South Dakota ELA 4.L.3.c

ELA4th GradeLanguage

The Standard

4.L.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing and speaking, reading, or listening.

Recognize that different situations call for formal or informal English.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students decide whether a situation calls for formal or informal English. They consider who is listening or reading, why they are communicating, and where the exchange takes place.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student chooses a formal tone for an email to the principal and an informal tone for a text to a friend. They can explain how words like “Dear” and “Hey” fit those audiences.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think formal English just means using long words. They may also think informal English can be rude, or that a friendly adult should always get an informal message.
How to Assess It: Give students two lines: “Hey, when is the project due?” and “Could you please tell me when the project is due?” Ask which fits an email to the teacher and why.

Lesson moves

Give pairs strips reading “Could you please help?” and “Hey, can you help?” to place under principal email and friend text cards.
Ask students to write a request for a library book to the librarian by email and to a friend by text, then compare their words.
Read situation cards, such as class presentation or playground chat, and have teams hold up a “formal” or “informal” card.
Post a sample school office notice and a friend’s text about a field trip, then have students circle words that fit each audience.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4.L.3.c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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