Formal Voice and Present Tense

Formal Voice and Present Tense

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Present Tense vs. Past Tense

• Another important part of formal writing style is writing in present tense with stories

• Stories are ongoing (even when we stop reading, it doesn't change the events of the story) - this means their events are still happening currently

• Make sure you maintain consistency!!

• Examples of Present: says, does, goes, eats, pushes, etc.

• Examples of Past: said, did, went, ate, pushed, etc.

Multiple Select

Select all of the following that make up a formal writing style

• precise words

• "I think..." statements

• objectivity

• no slang

• personal pronouns

Formal Writing Style includes:

• full sentences

• no "I think..." or "I believe..." statements

• no first person/ second person pronouns (you, I, me, we, etc.)

• objectivity

• precise, specific word choice (no words like "stuff," "things," "a lot," etc.)

• no slang or conversational words or tone

Multiple Choice

Which sentence would you find in a formal paper?

• A. William and the other children pick on Margot and push her in a closet.

• B. The children moved outside and ran in the sunny day. They loved the weather.

Correct Answer: A. William and the other children pick on Margot and push her in a closet.

• This sentence was in present tense, whereas the other one was in past tense. The story events don't change, therefore it should be in present tense.

Multiple Choice

Pick the word you think best replaces the underlined word in the sentence below:

Once the sun finally came out, you can see how happy the children are.

• the audience

• I

• readers

• the teacher

Once the sun finally came out, readers can see how happy the children are.

OR

Once the sun finally came out, the audience can see how happy the children are.

• The "you" in this sentence was referring to other readers/ the audience.

• Since "you" is an informal pronoun, replacing "you" with "readers," "the audience," or "one" can make writing more formal.

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence in present or past tense?

Shrek yelled at Donkey, which made Donkey extremely sad.

• Present

• Past

Answer: Past Tense

The words "yelled" and "made" are past tense verbs.

"yells" and "makes" are present tense versions of these verbs.

Multiple Choice

Which is the best word to replace the underlined word?

The reader encounters a lot of examples of irony.

• a bunch of

• many

• a heap of

Poll

Do you feel prepared to use formal style and present tense in your analysis paragraph?

• Yes

• No