Contextualization

Welcome to your new project, where we will delve into the intricacies of maintaining a formal style in writing. Writing is one of the most powerful tools humans possess. It enables us to communicate our ideas, thoughts, and feelings across time and space. However, not all writing is the same. Different contexts and situations call for different styles of writing.

In a formal style of writing, the language used is more complex, the sentences are longer, and the structure is more organized. It is commonly used in academic writing, business correspondence, and official documents. Being able to write in a formal style is of utmost importance as it demonstrates your ability to communicate clearly and professionally.

Formal writing style is essential in many aspects of life. In school, you will use it to write essays, reports, and formal letters. In higher education and the workplace, you'll use it for research papers, presentations, and professional emails. Even in your personal life, you may need to use a formal style for certain occasions like writing a letter of complaint or a job application.

Formal writing is not just about using big words. It is about using language that is precise, objective, and respectful. It's about understanding the rules of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization and using them consistently. It's about organizing your thoughts in a logical, coherent manner and presenting your ideas in a way that is easy for others to understand.

Resources

To help you understand the concept of formal writing style better and develop your skills in this area, here are some resources for you to explore:

1. Purdue OWL: Writing in a Formal Style - This resource from Purdue University provides an excellent overview of what constitutes a formal writing style and gives some great tips for achieving it.

2. Grammarly Handbook: Formal and Informal Writing - This resource from Grammarly explains the differences between formal and informal writing and provides some useful examples.

3. BBC Bitesize: Formal and Informal Writing - This resource is aimed at younger students but provides a clear and simple explanation of formal and informal writing styles.

4. YouTube: How to Write a Formal Email - This video from the channel 'Learn English with Emma' is a great resource for understanding how to write a formal email.

Remember, the key to mastering a formal writing style is practice. So, let's dive in and get started on this exciting journey!

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Formal Writing in Real Life: A Simulation Project"

Objective of the Project:

To develop an understanding of formal writing style and its application in real-world scenarios. This will be accomplished through a simulation project where students will be required to write formal emails, a formal letter, and a formal report.

Detailed Description of the Project:

This project will be carried out by groups of 3 to 5 students over a period of one week. The groups will take on different roles, each with specific tasks that require formal writing. These tasks will include writing formal emails, a formal letter, and a formal report.

The first part of the project will involve researching and understanding the different elements of formal writing style. The second part will require the application of this knowledge in writing the assigned tasks.

Necessary Materials:

• Access to a computer with an internet connection for research and writing tasks
• Word processing software for drafting and formatting the written tasks
• Access to email for sending the formal emails

Detailed Step-by-Step for Carrying Out the Activity:

1. Form Groups (30 minutes): The students should form groups of 3 to 5 members each. Ensure that each group has a diverse mix of skills and abilities.

2. Assign Roles (15 minutes): Assign each group a scenario and specific roles. For example, one group could be a team of employees in a company, and each member could have a different role such as a manager, a senior executive, a junior executive, and so on.

3. Research Formal Writing (1 hour): The groups should research formal writing. They should investigate the elements of formal writing style, the appropriate tone, word choice, sentence structure, and formatting for different types of formal writing tasks.

4. Write Formal Emails (1 hour): Each group should write a series of formal emails related to their assigned scenario and roles. These could be emails to clients, internal communications within the company, or emails to other stakeholders.

5. Write a Formal Letter (1 hour): Each group should write a formal letter related to their assigned scenario. For example, it could be a letter to a client, a letter of complaint, or a letter of recommendation.

6. Write a Formal Report (1 hour): Each group should write a formal report related to their assigned scenario. For example, it could be a monthly progress report, a report on a specific project, or a report on a company's financial performance.

7. Review and Edit (30 minutes): After completing the writing tasks, the groups should review and edit their work. They should ensure that their writing is clear, concise, and follows the rules of formal writing style.

8. Finalize and Submit (30 minutes): The groups should finalize their work and submit it. They should also prepare a brief presentation to share their experiences and learnings from the project.

Project Deliverables:

The final deliverables will include:

1. Written Documents: The formal emails, formal letter, and formal report written by each group.
2. Group Presentation: A brief (5-10 minutes) presentation sharing their experiences and learnings from the project.

The written documents should be submitted as a group. The group presentation will be conducted in front of the class.

Project Report:

After completing the practical part of the project, students will work on a written report. This report will be divided into four main sections:

1. Introduction: In this section, the student should provide context about the theme, its relevance in real life, and the objective of the project.

2. Development: Here, the student should detail the theory behind the project topic, explain the activity in detail (including the methodology used), and finally present and discuss the obtained results.

3. Conclusion: The student should revisit the main points of the project and state their learnings and conclusions about the work.

4. Bibliography: Finally, the student should indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

The written report should provide a comprehensive overview of the project, from understanding formal writing style to applying it in real-world contexts. The report should be well-structured, clearly written, and free from grammatical errors.