and hints at the reasons.
3. Is this sentence active or passive? Heavy rain flooded the main road. (active / passive) → activePrompt: Who or what is the subject? Is the subject DOING the action or RECEIVING it?

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Academic style: hedging, nominalisation and objectivity. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: "This proves that social media causes loneliness." (The evidence is a single correlational survey.) Which revision uses appropriate hedging?
• Step 1: Academic style is objective, precise and cautious about what the evidence shows.
• Step 2: So the answer is: These findings suggest a possible link between social media use and loneliness.
• Answer: These findings suggest a possible link between social media use and loneliness.
• 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. "Everyone knows that homework is pointless." Which revision is most objective? (Homework is obviously useless, as anyone can see. / It's a fact that homework never works. / Some studies have questioned the value of homework for younger pupils. / Everyone knows homework is completely pointless.) → Some studies have questioned the value of homework for younger pupils.Prompt: Academic writing avoids overclaiming, slang and unnecessary personal pronouns.
2. "This proves that social media causes loneliness." (The evidence is a single correlational survey.) Which revision uses appropriate hedging? (This totally proves social media causes loneliness. / Nobody could ever disagree that social media causes loneliness. / Social media definitely makes everyone lonely. / These findings suggest a possible link between social media use and loneliness.) → These findings suggest a possible link between social media use and loneliness.Prompt: Academic writing avoids overclaiming, slang and unnecessary personal pronouns.

• 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 4 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. "We analysed the data and we found that prices went up a lot when the factory shut." Which revision uses nominalisation to sound more formal and concise? (We looked at the data and prices went up loads when the factory shut. / Analysis of the data revealed a sharp price increase following the factory's closure. / The data was analysed by us and we found prices went up a lot. / Prices, when the factory shut, went up, we found, a lot.) → Analysis of the data revealed a sharp price increase following the factory's closure.Prompt: Academic writing avoids overclaiming, slang and unnecessary personal pronouns.
2. "Everyone knows that homework is pointless." Which revision is most objective? (Some studies have questioned the value of homework for younger pupils. / Homework is obviously useless, as anyone can see. / Everyone knows homework is completely pointless. / It's a fact that homework never works.) → Some studies have questioned the value of homework for younger pupils.Prompt: Academic writing avoids overclaiming, slang and unnecessary personal pronouns.

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