Establish/Maintain a Formal Explanatory Style

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Why Does Formal Style Matter?

Have you ever noticed that a news article sounds different from a text message to your friend? That difference comes down to style — the way a writer chooses words, builds sentences, and addresses the reader. For hundreds of years, writers have understood that certain situations call for a more serious, polished tone.

When you write to explain a topic — like in a science report or a social studies essay — your reader expects you to sound knowledgeable and trustworthy. A formal style (a way of writing that avoids slang, casual language, and personal opinions) helps you do exactly that. Let's look at how the idea of formal writing developed over time.

1700s

The Rise of the Essay

Writers like Benjamin Franklin used a clear, serious tone in essays and pamphlets. They avoided slang so their ideas would be taken seriously by all readers.

1800s

Formal Writing in Schools

Schools began teaching students to write formal essays and reports. Teachers expected students to use complete sentences and proper grammar in academic work.

1900s

Style Guides Appear

Books like The Elements of Style (1918) taught writers how to be clear and formal. These guides are still used today.

2010

Common Core Standards

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) made formal style a specific skill for students to learn. Standard W.7.2.e asks 7th graders to establish and maintain a formal style in explanatory writing.

So here's the big question: How do you make your writing sound formal and professional instead of casual and chatty? That's exactly what this lesson will teach you.

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Core Principles of Formal Style

Formal style isn't about using fancy words you don't understand. It's about making smart choices that help your reader trust your writing. Here are the key principles you need to know.

Use Third Person

Avoid "I," "me," "you," and "we." Instead, use words like "students," "researchers," or "people." This keeps the focus on the topic, not on you.

Eliminate Slang & Contractions

Replace casual words ("cool," "awesome," "stuff") with precise ones. Write "cannot" instead of "can't" and "does not" instead of "doesn't."

Choose Precise Vocabulary

Swap vague words for specific ones. Instead of "a lot," try "numerous" or "significant." Instead of "things," name what you mean.

Write Complete, Clear Sentences

Use full sentences with proper grammar. Avoid sentence fragments and run-on sentences. Each sentence should have a clear subject and verb.

Stay Objective

Present facts and evidence, not feelings. Instead of "I think recycling is great," write "Research demonstrates that recycling reduces waste in landfills."

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of formal style like putting on a uniform for a sports team. When you wear the uniform, people know you're serious about the game. When you use formal style, your reader knows you're serious about your topic. You're still you — you're just presenting yourself in a professional way.

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Seeing the Difference: Informal vs. Formal

One of the best ways to understand formal style is to see it side by side with informal style. The diagram below shows you how the same idea can be written in two very different ways.

Notice how the informal version on the left uses personal opinions, vague words, and slang. The formal version on the right uses third person, precise vocabulary, and specific details.

Both sentences talk about the same topic — pollution. But only the formal version sounds like it belongs in a school essay. The informal version sounds like something you might say out loud to a friend. When you write to explain, your goal is to sound like the right-hand side of this diagram.

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How Formal Style Works: The Four Filters

Think of writing in formal style as running your sentences through four filters (checkpoints that clean up your writing). Every time you write a sentence, check it against these four filters before moving on.

Filter 1: The Person Check

Read your sentence out loud. Does it use first person (I, me, my, we) or second person (you, your)? If so, rewrite it using third person (students, scientists, people, one). For example, change "I believe dogs are loyal" to "Dogs demonstrate loyalty to their owners."

Filter 2: The Slang Swap

Look for any word or phrase you would use in a text message. Replace it with a more precise, academic word. "Kids" becomes "children" or "students." "A lot" becomes "numerous" or "many." "Get rid of" becomes "eliminate" or "remove."

Filter 3: The Contraction Catch

A contraction (a shortened form of two words, like "don't" or "it's") is fine in everyday writing. But in formal writing, spell out the full words: "do not" and "it is." This small change makes a big difference in tone.

Filter 4: The Opinion Detector

If a sentence starts with "I think," "I feel," or "In my opinion," it sounds like a personal belief rather than a fact. Remove those phrases and support your point with evidence instead. For example, change "I feel that exercise is important" to "According to medical research, regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease."

💡 Quick Tip

After writing a paragraph, read it out loud. If it sounds like something you would say to your best friend at lunch, it is probably too informal. If it sounds like something a teacher would write on a poster, it is probably just right.

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Formal Word Choice: A Closer Look

One of the fastest ways to make your writing more formal is to upgrade your word choice (also called diction). The diagram below shows a spectrum from very casual to very formal.

This spectrum shows how the same idea can be expressed at different levels of formality. For your explanatory essays, aim for the green (formal) zone. You do not need to use the most complex word possible — just avoid the red (casual) zone.

Common informal-to-formal word swaps

Informal Phrase	Formal Replacement	Why It's Better
pretty much	essentially / nearly	More precise and professional
tons of	a large number of	Avoids exaggeration
kind of / sort of	somewhat / partially	Sounds more confident
big deal	significant issue	More specific and academic
figure out	determine / analyze	Uses academic vocabulary

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Worked Example: Revising a Paragraph

Let's walk through the process of turning an informal paragraph into a formal one, step by step. Imagine you are writing an explanatory essay about the benefits of reading.

📝 Original Draft (Informal)

"I think reading is super important because it helps you learn tons of stuff. When you read a lot, you get better at writing too. Basically, it's a really good habit and everyone should do it."

Revising for Formal Style

Step 1 — Apply the Person CheckThe draft uses "I" and "you" multiple times. Replace these with third-person subjects. "I think reading is super important" becomes "Reading is an essential activity." The phrase "it helps you learn" becomes "it helps students learn."

"Reading is an essential activity because it helps students learn tons of stuff."

Step 2 — Apply the Slang SwapFind casual words and replace them. "Super important" becomes "essential" (already fixed). "Tons of stuff" becomes "a wide range of subjects." "Really good habit" becomes "beneficial practice." "Basically" is a filler word — remove it entirely.

"Reading is an essential activity because it helps students learn a wide range of subjects."

Step 3 — Apply the Contraction CatchThe original has "it's." Expand this to "it is." Also check for other contractions — "should" is not a contraction, so that is fine. "Everyone should do it" still sounds informal, though, so revise it in the next step.

All contractions removed. "It's" → "it is."

Step 4 — Apply the Opinion Detector"Everyone should do it" states an opinion. Replace it with an evidence-based statement. You could write: "Studies show that students who read regularly improve their vocabulary and writing skills." This makes the claim stronger because it references evidence.

Opinion replaced with evidence-based claim.

Step 5 — Read the Final VersionPut it all together and read the revised paragraph. Check that it flows smoothly and still makes sense.

Final version: "Reading is an essential activity because it helps students learn a wide range of subjects. Those who read frequently also improve their writing abilities. Studies show that students who read regularly develop stronger vocabulary and communication skills."

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Revising for formal style is like editing a photo. The original picture (your ideas) stays the same, but you adjust the brightness, contrast, and sharpness (your word choice, tone, and perspective) to make it look professional. The content does not change — only how it is presented.

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Formal Style Dos and Don'ts

Even good writers sometimes slip into informal habits. The table below lists common mistakes and how to fix them. Keep this as a checklist when you review your essays.

Formal Style Quick-Reference Guide

Don't ✗	Do ✓	Explanation
Use contractions (don't, can't, it's)	Spell out full words (do not, cannot, it is)	Contractions are fine in speech but too casual for essays.
Start sentences with "Well," or "So,"	Start with the subject or a transition word	"Well" and "So" sound like you are talking, not writing.
Use exclamation points!	Use periods for strong, calm statements.	Exclamation points add emotion, which weakens a formal tone.
Write "etc." or "and so on"	List specific examples or use "among others"	"Etc." is vague. Give your reader real details.
Ask casual questions ("Isn't that crazy?")	State the fact directly or use a rhetorical question carefully	Casual questions break the professional tone of your essay.
Use absolutes ("always," "never," "everyone")	Use qualifiers ("often," "rarely," "many people")	Absolutes can make claims seem exaggerated and less credible.

🔑 REMEMBER

Formal style is not about being boring or using the longest word you can find. It is about being clear, precise, and professional. If a simple word is the right word, use it. "Important" is perfectly formal — you do not need to say "quintessential" just to sound smart.

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Formal Style Beyond 7th Grade

The formal style skills you learn now will follow you through high school, college, and even into your career. As you advance, the expectations for formal writing become more specific. Here is a preview of how formal style grows with you.

How formal style expectations grow over time

Skill Area	7th Grade (Now)	High School & Beyond
Tone	Avoid slang and contractions; stay serious	Adapt tone to specific audiences (academic, professional, scientific)
Vocabulary	Replace casual words with precise ones	Use domain-specific terminology for each subject (literary analysis, lab reports)
Evidence	Support points with facts and details	Cite sources using MLA, APA, or Chicago style
Sentence Structure	Write complete sentences; avoid fragments	Vary sentence length and structure for rhythm and emphasis
Point of View	Use third person in explanatory writing	Know when first person is appropriate (personal essays, reflections) versus when it is not

By mastering formal style now, you are building a foundation. In high school, you will write research papers. In college, you may write lab reports or case studies. At work, you may write emails to clients or proposals for projects. Every one of these situations requires a formal, professional style. The habits you develop in 7th grade will make all of that easier.

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Practice Problems

Now it is your turn to practice. Try each problem below before looking at the answer. Remember to use your four filters: the Person Check, the Slang Swap, the Contraction Catch, and the Opinion Detector.

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

What does it mean to write in a "formal style"? In your own words, explain the difference between formal and informal writing.

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC

Rewrite the following sentence in formal style: "I think social media is kinda bad for kids because they spend way too much time on it."

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

Identify all the informal elements in this paragraph, then rewrite it formally: "You should totally recycle because it's awesome for the planet. I mean, there's tons of trash in the ocean and stuff, and we really need to fix that ASAP."

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

Your science teacher asks you to write the opening paragraph of an explanatory essay about photosynthesis. Write three to four sentences in formal style that introduce the topic and explain why it is important.

PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING

A classmate argues that formal writing is not important because "nobody talks that way in real life." Write a formal paragraph (three to four sentences) explaining why formal style matters in explanatory writing, even though people do not speak formally in everyday conversation.

SUMMARY

Lesson Summary

A formal style is a way of writing that sounds professional, serious, and trustworthy. To establish and maintain this style in explanatory writing, use third-person perspective instead of "I" or "you," replace slang and casual language with precise, academic vocabulary, avoid contractions by spelling out full words, and support your points with facts and evidence rather than personal opinions.

Use the four filters — the Person Check, the Slang Swap, the Contraction Catch, and the Opinion Detector — to review every paragraph you write. Remember, formal style does not mean using complicated words. It means being clear, precise, and objective so your reader takes your writing seriously. These skills will serve you in high school essays, college research papers, and professional communication for the rest of your life.