Patterns of Development

Techniques of writing an article

READING AND WRITING

lANGUAGE USE

sPELLING

PUNCTUATION

• The student failed the test.
• The student did not meet the passing score.

Questions

Guide Questions:

• Do the sentences mean the same thing?
• Which sentence sounds more formal?
• Which sentence sounds more emotional or direct?
• How does word choice affect the tone?

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• “Reading helps us understand ideas, but writing helps us express them clearly. The better we choose our words, the more powerful our message becomes.”

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Learning Targets

At the end of the lesson...

• apply different techniques for writing a well-organized article ;
• explain how language use affects the meaning of the text;
• differentiate formal language from informal language ;
• explain how mechanics affects the

meaning of the text

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LET’S LEARN TOGETHER!

LANGUAGE USE

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Choosing the right words to use in any form of writing is important

• To distinguish the two from each other, remember that colloquialisms, contractions, first-person pronouns (“I”), and phrasal verbs, among others, are generally not used in formal written and, often, spoken language. A word’s level of diction also determines whether a sentence is written using formal or informal language. Examples are:

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LANGUAGE USE

LET’S LEARN TOGETHER!

FORMAL LANGUAGE

Academic, business and official texts are written in formal language

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Newspapers, Educational Books and Articles

INFORMAL LANGUAGE

personal correspondences, such as letters to family and friends, are created using informal language

Family Reunion, Girl’s Night out, Boy’s Night Out, Dinner gathering

1. To Show Professionalism

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Formal language makes your writing sound serious and credible. In academic papers, research, business letters, and official documents, informal words can make the writer appear careless or unprepared.

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Example:

• Informal: The results were kind of surprising.
• Formal: The results were unexpected.

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2. To Maintain Objectivity

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Formal language avoids slang, contractions, and emotional expressions. This helps keep the tone neutral and objective, which is very important in research writing.

Example:

• Informal: I think the data shows that students are stressed.
• Formal: The data indicate that students experience stress.

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3.To Improve Clarity and Precision

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Formal words are usually more specific and accurate. This prevents misunderstanding.

Example:

• Informal: Kids have a lot of problems at school.
• Formal: Students face numerous academic challenges.

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4. To Show Respect for the Audience

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Formal writing shows respect to readers, especially teachers, researchers, administrators, or professionals.

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Example:

• Informal: You must respect the elders.
• Formal: Let’s respect the elders.

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5. To Follow Academic Standards

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• Schools and academic institutions require formal language in research papers, essays, and reports. This helps maintain consistency in scholarly communication.

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Example:

• Informal: Kids have a lot of problems at school.
• Formal: Students face numerous academic challenges.

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Levels of diction refer to the style of language chosen by a writer or speaker based on audience and purpose, ranging from formal to informal. The primary levels are Formal (academic/professional), Neutral/Standard (conversational but correct), Informal (casual/conversational), and Low/Slang (colloquial or non-standard)

Level of Diction

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The students asked Ma’am Beth to call the professor and ask whether they can continue their research work.

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INFORMAL

Level of Diction

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What makes it informal?

The students requested that the secretary contact the professor and obtain her permission for them to continue their research work.

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FORMAL

Level in Diction

What makes it formal?

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Many students are super stressed because they have tons of schoolwork and

tight deadlines.

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Diction (research)

INFORMAL

What makes it informal?

Many students experience significant academic stress due to excessive workload and limited deadlines.

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FORMAL

Diction (research)

What makes it formal?

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A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb + preposition or verb + adverb (sometimes both) that creates a meaning different from the original verb.

INFORMAL

Phrasal Verbs

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What makes it informal?

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• Verb + Adverb
• give up
• find out
• Verb + Preposition
• look after
• believe in
• Verb + Adverb + Preposition
• put up with
• look forward to

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EXAMPLE

Phrasal Verbs

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Mr. Bayani has left out a clause from the agreement

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INFORMAL

Phrasal Verbs

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What makes it informal?

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Mr. Bayani has omitted a clause from the agreement.

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FORMAL

Phrasal Verbs

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What makes it formal?

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The researchers tried to find out the main cause of academic stress.

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INFORMAL

Phrasal Verbs (Research)

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What makes it informal?

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The researchers aimed to determine the primary cause of academic stress.

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FORMAL

Phrasal Verbs (Research)

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What makes it formal?

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The project will not advance until the end of the year.

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FORMAL

CONTRACTIONS

What makes it formal?

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The project won’t push through until the end of the year.

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INFORMAL

CONTRACTIONS

What makes it formal?

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The project won’t push through until the end of the year.

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INFORMAL

Examples in research

What makes it formal?

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The project will not push through until the end of the year.

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FORMAL

Examples in research

What makes it formal?

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Activity 1: Identify Me! (Easy 5 minutes)

Direction: Write F if the sentence uses Formal language and I if it uses Informal language.

• The results of the study indicate a significant increase in stress levels.
• A lot of students are kinda stressed about exams.
• The researchers conducted a survey among Grade 11 students.
• Kids today are super into social media.
• The findings suggest that time management improves academic performance.

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ANSWER KEY

Answer Key:

• F
• I
• F
• I
• F

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LANGUAGE USE

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Whenever possible, words must be direct and simple but accurate in denotation and connotation so that readers will easily understand the text. At present, people are also more aware of using unbiased and appropriate language so as not to offend any individual or a particular group of people.

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A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.

Denotation is the literal or dictionary meaning of a word.

It is the direct, specific meaning without any emotion or personal interpretation.

Denotation

Example 1:

Word: Snake

• Denotation: A legless reptile.

🔹 Example 2:

Word: Home

• Denotation: A place where a person lives.

Denotation is neutral and factual. It is the meaning you will find in a dictionary.

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Connotation is the emotional, cultural, or implied meaning of a word.

It refers to the feelings or ideas that people associate with a word beyond its dictionary meaning.

Conotation

Example 1:

Word: Snake

• Conotation: Connotation: A person who is deceitful or untrustworthy.
• (Example sentence: Many people think he is a snake because he betrayed his friend.)

Word: Home

• Connotation: A place of comfort, love, and safety, not just a house.

(Example sentence: After a long trip, she was happy to return home where she felt loved.)

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1. Political/Current Events Magazine Editorial

• Positive Connotation: "The administration's bold attempt at healthcare reform has energized a new generation." (Using "bold" suggests bravery and forward-thinking)

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1. Political/Current Events Magazine Editorial

Example

Word rich

• Conotation: The province is known for its rich cultural heritage, attracting thousands of tourists every year.

Word: Hard

• Connotation: Farmers continue to face hard times due to rising production costs.

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Mechanics are conventions in composition that have to be considered in writing.

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MECHANICS

When you write, always make sure that you are consistently using one

standard concerning the spelling of your words.

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SPELLING

Examples: (American-British) color-colour, defense-defence, organize-organise, traveled-travelled, theater-theatre, learned-learnt

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Capitalization means writing the first letter of a word in uppercase while the rest of the letters are in lowercase. There are rules in capitalization that one has to remember.

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CAPITALIZATION

1. Capitalize the First Word of a Sentence

The first word in every sentence must begin with a capital letter.

Example:

• Research is important in senior high school.
• Students conducted their survey last week.

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RULES

Capitalize the First Word of a Sentence

2. Capitalize Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, organizations, and events.

Examples:

• Jireh Mae Pesana
• Philippines
• University of the Philippines Diliman
• Department of Education

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RULES

Capitalize Proper Nouns

3.Capitalize titles only when they come before a person’s name.

Examples:

• Dr. Maria Santos discussed the results.
• Principal Reyes approved the proposal.

But not:

• The principal approved the proposal.

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Capitalize Titles of People (When Used Before a Name)

Examples:

• Examples:
• World War II
• Renaissance
• DavNor Hataw Sayaw

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Capitalize Historical Events and Special Events

Examples:

• Monday
• February
• Christmas
• Independence Day

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Capitalize Days, Months, and Holidays

Examples:

• English
• Filipino
• Japanese
• Asian

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Capitalize Languages and Nationalities

Capitalize the first and last words and all important words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs).

Example:

• The Effects of Social Media on Academic Performance
• Practical Research I

(Small words like “of,” “and,” “in” are not capitalized unless they are the first word.)

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Capitalize Titles of Books, Articles, and Research Papers (Major Words Only)

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Capitalize Specific Subjects or Courses

When referring to the official name of a subject, capitalize it.

Examples:

• Reading and Writing Skills
• Practical Research I
• General Mathematics

But not when used generally:

• I enjoy reading and writing.

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Capitalize Specific Subjects or Courses

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QUIZ TIME

• During the school’s cultural program, the organization committee worked hard to prepare the event. The students decorated the hall with colorful posters and banners. One student wrote, “welcome to our annual cultural celebration,” on the entrance banner. Another student checked the program schedule to make sure everything was in order. The teachers praised the students for their behavior and dedication in completing their tasks on time.

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Paragraph 1

1.Which word in the paragraph uses American spelling?

a. colour b. behaviour c. organization d. centre

2.What is the British spelling of the word organization?

a. organisasion b. organisation c. organiztion d. organizasion

3. Which word in the paragraph should be capitalized but is not?

a. program b. welcome c. posters d. banners

4. What rule of capitalization applies to the word “welcome”?

a. First word of a sentence b. Name of a person c. Title of a book d. Proper noun

5. The word behavior in the paragraph is an example of:

a. British spelling b. American spelling c. Informal language d. Slang

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QUESTIONS

6.The denotation of the word committee is:

a. A group of people assigned to perform a task b. A group of friends meeting casually c. A noisy crowd d. A celebration

7.The word colorful suggests excitement and happiness. This meaning is an example of:

a. Denotation b. Connotation c. Capitalization d. Spelling

8.Which word refers to the exact dictionary meaning?

a. Connotation b. Capitalization c. Denotation d. Punctuation

9.The phrase annual cultural celebration suggests pride and tradition. This is an example of:

a. Denotation b. Connotation c. Capitalization d. Abbreviation

10.Which word refers to people who come to see an event?

a. volunteers b. visitors c. families d. performers

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QUESTIONS

Answer Key

• c. organization
• b. organisation
• b. welcome
• a. First word of a sentence
• b. American spelling
• a. A group of people assigned to perform a task
• b. Connotation
• c. Denotation
• b. Connotation
• b. hall

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ANSWER KEY

Mini Writing Task

Instructions:

Write a one-paragraph academic response (5–7 sentences) about the topic:“The Importance of Time Management for Senior High School Students”

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Let’s Check!

Requirements:

• Use formal language.
• Avoid contractions (don’t, can’t, won’t, etc.).
• Avoid slang words.
• Maintain an objective tone.
• Underline at least three formal words used in your paragraph.

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