Activities

1. Create a poster with examples of writing that follows a formal style.
   
   
2. Given a list of sentences, identify phrasal verbs and correct sentences with appropriate vocabulary.

3. Given sentences containing the pronouns you, me, or I, reword the sentences to exclude those pronouns while retaining the original meaning.
   
   
4. Given an informal informative conversation between two people, rewrite the conversation using a formal style.

5. Given a piece of literature, complete a response to the literature while establishing and maintaining a formal style.
   
   
6. Create a persuasive brochure while establishing and maintaining a formal style.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student creates a poster with examples of writing that follows a formal style.  Student explains on the poster how the examples given follow a formal style.  Student understands and may note on the poster:

• Formal writing should not sound like a conversation.  In conversation, people speak and listen and can ask questions for clarification.  Often in conversation, people do not speak in complete sentences.  Formal writing must stand on its own and convey its ideas precisely by words alone.  It must be written differently than everyday speech.
• Sentences should be complete ideas, containing a subject and a predicate.
• Sentences should be punctuated correctly.
• Verbs should be fully written out, not written as contractions.  Write do not, instead of don’t.
• Words should be fully written out, not written in abbreviated forms.  Write information, instead of info or write thank you, instead of thk u.
• Higher level vocabulary should be used rather than low level vocabulary.  For example, write repair, instead of fix or write children, instead of kids.
• Higher level intensifiers should be used, such as extremely, highly, most likely, decidedly, instead of really or so.
• In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.  An active voice makes writing more truthful, clear, precise, concise and empathic.  I changed the flat tire.
• In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action.  A passive voice helps authors avoid using pronouns like I and you, but should be used sparingly because it is wordier, less forceful and harder to understand.  The flat tire was changed. (by whom?) 
• Phrasal verbs are avoided.  Phrasal verbs are verbs put together with prepositions or adverbs to create a new meaning, ran into, showed up, made up, fixed up, talked into, looked up, etc.  Write increase, instead of go up or write inquire instead of find out.
• Implied subjects in the sentence are avoided.  Write I hope to visit you soon, instead of Hope to visit you soon.

2. Given a list of sentences, student identifies phrasal verbs and corrects sentences with appropriate vocabulary.  Student understands that formal writing should not sound like a conversation.  In conversation, people speak and listen and can ask questions for clarification.   Often in conversation, people do not speak in complete sentences.  Formal writing must stand on its own and convey its ideas precisely by words alone.  It must be written differently than everyday speech.  Student understands phrasal verbs are verbs put together with prepositions or adverbs to create a new meaning, ran into, showed up, made up, fixed up, talked into, looked up, etc.   Student understands that phrasal verbs are informal and should not be used in formal writing.  Student correctly substitutes a higher level vocabulary words for the phrasal verbs.  For example:

3. Given sentences containing the pronouns you, me, or I, student rewords the sentences to exclude those pronouns while retaining the original meaning.  Student understands that in formal writing, use of the words, you, me, we, us and I should be avoided.  Student correctly rewrites sentences substituting the subject of the sentence with words like there, one, it, the group, many people or the student rearranges words in the sentence to convey the same meaning without using I, you we, us, etc.  Student understands the subject of the sentence is who or what the sentence is about.  For example:

Informal - You can ride a horse at the fair.
Formal  - One can ride a horse at the fair.
Formal – There are horses to ride at the fair.

Informal – We exercised at the aquatic center.
Formal    - The group exercised at the aquatic center.

4. Given an informal informative conversation between two people, student rewrites the conversation in a formal style.  Student correctly rewrites the informal conversation into a formal style.  Student understands:

• Formal writing should not sound like a conversation.  In conversation, people speak and listen and can ask questions for clarification. Often in conversation, people do not speak in complete sentences.  Formal writing must stand on its own and convey its ideas precisely by words alone.  It must be written differently than everyday speech.
• Sentences should be complete ideas, containing a subject and a predicate.
• Sentences should be punctuated correctly.
• Verbs should be fully written out, not written as contractions.  Write do not, instead of don’t.
• Words should be fully written out, not written in abbreviated forms.  Write information, instead of info or write thank you, instead of thk u.
• Higher level vocabulary should be used rather than low level vocabulary.  For example, write repair, instead of fix or write children, instead of kids.
• Higher level intensifiers should be used, such as extremely, highly, most likely, decidedly, instead of really or so.
• In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.  An active voice makes writing more truthful, clear, precise, concise and empathic.  I changed the flat tire.
• In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action.  A passive voice helps authors avoid using pronouns like I and you, but should be used sparingly because it is wordier, less forceful and harder to understand.  The flat tire was changed. (by whom?) 
• Phrasal verbs are avoided.  Phrasal verbs are verbs put together with prepositions or adverbs to create a new meaning, ran into, showed up, made up, fixed up, talked into, looked up, etc.  Write increase, instead of go up or write inquire instead of find out.
• Implied subjects in the sentence are avoided.  Write I hope to visit you soon, instead of Hope to visit you soon.

5. Given a piece of literature, student completes a response to the literature while establishing and maintaining a formal style.  Student carefully reads the literature.  Student carefully reads the question.  Student plans his/her writing.  Student correctly responds to literature while establishing and maintaining a formal style.  Response is complete and answers the question.  Student understands:

• Formal writing should not sound like a conversation.  In conversation, people speak and listen and can ask questions for clarification.  Often in conversation, people do not speak in complete sentences.  Formal writing must stand on its own and convey its ideas precisely by words alone.  It must be written differently than everyday speech.
• Sentences should be complete ideas, containing a subject and a predicate.
• Sentences should be punctuated correctly.
• Verbs should be fully written out, not written as contractions.  Write do not, instead of don’t.
• Words should be fully written out, not written in abbreviated forms.  Write information, instead of info or write thank you, instead of thk u.
• Higher level vocabulary should be used rather than low level vocabulary.  For example, write repair, instead of fix or write children, instead of kids.
• Higher level intensifiers should be used, such as extremely, highly, most likely, decidedly, instead of really or so.
• In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.  An active voice makes writing more truthful, clear, precise, concise and empathic.  I changed the flat tire.
• In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action.  A passive voice helps authors avoid using pronouns like I and you, but should be used sparingly because it is wordier, less forceful and harder to understand.  The flat tire was changed. (by whom?) 
• Phrasal verbs are avoided.  Phrasal verbs are verbs put together with prepositions or adverbs to create a new meaning, ran into, showed up, made up, fixed up, talked into, looked up, etc.  Write increase, instead of go up or write inquire instead of find out.
• Implied subjects in the sentence are avoided.  Write I hope to visit you soon, instead of Hope to visit you soon.

6. Student creates a persuasive brochure while establishing and maintaining a formal style.  Student plans brochure.  Brochure persuades the reader to do something.  Brochure contains adequate information on each folded flap.  Brochure is professional in appearance.  Student correctly establishes and maintains a formal style when creating a persuasive brochure.  Student understands:

• Formal writing should not sound like a conversation.  In conversation, people speak and listen and can ask questions for clarification.  Often in conversation, people do not speak in complete sentences.  Formal writing must stand on its own and convey its ideas precisely by words alone.  It must be written differently than everyday speech.
• Sentences should be complete ideas, containing a subject and a predicate.
• Sentences should be punctuated correctly.
• Verbs should be fully written out, not written as contractions.  Write do not, instead of don’t.
• Words should be fully written out, not written in abbreviated forms.  Write information, instead of info or write thank you, instead of thk u.
• Higher level vocabulary should be used rather than low level vocabulary.  For example, write repair, instead of fix or write children, instead of kids.
• Higher level intensifiers should be used, such as extremely, highly, most likely, decidedly, instead of really or so.
• In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.  An active voice makes writing more truthful, clear, precise, concise and empathic.  I changed the flat tire.
• In passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action.  A passive voice helps authors avoid using pronouns like I and you, but should be used sparingly because it is wordier, less forceful and harder to understand.  The flat tire was changed. (by whom?) 
• Phrasal verbs are avoided.  Phrasal verbs are verbs put together with prepositions or adverbs to create a new meaning, ran into, showed up, made up, fixed up, talked into, looked up, etc.  Write increase, instead of go up or write inquire instead of find out.
• Implied subjects in the sentence are avoided.  Write I hope to visit you soon, instead of Hope to visit you soon.