Formal and informal register.

Informal to formalInformal to formal means moving from the kind ofspeech we would use when talking with friends:

‘I’m not going this afternoon ’cos I’ve got a cold.’

To the kind of voice we use with our professionalhat on:

‘I will be unable to attend this afternoon’s appointmentas I have contracted an infection, for which I will need to visitthe doctor.’

Using your formal voice

Imagine you’ve contracted someone to carry out painting work for your business. You were out of town and one of your staff paid the painters from the till. When you return the job is poorly finished. You need to write to the painters making it clear that you’re not happy and you intend to do something about it.

How can you show you should be taken seriously?

What’s wrong with this?

To Speedy Plumbers,You dun a really bad job!! Painting was incomplete e.g. lots of equipmnt left lying around – which took me 2 weeks to clear up!! I am totally raging!! U owe me a refund for the work you dun or I get a lawyer to handle the situashin…

Yours, Cliff Hanger

From informal to formalYou dun a really bad job!! Painting was incomplete e.g. lots of equipmnt left lying around – which took me 2 weeks to clear up!! I am totally raging!! U owe me a refund for the work you dun or I get a lawyer to handle the situashin…

The job done wasunsatisfactory. The paintingwas incomplete andequipment was leftunattended. Furthermore, the situation took two weeks toaddress. This is completelyunacceptable. An immediaterefund is requested or legalaction will be sought.

What did we do?

What did we do?• Made the register of words

more formal• Removed abbreviation• Used passive voice

• Removed digits• Removed text language• Formal linking• Used fewer exclamation marks

Get: obtained; raging: displeasedSort out: addresseg: for exampleI want to: It is requested thatYou should: There should be2: two, to, too; 4: fourI want u 2: I want you toHowever, furthermore

Contractions

• Won’t• Haven’t• Can’t• Don’t • Aren’t

Write down the answers...

Language: formal registerFor each thing you want to say there will be a range of ways to say it. From very formal to very informal:

Register: formal verbs

• Get• Looking• Went• Deserves• Saw/seen• Buy• Having• Has

• Obtain/achieve• Seeking• Attended• Merits• Observed• Purchase• Featuring• Possesses

Register: formal adjectives

These are vague...Good, great

Nice

Practise with word thesaurus.

These are specific...

Excellent, valuable, skilled,effective

Stylish, sophisticated, friendly,confident

From active to passive voice

Active constructions

I looked up the internetDan cleaned the carI will finish the work todayWe visited the site

Passive constructions

The internet was consulted.The car was cleaned (by Dan)The work will be finished todayThe site was visited

Formal linking wordsSignposting: Firstly, secondly, thirdly,

Words that build on a point:Additionally, moreover, furthermore, also,therefore

Words that signal a change of direction:However, nevertheless, yet, on the other hand,but, despite this

Let’s practise this.