Managing shifts of formality in KS2 writing at Greater Depth

This element of writing at Greater Depth is not just about the occasional shift in formality: it is about managing several shifts within a piece of writing, and showing that ability across a range of texts. It is also about judging when it is appropriate to use this within a piece of writing, and therefore may not be present in all pieces. Shifts in formality can be very obvious, but can also be more subtle.

Features to indicate informality / Examples
Passives using ‘get’ /
  • I got my homework marked yesterday.
/
  • He got told off by the teacher.

Everyday language such as colloquialisms, slang and idioms /
  • …do your bit for the war.
  • …the words are stuck in my throat.
/
  • Take selfies with no teacher in!

Multi-word verbs /
  • find out rather than discover
/
  • ask for rather than request

Use of contractions /
  • Let’s get you a biscuit.
  • They wouldn’t have…. If they hadn’t…
/
  • They’ve taken the horses!

Directly addressing the reader, using the second person and some first person /
  • If you love a challenge – however difficult – then you will….
  • Are you nervous about the Scarborough trip?
/
  • When we arrived at school we…

Question tags /
  • She’s your friend, isn’t she?
  • That’s your coat, isn’t it?
/
  • These are your socks, aren’t they?

Features that show spoken language e.g. non-standard forms, ellipsis and missing letters /
  • “Ok… what time?”
  • Well stop right there!
/
  • “C’mon, he wasn’t doin’ nothin’!”

Features to indicate formality / Examples
Use of nouns rather than verbs or adjectives (nominalisation) /
  • The arrival of the mysterious stranger caused considerable excitement.
/
  • We were very excited when the mysterious stranger arrived.

Technical or subject-specific vocabulary /
  • …these are my words of farewell.
  • …oil producers… plantations non-sustainable…
/
  • …plea for mercy…

Abstract nouns and noun phrases being used as the subject of the verb /
  • Darkness was being whispered in…
  • …full of despair
/
  • Of course, the most significant matter of evacuation is…

Modal verbs in some grammatical structures /
  • Should it rain, we may have to cancel the picnic.
  • This village would appear normal.
/
  • Most people might ask.

Use of the personal pronoun ‘one’ /
  • One should not be concerned about…
/
  • It is better to do this oneself.

Passive constructions /
  • It is widely believed that…
  • You are provided with a life-jacked…
/
  • Flocks of sheep have been taken…

The subjunctive /
  • If I were to come in…
  • Were they to come in…
/
  • They requested that he leave immediately.

Allie Hopkinson/Swain House Primary/March 2017