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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 3 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Varieties of English

L.5.3

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.In a story, a farmer says, "We're fixing to plant the corn." What does the way he speaks show?
  • A.That the farmer is not telling the truth
  • B.How people talk in his part of the country
  • C.A spelling mistake by the author
2.In a play, one character says "Good day to you, sir" and another says "Hiya!" What does the difference show?
  • A.One of them has made a mistake
  • B.They are speaking different languages
  • C.The two characters speak in different registers
3.You are writing dialogue for a character from a particular place. What should guide you?
  • A.The shortest possible words
  • B.Formal written standard, always
  • C.How that person would really speak
4.Which shows a difference between spoken and written English?
  • A.Writing is always formal
  • B.Speech uses more commas
  • C.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
5.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
6.Which sentence is in a formal register?
  • A.Write back soon, OK?
  • B.Get back to me!
  • C.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
7.When you write a school report, which variety of English should you use?
  • A.Text-message shorthand
  • B.Standard English in a formal register
  • C.The dialect you use with friends
8.Why might an author write a character's speech in dialect?
  • A.Because dialect is the only correct way to write
  • B.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real
  • C.To make the story harder to read

LessonPrint · L.5.3 · Set 3 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Varieties of English

Set 3. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.How people talk in his part of the country
  2. 2.The two characters speak in different registers
  3. 3.How that person would really speak
  4. 4.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
  5. 5.So the characters' voices sound different from the narrator's
  6. 6.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
  7. 7.Standard English in a formal register
  8. 8.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.5.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.