CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d
The Standard
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to write arguments that sound serious, respectful, and school appropriate. They should choose precise words, avoid slang, skip texting language, and keep the same tone from start to finish. They also need to match their style to the audience, especially when writing to persuade a teacher, principal, or community member.
Mastery looks like a claim, reasons, and evidence written in a steady formal voice. Students often get stuck when they add casual phrases like “I think,” “you guys,” or “a lot of stuff.” They may also shift tone, starting formally and ending like a conversation with a friend.
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on activity: Give pairs sentence strips with casual phrases, then have them rewrite each one in a formal argument style.
- Discussion or writing prompt: Which sentence sounds more convincing to a principal, and what word choices make it sound that way?
- Quick assessment: Ask students to revise three informal sentences from their draft and underline the words they changed.
- Real-world connection: Show a school board letter and a group chat message, then compare how audience changes word choice and tone.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.