Purpose, audience and register

English Language · Writing: directed writing. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

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The idea

Before you choose any sentence, ask two questions. Who will read this (the audience)? Why am I writing (the purpose)? The best option fits both.

Register is the level of formality. Use a formal register for a principal, an editor, a council or a company. Use an informal register for a friend or a cousin. Do not mix the two in one piece of writing.

Tone is the attitude in your words. A complaint should be firm but polite. A talk to new pupils should be friendly and reassuring. A report should be neutral and factual.

Rules to remember

Formal: full forms (‘I am’, ‘cannot’), precise words, complete sentences, polite phrases.
Informal: contractions (‘I’m’, ‘can’t’), slang, exclamation marks, chatty phrases, first names.
Formal swaps: kids → children; a lot of → many; fix → repair; called off → cancelled.
A single verb often sounds more formal than a phrasal verb: ‘put off’ → ‘postpone’.
Complaint or request: firm but polite, with a clear statement of what you want.
Young children: short sentences, simple words, clear instructions.
Report: facts and figures, with no jokes, slang or strong feelings.

Common mistake

Thinking that formal means long, difficult words, or letting one informal word such as ‘kids’ or ‘loads of’ slip into a formal letter. Formal writing is polite, clear and free of slang.

Worked example

You are writing to your principal to ask for permission to hold a book sale. Which sentence is best? A: ‘We want the hall on Friday, so please sort it out.’ B: ‘Hi Sir! Any chance we can grab the hall on Friday?’ C: ‘We would be grateful if you would allow us to use the hall on Friday for a book sale.’

Audience: the principal, an adult in authority, so the register must be formal and respectful.
Purpose: to ask for permission, so the tone must be polite, not demanding.
A gives an order and uses the informal ‘sort it out’. B uses ‘Hi’, ‘grab’ and an exclamation mark.
C uses full forms and a polite phrase, and states the request clearly.

Answer: C is the best sentence.

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