When to Use Formal English
A 40-minute Grade 3 lesson on speaking in complete sentences and recognising when formal English is called for.
When to Use Formal English is a free 40-minute Grade 3 English lesson plan for Common Core standard SL.3.6 — speak in full sentences when the situation calls for it. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- SL.3.6
Grade 3 · Speaking & Listening
SL.3.6
Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
Objective
Students will be able to judge whether a situation calls for formal English and speak accordingly.
Students are successful when they can
- Judges the situation.
- Produces the appropriate register.
- Names what makes it formal.
What you need
- Situation cards spanning a range of formality
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — rank six situations
5 min- Rank six situations from least to most formal.
- Argue about the middle three. That is where the judgement is.
Teach — a dial, not a switch
13 min- Say the same message at three points on the dial.
- Name what shifted: contractions, slang, politeness markers, sentence length.
- Show the top of the dial applied to the bottom situation. It sounds cold.
- Show the reverse. It sounds rude.
- Say the skill: reading the situation, then choosing the point on the dial.
“It is a dial, not a switch. Most situations are somewhere in the middle.”
Guided practice — three points
12 min- Pairs take one message and say it at three points on the dial.
- They match each to a situation card.
- They name the shifts between versions.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the register page.
- It gives situations and sentences to match.
Close
2 min- Give a situation. Take the version that fits.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Treats formality as two settings.
Why: The words formal and informal are a pair.
Fix: The ranking exercise. Six situations cannot be sorted into two piles convincingly.
Believes formal is always safer.
Why: School rewards it.
Fix: The too-formal example. Cold is a failure too.
Cannot name what changed.
Why: Register is felt rather than analysed.
Fix: Four named markers: contractions, slang, politeness, length. Naming makes it controllable.
If they are not there yet
- Two points on the dial rather than three.
- Give the situations pre-ranked.
If they finish early
- Find a situation where formality is genuinely contested.
- Shift register mid-conversation and say why.
- Write the same request four ways.
Exit ticket
Ask to borrow a pencil from a friend, and then from a visiting teacher.
What to look for: Two versions with named differences. Identical versions mean the four markers need practising.
Printable practice for SL.3.6
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Speak in Complete SentencesFinish each sentence.
Questions about When to Use Formal English
How long does the When to Use Formal English lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does When to Use Formal English teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.6 — SL.3.6, Speaking & Listening for Grade 3: “Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.” In plain terms, speak in full sentences when the situation calls for it.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Situation cards spanning a range of formality and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: treats formality as two settings; believes formal is always safer and cannot name what changed. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Ask to borrow a pencil from a friend, and then from a visiting teacher.” Two versions with named differences. Identical versions mean the four markers need practising. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with When to Use Formal English?
Yes — 1 printable SL.3.6 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is When to Use Formal English free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to SL.3.6 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.