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Dialect Worksheets, Examples & Definition

Dialect is the language spoken in a particular or specific region, or it is a spoken language specific to a social group (group of people).

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When looking for dialect, linguists, or people who study language, look at vocabulary words, grammar, accents, and pronunciation. Most of the time, we think people who live in a specific region speak the same language. For instance, we might consider that the common language in England is English. However, groups of people who live in different parts of England may talk differently, meaning their English sounds a little different. People speaking English may pronounce words different depending on where they live. Our dialect, or how we talk, can also depend on our social status. Those who are given more education may talk differently than those who do not have as much education.

Our dialect also includes the vocabulary and phrases we use. For instance, Americans use the word subway, while those in England primarily use the term underground. Dialect even changes between native speakers in a country. For instance, in America, those in the midwest primarily call the sweet carbonated beverages you drink pop. The term pop applies to common drinks like Coca-Cola, Sprite, root beer, etc. In the southern reaches of America, individuals call the carbonated drink coke, regardless of whether the drink is Coca-Cola or not. In the western parts of America, citizens call the drink soda. All of these individuals are speaking English, but their vocabulary slightly changes depending on where they live.

One way to think about vocabulary with dialect is by thinking about this question:

What do you call the device that you put your groceries is when you visit the grocery store?
A shopping cart? A grocery cart? A buggy? A trolley? Something else?

How you pronounce words is also part of your dialect. Think about people you have met that you thought talked differently than you even though they were speaking the same language.

For instance, say this word:

Caramel

Do you pronounce it car-ml or care-uh-mel. Depending on where you live, you may pronounce it differently than others.

Dialect is how people speak in a particular region, or how people speak who belong to a particular group: Dialect includes grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Everyone belongs to a dialect group. Even though you may not hear it, you do talk with a dialect. A dialect that belongs to a specific, geographic location is a regional dialect. A dialect that belongs to a social group, like a specific class, is a social dialect.

Examples of differences in dialect can include the following:

  • How you greet someone (hello, hi, howdy, hey, how’s it going, yo, G’day, hiya, etc.)
  • What do you call the place that you rent to live? (apartment, flat, rental, etc.)
  • How do you spell honor / honour?
  • How do you spell organize / organise?
  • How do you spell theater / theatre?
  • What do you call the place where you see a move? (cinema, theatre, etc.)
  • What do you call the fried potatoes cut into slices? (chips, fries, french fries, etc).

Dialect Worksheets

This bundle contains 5 ready-to-use Dialect worksheets that are perfect to test student knowledge and understanding of Dialect which is the language spoken in a particular or specific region, or it is a spoken language specific to a social group (group of people).

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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