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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.

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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.A spelling mistake by the author
  • B.How people talk in his part of the country
  • C.That the farmer is not telling the truth
2.Which word names how formal or informal language is for a situation?
  • A.rhyme
  • B.register
  • C.dialect
3.Which sentence is in a formal register?
  • A.Get back to me!
  • B.Write back soon, OK?
  • C.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
4.Why might an author write a character's speech in dialect?
  • A.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real
  • B.Because dialect is the only correct way to write
  • C.To make the story harder to read
5.Which shows a difference between spoken and written English?
  • A.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
  • B.Writing is always formal
  • C.Speech uses more commas
6.What is a dialect?
  • A.A kind of poem
  • B.A form of a language spoken in one place or by one group
  • C.A mistake in spelling
7.When you write a school report, which variety of English should you use?
  • A.Standard English in a formal register
  • B.The dialect you use with friends
  • C.Text-message shorthand
8.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

LessonPrint · L.5.3 · Set 6 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Varieties of English

Set 6. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.How people talk in his part of the country
  2. 2.register
  3. 3.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
  4. 4.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real
  5. 5.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
  6. 6.A form of a language spoken in one place or by one group
  7. 7.Standard English in a formal register
  8. 8.How that person would really speak

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