Year 6 Formal and Informal Language Story Starters Grammar Worksheets

This Year 6 teaching sequence has been designed to support pupils to revisit and recall how formal and informal language are used. An interesting and engaging image is provided as a visual prompt to stimulate discussion and inspire creative writing.

Pupils will revisit the grammar focus, in this case formal and informal language, before completing the short writing task, applying what they have learnt.

What is included in this story starters resource pack?

• Formal and informal language image prompt

Look at the photograph of Ali practising her overhead kick. She has just scored with an overhead kick to win in the World Youth Cup Final. How might Ali be feeling as she walks off the pitch? Imagine she is interviewed straight after the game. What might she say? With a partner, role-play the conversation, taking it in turns to be Ali and the interviewer

• Grammar challenge

Write out the answers to these questions that Ali might give in an interview

• Writing challenge

Write a short interview with Ali for a football magazine, laid out like a playscript. Try to use informal language in Ali’s answers and more formal language in the interviewer’s questions.

• Teacher’s notes

What is formal writing?

Formal writing is used in situations that are serious or involve people we don’t know well. Some spoken English can also be formal, such as a speech or a lecture.

What is informal writing?

Informal writing is used in relaxed situations with people we know well. It is common to use informal language when we speak.

Formal and informal writing examples

Formal

• We went to London for the day. We have a lot of things to tell you.
• It was raining very heavily.

Informal

• Went to London for the day. Lots to tell you.
• It was raining cats and dogs

National Curriculum English programme of study links

Knowing and understanding the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers.

The difference between vocabulary typical of informal speech and vocabulary appropriate for formal speech and writing.

The difference between structures typical of informal speech and structures appropriate for formal speech and writing.

This resource is part of the Tricky Grammar Story Starters collection.
View more from this collection

• teacher notes
• activity sheets