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English lesson plan · 12th grade (Year 13 in England) · 60 minutes

Style, tone and word choice (ACT English)

Writing & Editing

CCSS L.11-12.3CCSS W.11-12.1.DEngland: ACT English (Knowledge of Language)England: GCSE English Language Paper 2 Q5

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Style, tone and word choice (ACT English).

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Formal register and tone; Concision: cutting wordiness and redundancy

Leads to: Adapting register and tone to audience and purpose

Materials: A model text, Planning frame, Checklists for editing, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • 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 science report on plant growth. Which sentence is most appropriate? (OMG the plants in the sun grew so much!! / Honestly, the shade plants were kind of rubbish. / The plants in sunlight grew an average of 4 cm more than those in shade. / The sunny plants totally smashed it, growing loads more.) → The plants in sunlight grew an average of 4 cm more than those in shade.Prompt: Who is the audience, and what is the purpose?
  2. In my personal opinion, I think that the new library is very unique. Which revision is the most concise? (I personally think in my opinion that the library is unique. / I think the new library is unique. / Personally, in my opinion, the new library is unique. / In my opinion, I think that the new library is very unique.) → I think the new library is unique.Prompt: Look for words that repeat an idea already expressed.
  3. A complaint letter to a company about a broken product. Which sentence is most appropriate? (Unfortunately, the lamp I purchased stopped working after two days. / Lol the lamp broke already. / 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?

Hook · 6 min

  • 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.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • 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.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • 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 was helpful to families in lots of ways and stuff. / The charity helped heaps of families with various 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 drug definitely cures all patients. / We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients. / Perhaps, maybe, the drug could possibly help. / The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.) → The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.Prompt: Who is the audience and what is the purpose?

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • 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.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. 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. / The drug definitely cures all patients. / We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients. / Perhaps, maybe, the drug could possibly help.) → The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.Prompt: Who is the audience and what is the purpose?
  2. 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? Yeah, decent guy. / Mr Osei was okay and people liked him, mostly. / Mr Osei's patience and humour shaped the lives of countless students. / 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?

Watch out for

  • Writing everything at once without planning.
  • Editing only spelling and not whether the writing makes sense.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Formal register and tone.
  • Use concrete materials: a model text.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Adapting register and tone to audience and purpose.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

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

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Style, tone and word choice (ACT English)

Name

Date

Score/ 5

  1. Question 1

    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?

    • A. People were there. Food was there too.
    • B. Crowds jostled between stalls where skewers hissed over glowing coals.
    • C. The market had people in it, plus food.
    • D. There were many people and also some food items.

  2. Question 2

    A report on a charity's work: "The charity helped a whole bunch of families with stuff." Which revision is most precise?

    • A. The charity was helpful to families in lots of ways and stuff.
    • B. The charity helped many families with things.
    • C. The charity provided food and housing support to 340 families.
    • D. The charity helped heaps of families with various stuff.

  3. Question 3

    An academic essay reads: "The study's methodology was, like, super solid, so its conclusions are pretty legit." Which revision best matches the essay's formal tone?

    • A. The study's methodology was rigorous, so its conclusions are credible.
    • B. The study's methodology was totally awesome, so its conclusions rock.
    • C. The methodology? Solid. The conclusions? Legit.
    • D. The study's methodology was solid-ish, so its conclusions are kind of fine.

  4. Question 4

    A scientific abstract: "We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients a bit, perhaps." Which revision is appropriately cautious but not wordy?

    • A. Perhaps, maybe, the drug could possibly help.
    • B. The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.
    • C. The drug definitely cures all patients.
    • D. We think maybe the drug might possibly help some patients.

  5. Question 5

    A eulogy for a beloved teacher: "Mr Osei was okay and stuff and people kind of liked him." Which revision best suits the occasion?

    • A. Mr Osei's patience and humour shaped the lives of countless students.
    • B. Mr Osei was a teacher who taught.
    • C. Mr Osei was okay and people liked him, mostly.
    • D. Mr Osei? Yeah, decent guy.

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Answer key: Style, tone and word choice (ACT English)

  1. 1. B. Crowds jostled between stalls where skewers hissed over glowing coals.

  2. 2. C. The charity provided food and housing support to 340 families.

  3. 3. A. The study's methodology was rigorous, so its conclusions are credible.

  4. 4. B. The results suggest the drug may benefit some patients.

  5. 5. A. Mr Osei's patience and humour shaped the lives of countless students.