Year 6 English: Vocabulary and structures for formal writing
Part of the Year 6 English formal and informal english and the subjunctive chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Vocabulary and structures for formal writing
Formal writing uses precise vocabulary, such as request instead of ask for, and discuss instead of talk about. It also uses structures such as I would be grateful if, and it avoids contractions and slang.
Formal words and phrases
| Informal | Formal |
|---|---|
| go up | increase |
| put off | postpone |
| really good | excellent |
| stuff | items |
| OK | acceptable |
| help out | assist |
Key ideas
- Choose precise words that suit the reader.
- Use structures such as I would be grateful if, which are polite and formal.
- Avoid contractions, slang and ellipsis in formal writing.
Method. Change ask for to request, and make the sentence formal.
- Find the informal phrase. Ask for is informal here.ask for
- Change it. Request is the formal word.request
- Make the sentence formal. We wish to request more time is formal.We wish to request more time.
- Write the answer. We wish to request more time.
Check. request is the formal word. ✓
Method. Look for a polite, formal structure.
- Check the first. Thanks a lot is informal.thanks a lot
- Check the second. I would be grateful is a polite, formal structure.I would be grateful
- Write the answer. I would be grateful for your consideration.
Check. The second phrase is formal. ✓
Method. Change went up to a formal verb.
- Find the informal phrase. Went up is informal.went up
- Change it. Increase is the formal verb.increased
- Write the sentence. The results increased is formal.The results increased.
- Write the answer. The results increased.
Check. increased is the formal verb. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a formal word is not always a longer word. Choose the word that is precise and suits the reader.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to write a short request to a shop manager, using a formal phrase such as I would be grateful if.
Exercise 7B Practice: formal vocabulary and structures
Method. Think about the meaning, and choose a word that suits formal writing.
- Find the meaning. go up means the same as increase in a formal text.go up
- Choose the formal word. increase suits formal writing, and it is not slang.increase
- Write the answer. increase
Check. increase is more formal than go up. ✓
Watch out. Formal writing avoids slang and very casual phrases.
Method. Think about the meaning, and choose a word that suits formal writing.
- Find the meaning. put off means the same as postpone in a formal text.put off
- Choose the formal word. postpone suits formal writing, and it is not slang.postpone
- Write the answer. postpone
Check. postpone is more formal than put off. ✓
Watch out. Formal writing avoids slang and very casual phrases.
Method. Think about the meaning, and choose a word that suits formal writing.
- Find the meaning. really good means the same as excellent in a formal text.really good
- Choose the formal word. excellent suits formal writing, and it is not slang.excellent
- Write the answer. excellent
Check. excellent is more formal than really good. ✓
Watch out. Formal writing avoids slang and very casual phrases.
Method. Think about the meaning, and choose a word that suits formal writing.
- Find the meaning. stuff means the same as items in a formal text.stuff
- Choose the formal word. items suits formal writing, and it is not slang.items
- Write the answer. items
Check. items is more formal than stuff. ✓
Watch out. Formal writing avoids slang and very casual phrases.
Method. Think about the meaning, and choose a word that suits formal writing.
- Find the meaning. OK means the same as acceptable in a formal text.OK
- Choose the formal word. acceptable suits formal writing, and it is not slang.acceptable
- Write the answer. acceptable
Check. acceptable is more formal than OK. ✓
Watch out. Formal writing avoids slang and very casual phrases.
Method. Think about the meaning, and choose a word that suits formal writing.
- Find the meaning. help out means the same as assist in a formal text.help out
- Choose the formal word. assist suits formal writing, and it is not slang.assist
- Write the answer. assist
Check. assist is more formal than help out. ✓
Watch out. Formal writing avoids slang and very casual phrases.
Method. Use a polite formal structure, then add the request.
- Choose the structure. I would be grateful if is a polite formal structure.I would be grateful if
- Add the request. The request is to replace the bench.the council could replace the broken bench
- Write the answer. I would be grateful if the council could replace the broken bench.
Check. The sentence is polite and formal. ✓
Method. Remove the contraction and the informal phrase, then use discuss.
- Change the contraction. We're is the contraction for we are.we are
- Change talk about. Discuss is the formal verb.discuss
- Write the answer. We are going to discuss the plan.
Check. The sentence is formal. ✓
Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.
- Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
- Test the choice. Yours faithfully is a formal ending for a letter to someone whose name is not known.Yours faithfully, fits
- Reject the other choices. Cheers is a casual ending for a friend.Cheers! do not fit
- Write the answer. Yours faithfully,
Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓
Method. Use the meaning, then choose a formal word.
- Use the meaning. Help out means to give help.give help
- Choose the formal word. Assist is the formal word.assist
- Write the answer. assist
Check. assist is formal. ✓
Method. Compare the two phrases for politeness and length.
- Look at the phrase. I would be grateful if is a full, polite structure.full, polite
- Compare with thanks. Thanks is short and casual.short and casual
- Write the answer. It is a polite, full structure that suits a formal request
Check. The first phrase is more formal. ✓
Method. Change the informal phrase and the contraction.
- Change the contraction. Gonna is the informal form of going to.going to
- Change put off. Postpone is the formal word.postpone
- Write the answer. The team is going to postpone the match.
Check. postpone is formal. ✓
Method. Choose a formal verb with the same meaning.
- Find the meaning. Get means to receive or to obtain.obtain
- Choose the formal verb. Obtain is the formal verb.obtain
- Write the answer. Obtain, because it is more formal than get.
Check. obtain is formal. ✓
Method. Change the informal word kids.
- Find the informal word. Kids is informal.kids
- Write the formal sentence. Children is the formal word.The children went to the park.
- Write the answer. The children went to the park.
Check. children is formal. ✓
Method. Think about the reader and the purpose.
- Think about the reader. A formal reader expects polite, precise language.polite
- Think about the words. Slang is casual and informal.casual
- Write the answer. Slang is too casual for a formal reader, so the writer uses precise, polite words.
Check. Slang is informal. ✓