Formal and Informal Writing — Year 6 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: English — Writing: recognise vocabulary and structures appropriate for formal speech and writing (Year 5/6)
Overview
Pupils learn to distinguish between formal and informal registers and to write confidently in both. They explore how vocabulary, sentence structure, and tone differ between formal writing (letters, reports, essays) and informal writing (messages, diaries, stories), and practise adapting their writing to suit a given audience and purpose.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the difference between formal and informal register.
- Identify features of formal and informal language in example texts.
- Select appropriate vocabulary, tone, and structure for a given audience and purpose.
- Write effectively in both formal and informal registers.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Display two short texts on the same topic — one formal (a report), one informal (a text message). Ask: who might have written each? Who are they writing to? What differences can you spot?
Create a comparison table: formal features (passive voice, complex vocabulary, impersonal tone, full sentences) vs informal features (contractions, colloquial vocabulary, first person, sentence fragments). Show examples of each feature in authentic texts.
Pupils transform a formal paragraph into an informal one (e.g. a news report into a social media post), then do the reverse. Discuss which features they changed and why.
Pupils write two versions of the same content in different registers — e.g. a formal letter to a head teacher and an informal message to a friend, on the same topic.
Swap writing. Peer-assess: has the register been maintained consistently? Identify one strength and one area to improve.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often think formal means 'longer' or 'harder words' — it is about audience, tone, and structure as much as vocabulary.
- Mixing registers within a single piece — stress that consistency is key; a formal letter should not suddenly use slang.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Experience writing for different purposes and audiences.
- Knowledge of passive voice and complex sentence structures.
- Familiarity with a range of text types.
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