Sounds Smart

In this activity, students read an AI-generated passage that uses an overly formal tone to appear authoritative. They identify phrases that sound official or scientific but may exaggerate credibility, labeling these as “authority signals.” Learners analyze how word choice influences believability and reflect on the power of tone in shaping reader trust. This exercise teaches how stylistic choices can mislead audiences and helps students recognize techniques that create false authority.

Curriculum Matched Skills

English Language Arts – Analyzing Word Choice and Tone

Critical Thinking – Evaluating Persuasive Language

Media Literacy – Understanding Authority and Credibility Cues

English Language Arts – Reading Informational Text: Craft and Structure

This worksheet is part of our AI Hallucination collection.