English Language Arts · 8th Grade · Crafting the Argument · Weeks 10-18

Maintaining a Formal and Objective Tone

Students will learn to maintain a formal and objective tone in argumentative writing, avoiding colloquialisms, contractions, and subjective language.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.d

About This Topic

Tone in academic writing is often the invisible quality that separates a compelling argument from an unconvincing rant. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.d asks 8th graders to establish and maintain a formal style. In practice, this means avoiding contractions, colloquial phrases, first-person opinion statements ('I think,' 'I feel'), and emotionally loaded language that undermines the writer's credibility. This is a meaningful standard in US classrooms because many students' most natural writing voice is conversational , the same register they use for texts and social media.

The challenge is not just identifying informal language but developing the instinct to reach for formal alternatives. A student who writes 'this law is totally unfair' must learn to revise it to 'this policy fails to account for...' without losing the force of the argument. This is a craft skill that requires practice, not just rule memorization. Students who internalize formal register also become more critical readers, because they recognize when a writer uses emotionally manipulative language to substitute for logic.

Active learning approaches , particularly peer editing workshops and before/after revision activities , are especially effective here because students spot informal language in each other's writing more easily than in their own. The social component of critique removes defensiveness and builds an ear for register that carries into independent writing.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate between formal and informal language in academic writing.
2. Explain how maintaining an objective tone enhances the credibility of an argument.
3. Critique a passage for instances of informal language or subjective bias, suggesting revisions.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze provided argumentative texts to identify instances of colloquialisms, contractions, and subjective language.
• Compare formal and informal sentence structures, explaining the impact of each on an argument's credibility.
• Revise passages containing informal language and subjective bias to establish a consistently formal and objective tone.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of an argument based on its adherence to formal and objective writing conventions.

Before You Start

Identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details

Why: Students need to be able to identify the core argument and its evidence before they can assess how tone affects its presentation.

Introduction to Argumentative Writing

Why: Understanding the basic structure and purpose of an argument is necessary before refining its stylistic elements like tone.

Key Vocabulary

Formal Tone	Writing style that uses precise language, avoids contractions and slang, and maintains a serious, academic approach.
Objective Tone	Writing style that focuses on facts and evidence, avoiding personal opinions, emotions, or biased language.
Colloquialism	An informal word or phrase, often used in everyday conversation, that is generally inappropriate for formal academic writing.
Subjective Language	Words or phrases that express personal feelings, beliefs, or judgments, which can undermine the credibility of an argument.
Contraction	A shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced by an apostrophe (e.g., 'don't' for 'do not').

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Formal writing means using longer or more complex vocabulary.

What to Teach Instead

Formal register is about avoiding conversational structures , contractions, colloquialisms, and subjective opinion frames , not about using vocabulary beyond your reach. Students who chase complex words often produce unclear arguments. The target is precision and objectivity. Formal revision tasks using simple, clear replacements help students separate register from complexity.

Common Misconception

Saying 'I believe' or 'I think' makes an argument feel more personal and therefore more persuasive.

What to Teach Instead

In academic argumentation, 'I believe' weakens a claim because it signals that the point rests on the writer's feeling rather than on evidence. Active peer review is particularly effective here: when students see their classmates flag 'I think' statements as weaknesses during critique, they quickly adopt the habit of anchoring claims to evidence and data instead.

Active Learning Ideas

Think-Pair-Share: Formal or Informal Sort

Give students 20 sentence fragments in a mix of registers. Pairs sort them into 'formal/academic' and 'informal/conversational' columns, then write a formal revision for the three most informal examples. Debrief by comparing which revisions preserved the original meaning most effectively , this surfaces the difference between register change and meaning change.

20 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Draft Detox

Groups receive a student sample paragraph loaded with contractions, colloquialisms, and first-person opinion statements. Their task is to rewrite the paragraph in formal academic register without losing the argument's logic. Groups share rewrites with the class and evaluate which transformation preserved persuasive force while achieving formal tone.

30 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Tone Spectrum

Post six short paragraphs on the same topic ranging from very informal to highly formal. Students rotate and mark each on a 1-5 tone scale, noting specific language choices that pushed the paragraph in either direction. Debrief focuses on the features that cluster at each end and what they signal to a reader about the writer's credibility.

25 min·Small Groups

Individual: Tone Revision Sprint

Students take a paragraph from their own draft and complete a targeted revision: circle every contraction and replace it, underline every first-person opinion statement and convert it to an evidence-based claim, and highlight any colloquial phrase. They count the total changes and write two sentences reflecting on how the revision affected the argument's authority.

15 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Journalists writing news reports for major publications like The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal must maintain a formal and objective tone to present information accurately and build reader trust.
• Lawyers drafting legal briefs or arguments for court proceedings use formal language and objective reasoning to persuade judges and juries, avoiding emotional appeals or casual phrasing.
• Policy analysts preparing reports for government agencies or think tanks must present data and recommendations in a formal, objective manner to ensure their findings are taken seriously by decision makers.

Assessment Ideas

Peer Assessment

Provide students with a short argumentative essay written by a peer. Instruct them to highlight any contractions, colloquialisms, or subjective statements. Then, have them write one sentence explaining how one highlighted instance could be revised for a more formal and objective tone.

Quick Check

Present students with two versions of the same sentence, one informal and one formal. Ask them to identify the formal version and explain in one sentence why it is more appropriate for academic writing. For example: 'This plan is a total disaster.' vs. 'This proposal presents significant challenges.'

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write two sentences on a slip of paper. The first sentence should express a personal opinion using subjective language (e.g., 'I think that movie was amazing.'). The second sentence should express the same idea formally and objectively, focusing on evidence or analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between formal and informal writing in 8th grade English?

Formal academic writing avoids contractions, colloquialisms, slang, first-person opinion statements ('I think,' 'I feel'), and emotionally loaded language. Informal writing uses the natural register of conversation , the way students text or speak with friends. The formal register signals to an academic reader that the writer is treating the subject seriously and basing their claims on evidence rather than personal reaction.

Why is it problematic for students to use 'I' in argumentative essays?

First-person opinion phrases like 'I think' or 'I believe' shift the burden of proof from evidence to personal conviction, which weakens the argument's credibility. The solution is not banning first-person entirely , 'I argue' is acceptable in some academic contexts , but rather replacing opinion framing with evidence-based claims: 'Research indicates' or 'Three studies demonstrate' signals a stronger argumentative foundation.

How does maintaining an objective tone improve an argument's credibility?

An objective tone signals that the writer has evaluated evidence rather than reacted emotionally, which makes the audience more willing to engage with the argument. Readers who detect emotional manipulation or personal bias are more likely to dismiss the entire argument. Formal, objective language does the opposite , it creates the impression of a writer who has considered all sides and reached a reasoned conclusion.

How does active learning help students develop a formal writing tone?

Students are far better at spotting informal language in someone else's writing than in their own. Structured peer editing sessions where students specifically hunt for contractions, colloquialisms, and first-person opinion frames in a partner's draft build the ability to hear register violations. Once students can identify them in others' work, they start catching them in their own writing during drafting , not just during revision.