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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.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.
2.Which word names how formal or informal language is for a situation?
  • A.register
  • B.rhyme
  • C.dialect
3.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
4.Which shows a difference between spoken and written English?
  • A.Speech uses more commas
  • B.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
  • C.Writing is always formal
5.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.The two characters speak in different registers
  • C.They are speaking different languages
6.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
7.When you write a school report, which variety of English should you use?
  • A.Standard English in a formal register
  • B.Text-message shorthand
  • C.The dialect you use with friends
8.Which is a dialect difference rather than an error?
  • A."I might could help" in some Southern US varieties
  • B.Spelling "their" as "there"
  • C.Forgetting the capital letter at the start of a sentence

LessonPrint · L.5.3 · Set 7 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Varieties of English

Set 7. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.I would be grateful if you could reply soon.
  2. 2.register
  3. 3.A form of a language spoken in one place or by one group
  4. 4.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
  5. 5.The two characters speak in different registers
  6. 6.To show where the character comes from and make them sound real
  7. 7.Standard English in a formal register
  8. 8."I might could help" in some Southern US varieties

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