Varieties of English is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on recognizing dialect and register differences, aligned to Common Core standard L.5.3. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
B.A form of a language spoken in one place or by one group
C.A mistake in spelling
2.You are writing dialogue for a character from a particular place. What should guide you?
A.How that person would really speak
B.Formal written standard, always
C.The shortest possible words
3.Which word names how formal or informal language is for a situation?
A.dialect
B.register
C.rhyme
4.Which is a dialect difference rather than an error?
A.Forgetting the capital letter at the start of a sentence
B."I might could help" in some Southern US varieties
C.Spelling "their" as "there"
5.Which shows a difference between spoken and written English?
A.Speech uses more commas
B.Writing is always formal
C.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
6.Which sentence is in a formal register?
A.Get back to me!
B.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
C.Write back soon, OK?
7.The narrator writes in standard English, but the characters speak in dialect. Why?
A.Because the narrator is not allowed to speak
B.The author changed their mind halfway
C.So the characters' voices sound different from the narrator's
8.Why might an author write a character's speech in dialect?
A.Because dialect is the only correct way to write
B.To make the story harder to read
C.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real
LessonPrint · L.5.3 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Varieties of English
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.A form of a language spoken in one place or by one group
2.How that person would really speak
3.register
4."I might could help" in some Southern US varieties
5.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
6.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
7.So the characters' voices sound different from the narrator's
8.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real
Questions about Varieties of English
What does the Varieties of English worksheet cover?
It practices recognizing dialect and register differences — 8 questions for Grade 5, all on Common Core L.5.3: Expand and combine sentences for meaning, and compare varieties of English. The instruction to students is “Circle the right answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which Common Core standard does Varieties of English practice?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.3 — L.5.3, under Language for Grade 5. The published standard reads: “Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Varieties of English is written for Grade 5, typically ages 10-11. It is one of the sheets on L.5.3, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Varieties of English come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Varieties of English can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Varieties of English free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Varieties of English, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for L.5.3
Expand and combine sentences for meaning, and compare varieties of English.